Public Notice

Fish Habitat, Ojibway Shores, Detroit River, Windsor, ON - Public Comments Invited

April 21, 2026 – The Windsor Port Authority, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada Agency, and Transport Canada must determine whether the proposed Fish Habitat, Ojibway Shores, Detroit River, Windsor, ON, located in Windsor, Ontario is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, the authorities are inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by May 21, 2026, to:

Windsor Port Authority
Peter Berry, COO, Harbour Master
Windsor, ON, N9C 1A6
Telephone: 519-258-5741
Email: pberry@portwindsor.ca

The Proposed Project

The Windsor Port Authority (WPA), a standalone federal agency, plans to install a series of barrier islands in the nearshore area off Ojibway Shores on the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario, at Concession 1, Lots 52 and 53, Petite Cote, Sandwich Twp. The islands will reflect and reduce incoming waves from the Detroit River, which currently disturb nearshore fish habitat. The wave reduction will create a calm zone between the islands and the shore, improving fish habitat. Additionally, the rock islands will serve as high-quality fish habitat. Parks Canada (PC) owns the land parcels at Ojibway Shores and the surrounding nearshore area. The WPA has an agreement with PC to enhance the fish habitat at Ojibway Shores. This is a non-basic project. Construction is planned between mid-July and 31 December 2026. The barrier islands are authorized through a Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries Act Authorization (FAA). The FAA will be managed by the DFO Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program. Approval for the fish habitat will also come from Transport Canada. Local First Nations having an interest in the location, including Walpole Island First Nation and Caldwell First Nation, have been consulted on the project and given the opportunity to participate in project planning and some have.