Residents in Pickering and beyond watched closely when a unique opportunity to own a chunk of nearby Lake Ontario first appeared in 2023—and now, the City has gone public with their desire to close the deal.
The listings at 591 and 600 Liverpool Road, encompassing an area known as Frenchman’s Bay, include commercial buildings and zoning for residential use, and together total $60 million (they were first listed for about $100 million).
In December, Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe told Muskoka Region that the city was “close to getting a deal” and had set aside $30.8 million of the 2025 budget for the purchase. The budget split costs at $10 million from the city and an expected $10 million each from the provincial and federal governments.
Listing agent Jim Kelly said he’s always wanted the City to be the buyer. “I would love to see the city be the custodian of the water. I think that’s the right thing, especially for the history that’s associated with it,” he says.
Kelly is referring to the unique reason why the lake itself is up for sale, which dates back to 1853, when Queen Victoria signed a deed to incorporate the Pickering Harbour Company, that included ownership of land under Frenchman’s Bay.
In late 2023, the City of Pickering hired consultants from KPMG to determine fair market value of the land, which came out to about $30 million; the City put forth two informal proposals based on this assessment, which were rejected. At the time, Mayor Ashe expressed disappointment and said Frenchman’s Bay “belongs in the public realm.”
While Kelly said he is unable to comment on why the proposals were rejected due to the confidentiality of the process, he says he’s been working closely with the City since the listings were first put up. “We’ve all kept the City involved and kept them aware of what’s happening without divulging any confidential information,” he says.
City of Pickering media representative Mark Guinto said in an email that the Frenchman’s Bay sale has recently been discussed at an “in camera” or confidential meeting, and the city cannot comment, “except to say that discussions are ongoing.”
Kelly said if a sale goes through, it could be finalized by mid-2025. “If the City are the successful party… I hope they capitalize on it and increase the recreational activities not just for Pickering and the GTA,” he says. “There’s an opportunity to put Pickering on the international tourist market.”
On its website, the City of Pickering states the importance of Frenchman’s Bay being in public hands, “in order to safeguard from aggressive and overly ambitious development proposals,” as well as to “enhance environmental stewardship of the Bay and surrounding lands.”
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