The Frontenacs are rich in natural treasures - 1,000 lakes, 1,000 islands, Lake Ontario, the Frontenac Arch, the Frontenac Biosphere, Frontenac Provincial Park, Bon Echo Provincial Park, Sharbot Lake Provincial Park, Big Sandy Bay, Cataraqui Trail, Rideau Trail, Trans Canada Trail, Cataraqui Region Conservation Area, Gould Conservation Area, Mississippi Valley watershed, and the Rideau Valley watershed, to name a few.
Compared to urban settlement areas, the Frontenacs are largely rural with population densities ranging from a high of 16 residents per km2 in South Frontenac to 1.4 residents per km2 in North Frontenac.
Small rural communities are scattered throughout the Frontenacs. No one community has more than 1,500 residents so, investments in large capital infrastructure for water and/or sewage treatment is not feasible without support from senior levels of government.
Environmental protection is critical for both seasonal and permanent residents who must rely on the natural environment – clean water and clean air. In some cases, residents effectively utilize alternative technologies to produce clean, renewable energy or to access wireless communications systems. In others, residents use and expect clean water from either ground or lake sources.
Green space, consisting of farmland, vacant land and crown lands, is significant in the Frontenacs. Seventy percent of North Frontenac is public or crown land controlled by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Challenges
The population density is increasing on local lakes so residents form lake associations and are actively involved in developing lake management plans to protect water quality.
The resident population, both permanent and seasonal, continues to increase resulting in increases in road use, road inventory and road maintenance. At the very least, increases in travel times and traffic volumes increase Green House Gases (GHG) and contribute to poor air quality.
The cost of operating a farm is increasing as a result of an increasing number of environmental sustainability regulations and practices. The loss of agricultural lands is expected to continue as the value of land for agriculture declines but the value of that same land for waterfront residential and rural estate development continues to increase.
Opportunities
The power and consistency of the wind on the Frontenac Islands has successfully attracted new private sector investment to Wolfe Island where 86 - 2.3MW turbines are being erected. Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. is operating the 197.8MW wind plant which is expected to be fully operational later this year.
The recent commitment to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is expected to provide new opportunities, like feedstock for biofuels, for existing farm owners. Political will and commitment towards climate change, as shown through Ontario's Green Energy Act, is an important consideration in future decisions.
Solar generation opportunities
Energy from waste
Electronic Waste Recovery