Part of the Frenchman's Bay Deal Would Go to OPG, Not Pickering

A City report from May shows 591 Liverpool Road would be transferred to Ontario Power Generation in exchange for up to $10 million, with Pickering licensing it back for boat storage and parking. Residents deserve to see the terms before the deal closes.

Last week, residents were told a "framework" is in place to bring Frenchman's Bay into public hands "in perpetuity." I fully support that goal, and credit is due to everyone working to make it happen. But a City report that has received little public attention shows the deal is more complicated than the headlines suggest.

What the report says

Report CAO 06-26, dated May 25, 2026, sets out a Municipal Infrastructure & Servicing Agreement (MISA) between the City and Ontario Power Generation. Among other things, it covers 591 Liverpool Road, one of the properties the City is buying from the Pickering Harbour Company. The report states:

"This financial contribution will be conditional upon the completion of the City's purchase of 591 Liverpool Road from the Pickering Harbour Company (PHC) and its transfer to OPG. Thereafter, a Licence agreement between the City and OPG that would permit the use of 591 Liverpool Road for public City purposes (boat storage and public parking) at a nominal cost."

In plain terms, here is how it would work:

The report also explains why OPG wants the property:

"591 Liverpool Road lies within the nuclear exclusion zone surrounding PNGS. By taking title to 591 Liverpool Road, OPG ends the possibility of any private sector uses on 591 Liverpool Road that would be inconsistent with the ongoing refurbishment and operation of PNGS."

What it means for residents

To be fair, there is real good news here. OPG is a provincial Crown corporation, so 591 Liverpool Road would stay in public ownership, and private development on that parcel would be ruled out. The $10 million also reduces what the City pays for the Bay.

But it also means one piece of our waterfront would be owned by OPG, not the City of Pickering. Residents' use of it would depend entirely on the terms of a licence, and those terms are not in the public report.

The questions residents deserve answered

• How long does the licence last, and can it be renewed?
• Can OPG end or change the licence, for example if the station's refurbishment needs the space?
• Is public use limited to boat storage and parking, or can the City use it for parkland, waterfront access or a boat launch?
• What happens to the licence if OPG's needs change over the life of the station, which is expected to run for decades?
• Was this structure explained to residents when the Frenchman's Bay framework was announced as public “in perpetuity”?

Also in the agreement

The same agreement covers other items residents may want to know about. OPG will contribute up to $10 million toward Fire Hall #5, and is paying about $16 million to rehabilitate Sandy Beach Road and rebuild Montgomery Park Road for its refurbishment project. However, the report notes the Sandy Beach Road arrangement delays the City's own reconstruction of that road by about 10 years, raising its future cost from an estimated $12 million to $20.45 million. The report puts the net cost to the City at about $280,000.

Where I stand

I'm 100% in favour of bringing Frenchman's Bay into public hands. But public ownership should mean exactly what residents think it means. As Mayor, I will:

• Push to make the licence terms for 591 Liverpool Road public before the deal closes.
• Seek long-term, secure public access to the property, not a licence that can be ended at short notice.
• Make sure every parcel in the Frenchman's Bay deal is clearly identified: who owns it, who controls it, and what residents can use it for.

Buying the Bay is the easy part. The fine print is what decides whether it truly stays in residents' hands.

Sources

• City of Pickering, Report to Council CAO 06-26, Municipal Infrastructure & Servicing Agreement between the City of Pickering and Ontario Power Generation, May 25, 2026
• insauga: 'Framework' in place to keep Pickering waterfront lands in public hands 'in perpetuity', October 16, 2026
• My full report: Frenchman's Bay sold, conditionally

My full platform: shaunrickardformayor.ca/platform

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