Ojibway National Urban Park to receive designation this year

A decades-long effort to create the Ojibway National Urban Park will come to fruition before the end of 2025, according to the federal government.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, made the announcement Saturday morning at the Ojibway Nature Centre.

“So, it basically means that we’re officially establishing the national park,” Guilbeault told CTV News following the announcement.

As outlined in the last federal budget, the funding consists of $36.1 million over five years for the park and an additional $4.6 million annually for operations.

Guilbeault noted the park will become part of the “national network” along with other Parks Canada stops across the nation.

“In terms of pavilion, in terms of staff, you will feel when you come to this park as if you were in any other national park,” Guilbeault said.

Once designated, Ojibway will join Rouge National Urban Park in Scarborough as the only two of this kind in Canada.

Irek Kusmierczyk, the Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh, said the goal is to have the designation completed before the end of the year.

“Ojibway, which was a local and regional park, is now a national park that we’re sharing with all Canadians from coast to coast to coast,” Kusmierczyk said.

With the potential for a federal election looming and the prorogation of parliament, the MPs noted the designation of funding would not be at risk.

However, Brian Masse, MP for Windsor West, told CTV News legislation is still needed to ensure the park’s designation.

A private members’ bill presented by Masse passed second reading in the senate last April and is now in committee. Masse has said his legislation provides the legal roadmap for agreements to create the national urban park.

“The City of Windsor has not got to the point where it’s transferring the lands because there’s still work to be done with Parks Canada,” Masse said, noting the city is in support of the park.

Masse said Saturday’s announcement is “good” news, but it lacks the proper next steps to reach the finish line.