GRCA takes next steps in managing Niska Land Holdings property

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has announced that it has completed a draft management plan for the Niska Land Holdings property on Niska Road in Guelph.

The draft Niska Land Holdings Management Plan includes detailed information on the property's key natural heritage features, natural hazards, and previous and current uses. This information has been used to develop recommendations for the future use of the property. The recommendations in the plan aim to enhance natural heritage and recreational features on some parcels of the property, while recommending that one parcel of the property be declared surplus as it no longer aligns with the mandate of the GRCA.

In 2017, the GRCA was involved in an Ontario Municipal Board hearing, during which an 8-hectare portion of the property was included in a list of land use appeals. The appeal was withdrawn in March 2018 as part of a settlement reached that requires several actions to be undertaken by the GRCA as part of the management plan process. In 2018, the GRCA board passed a motion directing staff to complete a management plan for the entire property.

The 65-hectare property, a portion of which was once leased to the Niska Wildlife Foundation, was returned to the possession of the GRCA in 2015. The property is currently closed to the public due to several hazards and safety risks on the site.

To review the draft Niska Management Plan, submit comments and learn more about the history of the Niska Land Holdings property, visit www.grandriver.ca/Niska. The GRCA encourages all interested parties to provide feedback during the 45-day public comment period. Comments will be received until June 25, 2023.

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Media Contacts:

Cam Linwood, GRCA Supervisor, Strategic Communications
Phone 519-621-2763 x2251  |  Email clinwood@grandriver.ca

Lisa Stocco, GRCA Manager, Strategic Communications and Environmental Education
Phone 519-621-2763 x2316  |  Email lstocco@grandriver.ca