June 4, 2026 – Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) marked a major milestone in waterfront revitalization on Friday, May 29 with a sunrise ceremony and ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area. A collaborative effort of Peel Region, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and CVC, this project is one of the most significant shoreline restoration and greenspace projects in the region’s history.
The ceremony celebrated the completion of a newly built conservation area more than a decade in the making and recognized the collective efforts of the many partners who helped transform a once degraded shoreline into a 26-hectare conservation area along Lake Ontario.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together representatives from all orders of government, Indigenous partners and the local community whose leadership and long-term collaboration made this generational project possible. Hosted by Mississauga Ward 1 Councillor and CVC Board Member Stephen Dasko, the speakers and guests included the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, CVC Board Chair Michael Palleschi, Peel Region Chair Nando Iannicca, Member of Parliament Charles Sousa, Member of Provincial Parliament Rudy Cuzzetto, Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish, and senior leadership from Credit Valley Conservation and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, along with Board members and municipal representatives. The event also welcomed the family and friends of the late Jim Tovey, the former Mississauga and Peel Region councillor in whose honour the conservation area is named.
The conservation area officially opened at sunrise with a ceremony led by Knowledge Keeper Mark Sault, acknowledging the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation as the treaty holders for the lands and waters where Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area was created. This sunrise ceremony marked the first official moment for the space and reflected the project’s deep commitment to honouring Indigenous presence, leadership and ongoing relationship-building.
As part of the fundamental commitments of this project and CVC’s strong relationship with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the conservation area includes Entrance Gateway Drums and an Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre which were integrated into the new landform’s design 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.
The project was generously funded by Peel Region. The project is also funded in part by the Government of Canada.
Quotes
“With the opening of Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, a shared vision has become reality. What was once a degraded industrial shoreline is now a vibrant natural landscape that restores ecological function, supports biodiversity, and reconnects people with Lake Ontario. This remarkable achievement reflects years of dedication, collaboration, and the collective belief that healthy ecosystems and thriving communities go hand in hand.” — Terri LeRoux, Chief Administrative Officer at Credit Valley Conservation
“What we’re seeing here is remarkable, it’s truly been a Field of Dreams moment for conservation-we have built it, and they have come. The new habitats are already supporting migrating birds and spawning fish, including the return of the endangered American eel along this shoreline. As this landscape continues to mature, biodiversity will only grow. Credit Valley Conservation is committed to stewarding this space for the long term, ensuring it supports both nature and community for generations to come.” — Michael Palleschi, Chair, Credit Valley Conservation Board of Directors and Regional Councillor, City of Brampton
“Through strong partnerships with CVC and TRCA, and with funding from Peel Region, a long‑degraded stretch of the Mississauga shoreline has been transformed into a lasting ecological legacy. By responsibly reusing more than two million cubic metres of excess soil and concrete from Peel infrastructure projects, this site has been created as a thriving, functional conservation landscape.” — Nando Iannicca, Peel Regional Chair and CEO
“The Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area will provide Mississaugans with a variety of active travel routes, including over three kilometres of trails close to Lake Ontario, offering a picturesque view for local travellers and tourists alike. Locations like this promote healthy lifestyles and connect people to the beauty of our natural scenery.” — Charles Sousa, Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Lakeshore
The events celebrated the completion of a landmark project more than a decade in the making and reflects a transformative achievement in habitat creation and waterfront revitalization. It reflects the site’s remarkable evolution from a degraded section of the Mississauga shoreline into a thriving 26-hectare waterfront conservation area with award winning restored habitat, recreational trails and Indigenous placemaking spaces.
Photos
Link: Official ribbon cutting of the opening of Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area
Link: An elevated boardwalk through the restored wetland
Now Open to Public
Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is now open to for the public to enjoy its new features including an accessible network of trails, boardwalks, lookouts and gathering spaces. These new amenities showcase the site’s diverse cultural and ecological history, while providing scenic connections to wetlands, grasslands, forest environments and Lake Ontario.
Visit cvc.ca/JimToveyLakeviewCA to learn more about the new conservation area and how you can plan your visit.
About Credit Valley Conservation
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is a local conservation authority established by the Ontario government in 1954 to protect, restore and enhance the natural environment of the Credit River watershed. That watershed is the area of land where all rainfall, snowmelt and runoff drains (“sheds”) into lands and waters flowing into the Credit River. CVC creates connections between people and nature, knowledge and action. It inspires a deep appreciation for the role of nature in keeping people connected, healthy and happy. CVC is a member of Conservation Ontario.
-30-
Media contact:
Sophia Maio
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
Credit Valley Conservation
M: 437-240-4801
Email