Tuesday, August 27, 2024 As the Town of Wasaga Beach celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is proposing a significant re-alignment with the Province of Ontario to help transform the town into a complete community and a year-round tourism destination. The Town is calling for the World’s Longest Freshwater Beach and Nancy Island Historic Site to be transferred from the oversight of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming (MTCG). Mayor Brian Smith emphasized the unique nature of Wasaga Beach and Nancy Island, arguing that these landmarks deserve specialized management to unlock their full potential.
“Wasaga Beach and Nancy Island are one-of-a-kind, and they need the expertise and resources of a ministry focused on tourism and cultural development to thrive as world-class attractions,” said Mayor Smith. This proposal coincides with the Town’s efforts to redevelop its downtown area, including the commercial beachfront, in line with the broader vision of becoming a year-round destination. The Town highlights that millions of dollars’ worth of provincially-owned land has remained underutilized for decades, offering little benefit to the local or provincial economy.
Provincial Task Force The Town has formally requested the creation of a provincial task force to evaluate the current provincial landholdings in Wasaga Beach. The task force would include representatives from the MECP, MTCG, Inf.