The City of Pickering says the key parties needed to fund and manage Frenchman's Bay are now in place, moving the long-running effort to bring the waterfront property into public ownership into its final stages.

According to a City of Pickering statement, the partners are positioned to establish the framework for a funding agreement and a management model for the Bay. Important work remains, the City said, but the development marks significant progress toward completing the acquisition.

"The shimmering jewel of Pickering"

"Frenchman's Bay is the shimmering jewel of Pickering and an integral part of our identity. We are encouraged by the progress we have made and the shared commitment of everyone involved," Mayor Kevin Ashe said in a City of Pickering statement.

Ashe noted there is still work ahead, including ongoing discussions with Indigenous community partners, but said the City has a strong path forward toward public ownership.

A rare case of private ownership

The effort brings together the City of Pickering, the Government of Canada — including Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Parks Canada — the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

The partners share a goal of protecting the Bay, preserving its natural and recreational value, and ensuring it can be enjoyed for generations to come, the City said. Discussions continue as the parties work through the final agreements needed to complete the acquisition and set up long-term management and protection.

Frenchman's Bay is one of the most significant coastal wetlands on the north shore of Lake Ontario, according to a City of Pickering statement. Unlike most water bodies, which are typically Crown-owned, large portions of the Bay have been privately held by the Pickering Harbour Company since 1853, under a pre-Confederation Charter granted by the Crown.

What comes next

The City said acquiring the privately held portions would support the long-term protection, restoration and enhancement of the Bay's ecological functions, in partnership or consultation with municipal, provincial and federal governments, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public.

The City said it is grateful for the collective commitment that has brought the property transaction to its final stages, and will share further details as the process advances.