New conservation area in Mississauga has big things in store for people: CVC

A huge waterfront conservation area set to open next spring in Mississauga’s south end features a new section of trail that will reconnect people with part of Lake Ontario’s shoreline “that had been off limits for decades,” project leaders say.

A newly paved 1.9-kilometre section of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail “now winds through the site, bringing the vision of a connected, accessible greenspace to life,” said Credit Valley Conservation, one of the partners in the major redevelopment project that’ll bring to fruition the $59-million Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.

“This new trail reconnects people with a stretch of Lake Ontario’s shoreline that had been off limits for decades,” CVC officials continued in their latest project update earlier this week. “Connection has always been at the heart of the conservation area planning, not only between people and nature but also along the waterfront itself. By integrating the Waterfront Trail, the project creates safe, inclusive spaces for everyone to explore, learn and celebrate the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage.”

A section of the new paved trail that’s part of the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.

The local conservation authority, which has partnered with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Region of Peel to redevelop the Mississauga site, added the trail will become “a future active transportation corridor between Mississauga and Toronto once the Lakeview Village waterfront park is complete.”

Lakeview Village is a huge new residential/business community being developed in the coming years beside the conservation area.

The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail runs for some 3,600 kilometres between Sault Ste. Marie and the Quebec border following the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Mississauga is one of numerous communities it passes through.

Sneak preview of the new conservation area

Those interested can get a sneak preview of the new conservation area at a public information session on Nov. 27. Attendees will see how the 64-acre Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is taking shape, Credit Valley Conservation officials say.

Those who come out to the public gathering will also be able to provide feedback to project leaders. The session runs from 6-8:30 p.m. For more information, visit the CVC website.

Organizers say those who attend will also have the opportunity to:

• Understand the vision for the park’s future.
• Discover what wildlife has already moved into the area.
• View a photo exhibit showcasing the park’s transformation.

Among the latest developments at the conservation area site was the placement of two new pedestrian bridges in late September (see video below).

Officials said those crossings “will connect trails, boardwalks and lookouts across the 26-hectare waterfront site, transforming a former industrial space into a vibrant green oasis for people and wildlife.”

Expected to be an environmental “gem” in the south end of Canada’s seventh-largest city, the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area is scheduled to open in May 2026.

A raised boardwalk in the midst of nature is also expected to be a key feature of the conservation area, project leaders said earlier.

The local conservation authority said the raised boardwalk trail, which will be especially welcomed by birdwatchers, will offer “a one-of-a-kind vantage point, allowing visitors to look out over the surrounding vegetation and into the heart of the wetland habitat.”

CVC added the new boardwalk trail is located next to Serson Wetland East and among the experiences it will offer visitors is the opportunity to catch relatively up-close glimpses of a wide variety of birds.

“The new 170-metre boardwalk is 2.5 metres wide and is fully accessible. It features two lookout platforms along the path providing a perfect place to pause, enjoy unobstructed views of the wetland and soak in the sights and sounds of nature,” project officials said in an earlier online update. “Once the conservation area opens, visitors will have the chance to spot a variety of bird species, from graceful herons to colourful warblers.”

View of Serson Wetland from the boardwalk’s south lookout. (All photos: Credit Valley Conservation)

The conservation authority said construction is on track as it creates more than three kilometres of new trails and natural spaces as part of the conservation area.

When opened to the public next spring, it will offer visitors an accessible network of trails, boardwalks, lookouts and scenic gathering spaces, those involved in the project say.

The conservation area was initially expected to open this past July, but the project was delayed by 10 months, CVC officials said earlier this year.

The cities of Mississauga and Toronto have also contributed to the massive undertaking in developing the new conservation area.

“The scale and impact of this project is unique within the Great Lakes region; it is the only project of its kind happening in this area,” CVC officials said in a project update last December. “It will be a major greenspace asset to the city of Mississauga and Peel, supporting healthy communities by connecting over nine kilometres of waterfront trail.”

Project receives international recognition

The large-scale project has also been recognized by a U.S.-based international group that promotes ecological restoration.

Project leaders said earlier this year the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area received a tip of the cap from the Ontario chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration.

“Together with our partners, we’re transforming a once-degraded shoreline into a thriving 26-hectare greenspace where people and wildlife can reconnect with nature,” CVC officials said.

Another new feature officials are eagerly anticipating is a promontory that will be situated 14 metres above lake level at the highest point in the conservation area.

They say it will “boast a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding greenspace, city skyline and Lake Ontario. This feature will be visible across (the conservation area) and will offer unique views along the shoreline.”

Built on a previously degraded section of shoreline and named for the late Mississauga city councillor who worked to bring the project to fruition, the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area reuses construction rubble and fill as a sustainable resource to create a greenspace that will connect the community back to Lake Ontario, project leaders say.

Lakeview Village and the Jim Tovey conservation area are being developed on the site that was once home to the Lakeview Generating Station. It was shut down in 2005 complete with the controlled demolition of the iconic smokestacks known for decades as “The Four Sisters.”