Ottawa pledges improvements for Rouge National Urban Park and beach in Toronto area

A blaze sign showing the direction of the Mast trail at the Rouge Urban National Park is seen in Toronto, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini

TORONTO — Ottawa says it will spend nearly $9.5 million to restore parts of Canada’s first national urban park in the Toronto area.

The federal government says it has awarded a contract to a construction company to revitalize sections of Rouge National Urban Park and Rouge Beach.

That includes building a new and accessible 2.3-kilometre trail to connect Rouge Beach and Mast Trail.

Other improvements will include an ecological restoration in Rouge Marsh, a permanent washroom building and improved parking at the upper beach area and a new park entrance with an accessible ramp to get to the beach, marsh and southern trailhead.

The plan also includes removing the lower beach parking lot and restoring it to nature.

Rouge National Urban Park spans more than 79 square kilometres across parts of Toronto, Markham, Uxbridge and Pickering.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2026.

Fatima Raza, The Canadian Press