Photo above, credit CVC, taken at CVC’s head office beside the Credit River in Meadowvale Village. Members from 407 ETR leadership, CVCF and CVC leadership and board members, along with dignitaries gather to celebrate the announcement of the transformational $1.5 million investment.
Left to right: Bob Atkinson, Chair, CVCF Board of Directors; Sheref Sabaway, MPP Mississauga-Erin Mills; Christina Basil, 407 ETR VP Communications and Government Relations; Tess Prendergast, Councillor, Town of Orangeville; Brad Butt, Councillor, City of Mississauga; Elder Carolyn King, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation; Craig King, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation; Francisco José Espinosa, 407 ETR President and CEO; Councillor Tom Adams, CVC Board Member and Councillor, Town of Oakville; Terr Hamilton, CVC CAO; Deborah Martin-Downs, CVCF Board Member; Dayana Gomez, Executive Director, CVCF; Monica Singh Soares, CVCF Board Member; Raiden Levesque, Specialist, Indigenous Engagement.
Landmark partnership will help advance the Credit Valley Trail vision and create the second Indigenous placemaking site at Charles Sauriol Conservation Area Caledon.
On September 25, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation (CVCF) and 407 ETR announced a transformational $1.5 million investment to help advance the vision of the Credit Valley Trail and create the second Indigenous placemaking site along the trail at Charles Sauriol Conservation Area in Caledon.
The investment marks a significant milestone in the growing partnership between 407 ETR, the CVCF and CVC. This partnership is built on a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, Indigenous reconciliation and advancing conservation through the Credit Valley Trail, creating meaningful spaces where people can connect with nature, culture and one another. The funding will accelerate the realization of the Credit Valley Trail vision, a 100-kilometre trail connecting Lake Ontario through the Niagara Escarpment to the Headwaters of the Credit River. It also supports the development of a new Indigenous cultural space that celebrates Indigenous history, culture and enduring relationships with the land through interpretive programming, ceremony and opportunities for connection.
CVC’s Charles Sauriol Conservation Area will be home to the Giigoonh (Fish) Doodem space, the second Indigenous placemaking site along the Credit Valley Trail, which builds upon the success of the Ajijaak (Crane) Gathering Space at Island Lake Conservation Area, now open to the public and used for ceremony and teachings. Developed through the leadership of the Credit Valley Trail Indigenous Roundtable and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Giigoonh site will be located on the banks of the Missinnihe (Credit River), providing access for teaching and ceremony.
The space will be guided by an interpretive trail that celebrates the sub clan Fish families while sharing Anishinaabe knowledge systems, cultural teachings, and traditions. Designed as a place of connection and learning, it will provide opportunities for gathering, reflection, cultural education, and the strengthening of community relationships.
“At 407 ETR, we believe the places that connect communities should also reflect and celebrate the stories that shape them,” says Jose Espinosa, President & CEO, 407 ETR. “We’re proud to support the second Indigenous placemaking site along the Credit Valley Trail. Together, with our partners, we’re helping create a space where people can learn, reflect and deepen their understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories and connections to the land.”
“This transformational investment is about much more than building a trail—it is about building relationships, creating places where people can learn, gather and experience the enduring stories of this landscape, and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations,” said Dayana Gomez, Executive Director, CVCF. “Through this remarkable partnership with 407 ETR, we are advancing a shared vision where conservation, Indigenous leadership and community come together to create experiences that inspire stewardship, learning and connection. Together, we are helping create one of Canada’s most meaningful examples of how conservation, philanthropy and Indigenous leadership can advance reconciliation while protecting nature for generations to come.”
“The Credit Valley Trail is one of the most ambitious conservation and community-building initiatives in our watershed,” said Terri Hamilton, Chief Administrative Officer, CVC. “This investment demonstrates what is possible when organizations come together around a shared purpose. Through our partnership with 407 ETR and the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation, we are creating healthier landscapes, stronger communities and new opportunities to celebrate Indigenous knowledge and the cultural heritage of this watershed. The Credit Valley Trail will connect communities physically, culturally and ecologically, creating experiences that inspire stewardship, belonging and a deeper appreciation for the landscapes we share. Together, we are building a legacy that will benefit people and nature for generations.”
“The Missinnihe, the Credit River, and the lands and waters of its watershed have sustained the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation since time immemorial and remain an integral part of who we are as a people. Our longstanding work with Credit Valley Conservation provides an important opportunity to ensure that our history, knowledge, responsibilities and continuing relationship with these lands and waters are reflected within the Credit Valley Trail. We are grateful for this generous $1.5 million gift and for the commitment it represents. The development of the Giigoonh Indigenous placemaking site will create a meaningful place where our people can gather, share teachings and ceremony, and where visitors can learn about the enduring presence and perspectives of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Investments such as this help ensure that our stories and responsibilities to the land are carried forward for generations to come.” Darin P. Wybenga, Heritage Interpreter, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN)
The Credit Valley Trail is envisioned as one of Canada’s leading landscape-scale conservation initiatives. Beyond creating new opportunities for recreation, it will protect and restore natural habitats, improve ecological connectivity, strengthen climate resilience and create spaces where Indigenous knowledge, history and culture are meaningfully reflected throughout the watershed. By bringing together Indigenous communities, municipalities, conservation partners, donors and volunteers, the trail is becoming a living legacy of conservation, reconciliation and community connection.
Together, these investments demonstrate that reconciliation is strengthened through enduring partnerships, shared stewardship of the land and meaningful opportunities to celebrate Indigenous cultures in the places where people live, travel and gather.
407 ETR’s investment represents a significant philanthropic contribution to the Credit Valley Trail and underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen communities while creating lasting environmental, cultural and social benefits.
