Digital Media Kit
Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area Grand Opening
A Once-in-a-Generation Transformation of Mississauga’s Waterfront
The Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is transforming a former industrialized section of shoreline into living coastal landscape that is restoring habitat, advancing reconciliation, and reconnecting communities with Lake Ontario.
The Story
The Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area represents a once‑in‑a‑generation transformation of Mississauga’s eastern Lake Ontario shoreline. What was once an inaccessible and degraded industrial waterfront is now a restored coastal landscape designed to support biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience and provide vital greenspace for a growing urban community.
Situated between Marie Curtis Park and the future Lakeview Village, the conservation area creates a critical ecological and recreational link along the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, connecting Toronto and Mississauga.
Developed through a collaborative partnership between Credit Valley Conservation, Peel Region and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, it represent a landmark achievement in habitat restoration, Indigenous placemaking and regional collaboration.
Why This Project Matters
- Brings nature back at a meaningful scale
Restores wetlands, creeks and shoreline habitats that had been lost - Helps protect the shoreline from climate impacts
Natural features reduce erosion, handle wave energy and adapt over time - Creates much needed greenspace for a growing community
New landform provides space for people to connect with nature along the waterfront - Supports Indigenous leadership and connection to the land
Reflects ongoing stewardship, cultural presence and shared responsibility for the site
What Makes this Project Unique
- Rebuilds the shoreline to restore natural systems
Reshapes the waterfront to bring back wetlands, creeks and coastal habitat - Uses reused soil from other projects
More than 1.7 million cubic metres of clean soil were reused, reducing waste, emissions and project costs - Brings together environmental, infrastructure and cost solutions
Shows how restoration, construction and responsible spending can work together - Designed for both people and nature
Functions as a regional destination supporting people and wildlife - Managed for for long-term ecological function
Monitored over time as the landscape grows to ensure ecosystems thrive
Project Overview
The creation of Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is the result of visionary planning, engineering and community collaboration. It’s transformation makes it one of the largest new greenspaces added to the Lake Ontario waterfront in generations while creating a more continuous and naturalized shoreline.
Partners and Funding
Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is the result of a collaboration between Peel Region, Credit Valley Conservation and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority working together with the City of Mississauga, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and dedicated community advocates and funding partners.
The $60 million dollar investment delivered a 26-hectare conservation destination. More than half of the project budget was offset by reuse of Peel Region clean excess soil and external grant funding through the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund.
Funding Sources
- Peel Region: $58 million
- Government of Canada – Active Transportation Fund: $4.1 million
Public Engagement
Following the closure of the Lakeview Generating Station, a community grassroots initiative was started by the Lakeview Ratepayer’s Association to envision a future for these lands. Their Lakeview Legacy Project would lead to the Inspiration Lakeview Master Plan, transforming eastern Mississauga’s waterfront into a vibrant and sustainable community.
Engagement has been a foundational component of the creation of Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area since the project’s inception in 2011.
Over the course of more than a decade, engagement activities were designed to inform, involve and gather input from various voices from the local community, Indigenous partners, government agencies and CVC’s internal technical experts.
Role of Jim Tovey
The conservation area is named in honour of the late Jim Tovey, the former Mississauga and Peel Region Councillor and dedicated CVC and TRCA Board of Director.
His strong commitment to environmental conservation, the Lakeview community and broader Lake Ontario management were instrumental in getting this project off the ground. Jim Tovey was a visionary and dedicated champion of conservation and the preservation of our Great Lakes.
Jim’s passion and commitment to public service played a pivotal role in the ongoing transformation of Mississauga into a revitalized and accessible waterfront. As leader of the Lakeview Ratepayer’s Association, Jim was instrumental in the demolition of the Lakeview Power Plant and guiding a new vision for the former coal burning plant lands. He was a community champion, saving the Small Arms Building from demolition and transitioning it into a hub for the community and local artists.
Landform Construction
The landform and shoreline was built using approximately two million cubic metres clean construction rubble and excess soil from Peel Region infrastructure projects and other development projects within the Greater Toronto Area.
Reusing this material locally saves transportation costs and disposal fees, keeping thousands of trucks from driving long distances and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
Since construction began in 2016, we have reused and recycled:
- 370,630 cubic metres of brick/block rubble and concrete
- 1,776,000 cubic metres of clean excess soil
- 77,295 cubic metres of topsoil
The revenues from the reuse of Peel Region’s clean excess soil contributed approximately 50 per cent of the overall cost making the project financially viable.
The completion of construction marks a pivotal transition for the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, shifting from an active engineering site to a living, managed landscape.
Habitat Creation and Restoration
The new conservation area is one of the largest new greenspaces added to the Lake Ontario waterfront in generations.
Restoration efforts have created a diverse and resilient landscape that includes new shoreline, wetlands, grasslands, forests and successional habitats.
Situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario between two major migration ‘superhighways’, the conservation area is positioned to become a critical migration stopover.
It features:
- 1,600 metres of new shoreline
- 5.3 hectares of grassland habitat
- 5.6 hectares of forest habitat
- 4 hectares of successional areas
- 5.3 hectares of wetland habitat
- More than 75,000 wetland plants and near 19,000 trees and shrubs were planted on site.
To date, we have recorded a variety of wildlife at the site:
- 75 bird species
- 10 butterfly species
- 38 fish species
- 2 frog species
- 14 mammal species
- 36 wetland species
For more details about the habitats created, visit the Construction, Restoration and Management at Jim Tovey Lakeview page.
Visitors Amenities and Features
Designed to connect people with nature, the conservation area features new trails, viewing areas, interpretive signage, Indigenous placemaking features and spaces for learning and reflection
The site features 3.7 kilometres of new trails, including:
- A new 1.9 kilometres of the Waterfront Trail, rerouting users away from busy Lakeshore Road and bringing them to the waterfront
- 1.7 kilometres of pedestrian trails
- Rest areas every 90 metres
- 170 metres of accessible boardwalks through wetlands and natural habitats
Indigenous Placemaking
As part of the fundamental commitments of this project and CVC’s growing relationship with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area includes spaces for Indigenous teaching, recognizing the ongoing and enduring presence of First Nations, and Indigenous Peoples in the Credit River Watershed.
In partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the site’s design intentionally integrates Entrance Gateway Drums and an Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre to support learning and cultural connection.
These spaces and future interpretive elements recognize the enduring presence of First Nations, and Indigenous Peoples in the Credit River Watershed.
Ongoing Care and Restoration
Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is a living landscape. While construction is complete, ecological restoration is ongoing and long‑term management is essential to support healthy habitats and thriving ecosystems.
Continued restoration and stewardship activities include:
- Monitoring vegetation establishment and wildlife use
- Managing invasive species
- Supporting habitat succession and shoreline stability
- Adaptive management to respond to changing lake levels and climate conditions
These efforts will continue for years to ensure the conservation area reaches its full ecological potential while remaining safe and welcoming for visitors.
For more information visit our Construction, Restoration and Management at Jim Tovey Lakeview page.
Partner and Funder Quotes
Credit Valley Conservation
- Instagram: @cvc_ca
- Facebook: Credit Valley Conservation (@CreditValleyConservation)
- LinkedIn: Credit Valley Conservation
- X (Twitter): @CVC_CA
“This transformation goes beyond restoring land; it creates a shared space where people can gather and connect with nature along the Lake Ontario waterfront. The new Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area expands access to greenspace and offers lasting opportunities for everyone who lives, works, or spends time in the area to experience and enjoy nature.”
Terri LeRoux, Chief Administrative Officer at Credit Valley Conservation.
“This opening represents a transformative achievement in habitat creation and waterfront revitalization and reflects what’s possible when partners and community come together around a shared vision. Through years of collaboration, we have built a new shoreline that restores ecological function and creates a welcoming, accessible Lake Ontario waterfront for the community.”
Terri LeRoux, Chief Administrative Officer at Credit Valley Conservation.
More About Credit Valley Conservation
CVC, as the owner of the conservation area, has led habitat restoration efforts, environmental and EA compliance monitoring, consultation and communications and supported the construction of select public‑realm elements.
Peel Region
- Instagram: @peelregion.ca
- Facebook: Region of Peel
- LinkedIn: Region of Peel
- X (Twitter): @regionofpeelart
“Through close collaboration with the TRCA and CVC, Peel Region’s investment has helped bring a new conservation area to life—one that reconnects millions of urban residents with nature while restoring vital wildlife habitat. This landmark project reflects our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and to building a healthy, safe, and connected community for generations to come.”
Nando Iannicca, Peel Regional Chair and CEO
More About Peel's Role
Peel Region has provided project funding and overall oversight and supplied soil and rubble materials from regional infrastructure projects.
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
- Instagram: @trca_hq
- Facebook: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (@TorontoConservation)
- LinkedIn: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
- X (Twitter): @TRCA_HQ
“Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is incredibly proud of our partnership and work with Credit Valley Conservation in turning the vision for the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area into reality through advancing the environmental assessment, design, and construction and restoration of this key new segment of the Mississauga waterfront and Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.
John MacKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
“This transformative, leading-edge project includes restored creeks, wetlands, meadows, forests and shoreline habitats and offers spectacular views of Lake Ontario. We are grateful for the strong support and partnership of the Region of Peel, City of Mississauga, Government of Canada and the Lakeview Community Partners in helping reclaim this landscape as a legacy to former TRCA Board member Jim Tovey and as a valuable asset for our future.”
John MacKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
More about TRCA's Role
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) was engaged from the earliest stages of the project, including the formal Environmental Assessment (EA) process. The design prioritized ecological restoration, centred on re-establishing a natural shoreline, enhancing habitat conditions, and supporting diverse ecological communities.
For project implementation, TRCA acted as the General Contractor and primary constructor for the landform, including lake infill and shoreline protection. TRCA constructed new wetlands at the mouths of Serson and Applewood Creeks, expanding habitat and strengthening overall ecological function. Serson Creek, on the western edge of the conservation area, was extended and reconnected to Lake Ontario: restoring creek-to-lake connectivity, improving fish passage, and linking creek, wetland, and nearshore ecosystems.
Additionally, TRCA implemented key public realm improvements, including newly paved trails, retaining walls and concrete pads for benches and waste receptacles.
Opening Events
May 30: Public Grand Opening
The public is invited to to experience the newly restored waterfront conservation area that reconnects people and wildlife to the Mississauga shoreline. A variety of free activities for all ages is being offered:
A Sunrise Ceremony at the Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Free activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. including a scavenger hunt, guided walks and e-bikes courtesy of Birds Canada.
May 23 to June 3: Morphology 2026 – A Photography Exhibition
Over nine years, local photo artists documented the evolution of a degraded section of the Mississauga shoreline into a into a thriving waterfront conservation area. Visit the exhibit to experience how art, restoration and stewardship helped shape this waterfront landscape that is now the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.
Visit cvc.ca/JimToveyLakeviewOpening for additional details.
Photos and Videos
Video Gallery
- Building a Conservation Area (2020)
- Society for Ecological Restoration 2025 Regional Award (2025)
- Bridge Installation Over Serson and Applewood Creeks (2025)
- Opening Serson Wetland (2022)
- Newly Planted Forest (2020)
- Constructed Wetland (2023)
- Early Construction (2018)
- Morphology 2019
- Morphology 2021
Media Contact
Dawn Cripps
Supervisor, Marketing and Communications
Email