Working Paper #1 Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy Geographic and Policy Context Prepared for Ministry of Transportation, Ontario by IBI Group Hemson Consulting Ltd. and Stantec December 18, 2015 IBI GROUP WORKING PAPER #1: GEOGRAPHIC AND POLICY CONTEXT Prepared for Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 2 Geographic, Social, and Economic Features of Northern Ontario ....... 4 2.1 Physical Geography .......................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Key Features .......................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Transportation Implications Related to the Physical Geography ........................................................................... 11 2.2 Climate ........................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Key Features ........................................................................ 12 2.2.2 Transportation Implications Related to Northern Ontario’s Climate and the Effects of Climate Change ......................... 15 2.3 Wildlife and Ecosystems ................................................................. 16 2.3.1 Key Features ........................................................................ 16 2.3.2 Transportation Implications Related to Northern Ontario’s Wildlife and Ecosystems ...................................................... 17 2.4 Socio-Economic Overview .............................................................. 17 2.4.1 Key Aspects ......................................................................... 17 2.4.2 Transportation Implications Related to Socio-Economic Features in Northern Ontario ............................................... 25 3 Overview of Northern Ontario’s Transportation Infrastructure and Modes ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1 Roads ............................................................................................. 27 3.1.1 Provincial Highways ............................................................. 27 3.1.2 Interprovincial and International Connections ...................... 30 3.1.3 Local Roads ......................................................................... 35 3.1.4 Winter Roads ....................................................................... 35 3.1.5 Forest Access Roads ........................................................... 36 3.2 Rail ................................................................................................. 37 December 18, 2015 i IBI GROUP WORKING PAPER #1: GEOGRAPHIC AND POLICY CONTEXT Prepared for Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Table of Contents (continued) 3.3 Air ................................................................................................... 39 3.3.1 International Airport .............................................................. 39 3.3.2 Municipal Airports ................................................................. 39 3.3.3 Remote Airports ................................................................... 39 3.4 Marine ............................................................................................. 41 3.4.1 The Near North .................................................................... 41 3.4.2 The Far North ....................................................................... 41 4 Governance ............................................................................................. 42 4.1 Provincial Jurisdiction ..................................................................... 43 4.2 First Nations and Métis Governance............................................... 44 4.3 Local Governance Structures and Jurisdiction ............................... 46 4.3.1 Municipalities........................................................................ 46 4.3.2 Unincorporated Areas .......................................................... 49 4.4 Federal Jurisdiction ......................................................................... 50 5 Transportation and Land Use Policy Context ....................................... 52 5.1 Provincial Policies ........................................................................... 52 5.1.1 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) ....................................... 53 5.1.2 Growth Plan for Northern Ontario......................................... 55 5.1.3 Unincorporated Areas .......................................................... 57 5.1.4 Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act ................ 58 5.1.5 Far North Act ........................................................................ 58 5.2 First Nation – Provincial Planning ................................................... 59 5.2.1 Community-Based Land Use Plans ..................................... 59 5.3 Provincial Programs ........................................................................ 63 5.3.1 Overall Funding .................................................................... 63 5.3.2 General Infrastructure .......................................................... 63 5.3.3 Road ................................................................................ 63 5.3.4 Air ................................................................................ 65 5.3.5 Rail ................................................................................ 65 December 18, 2015 ii IBI GROUP WORKING PAPER #1: GEOGRAPHIC AND POLICY CONTEXT Prepared for Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Table of Contents (continued) 5.3.6 Marine 65 5.3.7 Aboriginal Specific Programs and Funding .......................... 65 5.3.8 Tourism ................................................................................ 66 5.4 Local Policy .................................................................................... 66 5.4.1 Municipal Official Plans ........................................................ 66 5.5 Federal Policy ................................................................................. 69 5.6 Federal Programs ........................................................................... 70 6 Next Steps ................................................................................................ 72 References ....................................................................................................... 73 Works Cited ............................................................................................... 73 Other Documents Reviewed ..................................................................... 77 Provincial ........................................................................................ 77 Far North Community Based Land Use Plans ................................ 77 Municipal Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans .............. 77 Alternate Text for Exhibits ......................................................................... 79 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1.1: Map of Northern Ontario Transportation System Elements ............... 2 Exhibit 2.1: Map of Geographic Regions and Boreal Forest in Northern Ontario .................................................................................................. 6 Exhibit 2.2: Topographical Map of Northern Ontario ............................................ 7 Exhibit 2.3: Typical Landscapes of the Northern Ontario Canadian Shield .......... 8 Exhibit 2.4: Typical Landscape in the Clay Belt ................................................... 9 Exhibit 2.5: Typical Landscapes in the Hudson Bay Lowlands .......................... 10 Exhibit 2.6: Average Annual Climate Normals between 1981 and 2010 for Select Northern Ontario Locations ...................................................... 13 Exhibit 2.7: 30-Year Average Annual Temperatures in Northern Ontario: 1961-1990 Period and 1981-2010 Period ........................................... 14 December 18, 2015 iii IBI GROUP WORKING PAPER #1: GEOGRAPHIC AND POLICY CONTEXT Prepared for Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Table of Contents (continued) Exhibit 2.8: Population by Northern Ontario Census Division, Including Proportion Identifying as Aboriginals ................................................... 19 Exhibit 2.9: Place-of-Work by Industry and Census Division, 2011 ................... 20 Exhibit 2.10: Proportion of Jobs by Industry, Northern Ontario and Ontario Totals, 2011 ........................................................................................ 21 Exhibit 2.11: Map of Provincial Parks and National Parks in Northern Ontario ................................................................................................ 24 Exhibit 3.1: Map of Transportation Connections between Northern and Southern Ontario ................................................................................. 30 Exhibit 3.2: Map of Ontario Road Network in National Context.......................... 31 Exhibit 3.3: Map of Transportation Infrastructure Serving Interprovincial and International Traffic in Northern Ontario .............................................. 32 Exhibit 4.1: Map of Northern Ontario: Far North Boundary, Statistics Canada Census Districts and Municipalities ....................................... 47 Exhibit 4.2: Northern Ontario Municipalities ....................................................... 48 Exhibit 5.1: Areas in Northern Ontario