Endangered shorebirds are giving Wasaga Beach another chance, as two piping plovers returned to nest there just weeks after the town disturbed their protected habitat.
“This is good news that reflects the Town’s commitment to proactive, responsible stewardship,” Mayor Brian Smith said in a statement.
Wasaga Beach is Ontario’s most-visited provincial park and home to the world’s longest freshwater beach. It has long been considered a key nesting area for these small migratory shorebirds with sand-coloured plumage.
According to Environmental Defence, only about seven breeding pairs of piping plovers were recorded across the province in 2025. About 70 per cent that survive to adulthood originate from Wasaga Beach, the group says.
The birds return each spring to breed after wintering in southern regions and depend on undisturbed sand and natural shoreline habitat to reproduce.
News of two birds nesting now comes amid ongoing concerns from environmental advocates and residents after the Ford government’s decision to transfer portions of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, including protected habitat areas, to the town as part of the Destination Wasaga redevelopment project.
The move removes key nesting areas from provincial park protection, meaning the town is now largely responsible for protecting the habitat on a voluntary basis.
Last month, environmental groups launched a federal court lawsuit seeking urgent action to stop development in the area, warning that critical habitat for the endangered piping plover is already being damaged and the species could once again disappear from Ontario.
The groups are asking the court to order federal Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin to trigger emergency protections under the Species at Risk Act to safeguard key nesting areas along the shoreline. Federal officials have said they are reviewing the request.
According to Birds Canada, the beach has hosted 59 nests since 2008, producing 87 fledglings – nearly half of all piping plovers raised in Ontario during that period.
The town says it is taking steps to protect the birds and their habitat. The municipality recently adopted a new beachfront bylaw that includes fines of up to $3,000 for harming or disturbing piping plovers and other wildlife, adding that the penalties are among the strongest local protections of their kind in Canada.
The town has also hired three beachfront ambassadors and two piping plover technicians to support habitat monitoring, public education, signage and enforcement efforts.
Municipal staff have received mandatory piping plover stewardship training through a partnership with Birds Canada. And as nesting season gets underway, the town is urging visitors to respect fencing and signage, stay out of protected areas and avoid disturbing wildlife.
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