Opponents to Collingwood development near Silver Creek Wetlands disappointed with land tribunal ruling

The Friends of the Silver Creek have been fighting against development adjacent to the wetland for more than 20 years.

And while the Town of Collingwood, the developer of Huntingwood Trail, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) and the County of Simcoe have reached an agreement at the Ontario Land Tribunal on the development, they say they’ll continue to fight to protect the wetland.

The Silver Creek Wetland is about 450 acres on the shore of Nottawasaga Bay in Collingwood and The Blue Mountains, and it’s recognized as the last intact coastal wetland in all of Georgian Bay.

The Huntingwood Trail development is proposing 100 units including 86 single detached and 14 semi-detached homes on a 21-acre parcel of land on Silver Creek Drive, adjacent to the wetland.

“The ruling by the OLT in favour of the Huntingwood Trails development is disappointing to the Friends of Silver Creek and all those who have fought hard against this development for over 20 years,” said Katherine Holmes, of Friends of the Silver Creek. “It’s clear the Ontario government has no understanding of the immense value of this provincially significant environment and the grave threat to the natural heritage of South Georgian Bay. We look forward to working with the Town of Collingwood and the NVCA to ensure that all stipulations and conditions required of the developer are strictly met and adhered to.”

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