Town reacts to Supreme Court decision on ‘Sauble Beach’

Officials with the town of South Bruce Peninsula say their fight over Saugeen Beach ownership is over.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula’s legal fight to retain ownership of the ‘Sauble Beach’ shoreline is over.

“The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the appeal means that phase one of the land claim is now complete with Saugeen First Nation being declared as the owner of the sand beach between Main Street and 7th Street North,” read a news release from the town.

On Aug. 28, the Supreme Court of Canada denied applications filed by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, the Province of Ontario, and a handful of private landowners to appeal an April 2023 court decision that awarded ownership of a large swath of Sauble Beach’s sandy shoreline to the Saugeen First Nation.

“Council’s main goal now is to build and strengthen our relationship with our neighbours of Saugeen First Nation. By doing so, we can work together to bring even greater prosperity to our area,” said South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Jay Kirkland.

In April 2023, the Ontario Court of Appeal granted the Saugeen First Nation ownership of 2.2 kilometres of beach, stretching from Sauble Beach’s Main Street to 7th Street North.

The case was first brought before the courts 35 years ago, but it’s been nearly a century since Indigenous leaders claimed an 1854 treaty deeded ownership of the disputed shoreline to them.

“That’s how resilient and patient our people have been, to be finally heard and seen and validated. It kind of puts a lot of the buzzwords of reconciliation into action, and I think it’s a big victory,” said Saugeen First Nation Chief Conrad Ritchie.

South Bruce Peninsula said it anticipates the federal government will complete a land survey to formally set the northern and eastern boundary of Saugeen First Nation territory within Sauble Beach.

The valuable sandy shoreline, once in dispute, has been renamed ‘Saugeen Beach’ by the Saugeen First Nation, while the surrounding community remains as Sauble Beach.

Ritchie said now that the legal wrangling over who owns Saugeen Beach is over, compensation from the federal government for breaking the 1854 treaty can be discussed.

He hopes that it can be resolved outside of court, but Phase 2 of the land claim case could head back to a courtroom.

As for the beach, Ritchie says Saugeen Beach and Sauble Beach will continue to be a tourist destination open to the public attracting millions of visitors each summer.

“I think in the future, I think it’s a great opportunity to help shape society and help shape the education for all people, because all people are going to benefit from the beach, from the tourism, from all the things,” says Ritchie.

“Now, we all have an obligation, a duty to protect this land and this water and making sure that it’s still here for future generations.”