A new 26-hectare conservation area on Mississauga’s Lake Ontario shoreline will officially open to the public on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
Credit Valley Conservation, Peel Region and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are holding the grand opening of the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, with parking at Marie Curtis Park and access through the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.
The day will begin earlier with a sunrise ceremony from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. at the Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre. The ceremony will be led by Raiden Levesque, an Oshkabewis and firekeeper from the Métis Nation, with the Eagle Spirits of Great Waters drummers.
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
The conservation area has been more than a decade in the making. Built as a lake-fill project on the bed of Lake Ontario, it sits beside the emerging Lakeview Village community and within the Head of the Lake Treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The site is also bordered by Lake Ontario, Marie Curtis Park in Etobicoke and the G. E. Booth Water Resource Recovery Facility.
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
The project reused two million cubic metres of clean soil and rubble from Peel Region capital projects to create the new landform. It includes 1,600 metres of shoreline, 5.3 hectares of grassland, 5.6 hectares of forest, 5.3 hectares of wetland and 4 hectares of young successional habitat.
More than 42,200 trees and shrubs and 76,321 wetland plants have been planted. Monitoring has recorded 75 bird species, 38 fish species, 10 butterfly species, 14 mammal species, two frog species and 36 wetland species.
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
The project includes more than 3.7 kilometres of trails, a 170-metre raised boardwalk, lookouts, bridges and Indigenous placekeeping spaces, including the Gateway Drums and Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre.
Peel Region invested $60.0 million, while the Government of Canada contributed $4.14 million through the Active Transportation Fund.
The site is named for the late Jim Tovey, a former Mississauga and Peel Region councillor who supported the waterfront restoration vision.
Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area – Trip Planning
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
- Walk the restored waterfront trails: Explore more than 3.7 kilometres of trails, bridges, boardwalks and public gathering areas across the new conservation area. Visitors can follow scenic routes through wetlands, grasslands, forest areas and shoreline spaces, with rest areas along the way and views of Lake Ontario from newly created lookout points.
-
- Waterfront Trail, 1.9 km: Paved multi-use waterfront route through meadows, forests, creek crossings, Indigenous sites and nearby breakwater barge views.
- Mink Link, 0.3 km: Easy loop from the Waterfront Trail around Applewood Wetland, with refuge habitat, crushed stone and asphalt.
Kingfisher Way, 0.2 km: Easy boardwalk trail near Serson Creek, leading to wetland lookouts for birdwatching and close nature viewing. - Songbird Summit, 0.5 km: Easy loop through grasslands to a promontory lookout with skyline, lake and conservation area views above.
- Monarch Meander, 0.7 km: Asphalt loop from the Waterfront Trail along the water’s edge, with skyline views and rest areas.
-
- Experience the raised wetland boardwalk: Spend time on the 170-metre raised boardwalk, one of the site’s standout features. The boardwalk gives visitors a closer look at restored wetland habitats and offers a quieter way to observe the landscape, including plants, birds and other wildlife now returning to the shoreline.
- Look for wildlife across the site: Bring binoculars or simply take your time watching for signs of nature throughout the conservation area. Monitoring has already recorded 75 bird species, 10 butterfly species, 38 fish species, two frog species, 14 mammal species and 36 wetland species using the restored habitats.
- Cycle the Waterfront Trail: Ride through the conservation area on the new waterfront trail connection, which brings visitors closer to the lake and away from busy Lakeshore Road. E-bikes and e-scooters are permitted on the Waterfront Trail only, giving cyclists and mobility users another way to experience the site.
Credit: Credit Valley Conservation (CVC)
- Visit Indigenous placekeeping spaces: Take time to see the Gateway Drums and Indigenous Teaching Amphitheatre, developed in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. These spaces recognize the ongoing presence of Indigenous Peoples in the Credit River Watershed and connect visitors with the area’s cultural history.
- Join grand opening activities: During the grand opening, visitors can explore the conservation area, meet project partners and learn more about the restoration work that shaped the site. Complimentary e-bike experiences, courtesy of Bird Canada, will also be available as part of the opening-day activities.
When: Grand Opening:
Saturday, May 30, 2026, Activities: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Open: late April through late November each year, sunrise to sunset
How Much Free
Where: HFF5+9V, Mississauga
Access: Enter and exit through Marie Curtis Park (2 Forty Second St, Etobicoke) via the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. The Waterfront Trail within Jim Tovey Lakeview is not a through trail. Visitors must enter and exit through Marie Curtis Park.
Parking is available at Marie Curtis Park.