Tree planting at Oshawa’s McLaughlin Bay commemorates 90-acre wetlands gift by GM Canada

A single Hackberry tree was planted near the waterfront trail in Oshawa Monday afternoon to celebrate Earth Day and to memorialize GM Canada’s donation of 87 acres of land in 2019 to the McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve.

GM Canada president Kristian Aquilina, Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter and City councillors celebrated the donation to the wildlife reserve, as well as a three-acre gift to the City’s Fenelon/Venus Park to “protect wildlife, preserve marshland, and enable residents to enjoy its rich greenspace for years to come.”

McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve, located at the foot of GM Canada’s former headquarters (now the head office for Ontario Power Generation) features almost seven kilometres of walking trails and viewing platforms linking it to the Waterfront Trail, Darlington Provincial Park and Oshawa Second Marsh – itself a nearly 340-acre provincially significant coastal wetland that is one of the largest publicly accessible waterfront spaces available in the GTA.

Fenelon/Venus Park is a neighbourhood park located just east of Park Road between Wentworth and Phillip Murray Avenue.

“GM’s generous donation of 90 acres of parkland strengthens our commitment to protecting and providing greenspace for our community,” said Carter, who thanked the company for its “long-standing commitment” to the city.

Aquilina said the company was “proud to give back” to the community and “solidify” its commitment to sustainability.

“GM Canada has deep roots in Durham Region dating back to when Colonel Sam McLaughlin began building vehicles here in 1908, and we’re still proudly headquartered in Oshawa,” he said.