Case study: Land back, land conserved
A multi-award-winning project by the Township of Georgian Bay is helping to build an ecological corridor with Reconciliation, sustainability and stewardship top of mind
ASSET MANAGEMENT
Ontario
95 acres of land returned to Moose Deer Point First Nation
553 acres of municipal land conserved
32,900 acres of Crown land protected
2025 CAMA Environment Leadership & Sustainability Award winner in the Under 20,000 Population category
Honourable mention, FCM’s Sustainable Communities Awards in the Reconciliation and anti-racism, equity and inclusion (R-AREI) category
Summary
The Township of Georgian Bay has taken on multiple interlinked projects guided by principles of environmental stewardship and genuine Reconciliation. Recognizing the sacredness and rightful stewardship of lands adjoining and intersecting Moose Deer Point First Nation, the Township has transferred 95 acres of land to the First Nation that connect previously broken-up parcels of territory.
In addition, the Township has conserved 553 acres through partnership with the Georgian Bay Land Trust and added a layer of protection to an additional 32,900 acres of ecologically significant Crown land. “We also greatly appreciated the work of the Georgian Bay Land Trust, and the support of the provincial and federal governments, to provide protection to our lands to ensure they remain in their natural state for generations to come,” proclaimed Mayor Koetsier.
Through this work, the Township is demonstrating a meaningful commitment to Indigenous sovereignty and ecological integrity.
“Returning lands to Moose Deer Point First Nation was simply the right thing to do—they never should have been Township lands.”
– Peter Koetsier, mayor of the Township of Georgian Bay
Background
The Township of Georgian Bay in southern Ontario counts about 3,500 full-time residents—plus 18,500 in summer—along the eastern coast of Georgian Bay about 150 km north of Toronto. The Township has a strong commitment to climate action and is part of the UNESCO-recognized Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere. This region is also of interest to the Georgian Bay Land Trust, a local nonprofit that is working on a habitat corridor to ensure continuity between wilderness areas and was interested in bringing in the Township to support this effort.
Reconciliation is one of the Township’s key strategic pillars, including improving relationships with neighbouring Indigenous communities such as Moose Deer Point First Nation. Staff at the Township and First Nation had been working for a number of years to build a relationship and share knowledge. Through these ongoing discussions, the Township recognized that it owned 95 acres of road and shoreline allowances—land set aside more than a century ago for potential road construction or other access-related use—adjoining and intersecting the First Nation’s land and that there was an opportunity to take positive action on this issue.
Pressures on the land and people
Georgian Bay’s natural beauty is under pressure from growing development and the spread of invasive species such as Phragmites, threatening vital natural spaces and the biodiversity and human relationship with nature that they support. Some areas were not receiving sufficient care partly due to unclear ownership, putting the land at further risk.
Meanwhile, many community members face barriers to accessing nature, and an unresolved land claim underscored the need for justice and Reconciliation. Historically, colonial processes unjustly displaced Indigenous Peoples from their territories, disconnecting communities from their cultural and ecological identities as land stewards. “These little 66-foot strips that alienate us from the shoreline and create these illusions where we’re not a contiguous piece of land play an important part in our psyche,” said Colette Isaac, Lands Director, Moose Deer Point First Nation. “There is an underlying impact of this awareness that our lives are constrained by external factors that have nothing to do with us.”
Together, these challenges call for thoughtful, inclusive stewardship of these lands.
The approach
The Township realized that transferring lands would involve significant effort, from surveying and verifying ownership according to the Canadian legal system to managing the transfers themselves. Much of the land in question was natural wetland and inaccessible in winter, so plans had to accommodate those realities. The Township applied for external funding to help cover costs, some of which went toward land stewardship activities as well.
More than 50 individual parcels of land were assessed and processed to be designated for conservation or land transfer.
Results
In a landmark step toward Reconciliation, the Township sold 95 acres of land to Moose Deer Point First Nation for $1. This symbolized meaningful action to rectify past harms, reconnecting Moose Deer Point First Nation with their Ancestral territories and reinforcing traditional relationships and responsibilities to the land. By transferring this land, the Township of Georgian Bay has taken an essential step toward healing historical injustices, honouring traditional stewardship roles and creating an ecosystem for sustainable coexistence.
The Township also entered into a 999-year lease with the Georgian Bay Land Trust to preserve 553 acres of municipally owned land, zoning it for environmental protection. Moose Deer Point First Nation supported this agreement and the active commitment to protect 32,900 acres of Crown land.
Project costs were covered in part by provincial, federal and private funding. Remaining funds are set aside for ongoing preservation and protection activities.
The project has already generated meaningful outcomes by, for example, creating jobs for students, land stewards, local surveyors and legal experts. It has also expanded equitable access to nature for all community members, while supporting Indigenous leadership in caring for the land and fostering community resilience.
In recognition of this innovative and inclusive project, the Township received a 2025 CAMA (Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators) Environment Leadership & Sustainability Award in the Under 20,000 Population category. It also received an honourable mention in FCM’s 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards, in the Reconciliation and anti-racism, equity and inclusion (R-AREI) category.
“The honourable mention of this achievement is a befitting tribute to the work that has been undertaken. Moose Deer Point is grateful for, and respectful of, the successful and effective working relationships that we have established with our neighbours. G’chi-miigwech [thank you], Township of Georgian Bay leadership and staff.”
– Chief Rhonda Williams-Lovett, Moose Deer Point First Nation
Lessons learned
- Regular communication is essential: Key participants had a standing weekly meeting that they made a priority.
- Land title issues in rural Ontario can be complicated: Hiring a local legal team ensured that the lawyers understood the project and its complexities.
- Building and maintaining relationships between municipal and Indigenous communities and governments requires ongoing effort distinct from specific project work and should include not just top leaders and elected officials but staff as well.
“These relationships are not business meetings—they’re relationships between two governments who see and do things very differently. That needs to be understood and respected.”
– Colette Isaac, Lands Director, Moose Deer Point First Nation
Next steps
The Georgian Bay Land Trust has an ultimate goal of protecting 62,900 acres for its wilderness corridor, and the Township of Georgian Bay is continuing to support that initiative by sharing its experience with neighbouring communities.
Community ambassadors will monitor key land parcels to track progress, and transferred land is being assessed for the presence and movement of wildlife and other species. Regular community engagement and monitoring by Indigenous and municipal partners will support this project's sustainability, demonstrating that true Reconciliation requires ongoing, respectful relationships grounded in trust and mutual benefit.
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