Transport Canada has signed an agreement with Parks Canada to transfer Ojibway Shores from the Windsor Port Authority as part of the process of creating the Ojibway National Urban Park.
Last summer, the City of Windsor signed a collaboration agreement with Parks Canada to start discussions surrounding the creation of the park. In February, funds were set aside for the park assessment.
At the same time, Windsor-West MP Brian Masse has been calling for Ojibway Shores to be part of the agreement. He introduced a private members bill to establish the urban park that will be voted on next month.
"I have been advocating for this to many ministers of Transport and the Environment for five years. I even sent directions on how to do it to the Windsor Port Authority. The federal government has finally acknowledged what has been known for five years and should have been done long ago. City taxpayers should not pay twice for land they already own. This action, while needed and important, is just one more step in the process of establishing Ojibway National Urban Park. I assume this action was taken today since the House of Commons vote on my bill C-248 to create Ojibway NUP is on June 8,” said Masse.
Meanwhile, the Windsor Port Authority indicated it will be making an announcement shortly on new property acquisition and project development.
"The Office of Minister Alghabra and Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmiercyzk have worked closely with the Port for the last year to find a permanent solution to preserve Ojibway as a natural heritage site. We are grateful to both their offices for the close cooperation in ensuring the preservation of Ojibway, and a commitment to securing another site for port development," said Steve Salmons, president and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority.
Since the private member's bill was introduced, the City of Windsor and Caldwell First Nation have written letters in support of it.