Sections of a beautiful bay along the shore of Lake Ontario, which have been privately owned for nearly 175 years, might soon be transferred to public ownership.
Frenchman’s Bay in Pickering is an unusual instance of private property on Lake Ontario, with the Pickering Harbour Company (PHC) holding significant portions of this sheltered bay since 1853 due to a pre-Confederation Charter granted by the Crown.
This distinct situation has been a challenge for the City of Pickering, which has been actively working behind the scenes for many years to bring the privately held areas of Frenchman’s Bay into public hands.
In October 2023, PHC put its portion of the bay up for sale. The combined listings totaled $80 million and covered just under 40 acres. The City of Pickering made an offer of $30 million, but it was turned down by the owners. However, discussions continued quietly, and it now seems that Pickering will be able to acquire the bay at their original bid price after all.
Recently, the City of Pickering reached an important milestone in this endeavor, announcing last Friday that they had secured essential parties “to establish the framework for a funding agreement and management model.”
“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,” said Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe.
“There is still work ahead, including ongoing discussions with Indigenous community partners, but we have a strong path forward toward bringing the Bay into public ownership and ensuring it remains a treasured part of our community,” added Ashe.
Pickering is collaborating with various governments and agencies to secure public access to the bay. This includes Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Parks Canada, as well as Ontario’s Government through its Ministry of Energy and Mines. Other partners include Nature Conservancy of Canada and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
A press release indicated that both the City of Pickering and these organizations share a common goal: protecting this water body’s natural beauty and recreational value.
The next steps involve ongoing discussions among all parties as they finalize agreements needed for Pickering’s acquisition of Frenchman’s Bay.
The City of Pickering along with provincial and federal governments are each contributing $10 million towards reaching a total acquisition cost of $30 million using a tri-party funding approach.
Lead photo by
Charles Duncan Photos / Shutterstock. com
