Credit Valley Conservation’s offer to purchase “Swan Lake” denied

December 4, 2025 · 0 Comments

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) made an offer to purchase 593 Charleston Sideroad, otherwise known as 0 Shaws Creek Road and “Swan Lake” from Brookvalley Project Management Inc., owned by Nick Cortellucci.

That offer, which was made in October, was not successful.

The property has been the subject of numerous gatherings and petitions, with residents advocating for months.

The issue of “Swan Lake” began in May of 2025 with a motion tabled at a Planning and Development Committee Meeting.

The motion would authorize a grading agreement allowing fill to be brought into the property of 0 Shaw’s Creek Road, “Swan Lake,” owned by Brookvalley Project Management Inc.

In the motion, it was shared that the owner of the property had approached the Town about “rehabilitating an old aggregate pit located on the property with fill created from their development sites across Caledon and the Greater Toronto Area.”

The property was zoned Extractive Industrial, which was not compatible with the current Fill by-law at the time.

There is currently a proposed Site Alteration By-law being developed that will repeal and replace the Town’s Current Fill By-law once passed.

The comment period for the proposed Site Alteration By-law is now closed, and Staff are reading through comments.

The community has been advocating for “Swan Lake” for months and its “rehabilitated ecosystem,” drawing emphasis to those who live in the area surrounding the property, as well as the numerous animals who have now made the property their home.

These species include Trumpeter Swans, which have given the property its name, known by many as “Swan Lake.”

In a statement to the Citizen, CVC shared that “that the offer presented was not successful and appreciates Brookvalley’s willingness to entertain an offer for acquisition.”

“While the offer itself is confidential, the offer value was based on a property appraisal conducted by a third-party accredited appraiser and in accordance with CVC and Region of Peel Greenlands Securement Program (GSP) Terms, on current permitted uses for the property and in keeping with values for other recent sales of similar lands in the area,” stated Sophia Maio, Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications with CVC.

“CVC remains committed to land acquisition in the Credit River Watershed to strategically secure new lands to expand the amount of protected greenspace,” says Maio.

“CVC’s ability to respond quickly to this opportunity was only made possible by the ongoing support of Peel’s Greenlands Securement Program (GSP) and Credit Valley Conservation Foundation (CVCF). Both partners play a critical role in allowing CVC to remain agile and responsive when acquisition opportunities arise.”

The CVC board passed the resolution for the potential acquisition in September, which had originally been introduced by CVC Board members including Regional Councillor Christiana Early.

“As a CVC board member and Regional Councillor, I’m disappointed CVC’s effort to purchase Swan Lake from the previous owner was rejected, denying Caledon a vital expansion of Pinchin Pit Conservation Area,” says Early.

“This lost chance underscores the need for transparent and ethical processes to prioritize environmental protection over short-term development gains, preserving our Greenbelt heritage for future generations.”

She adds that the proposal means years of “heavy truck traffic hauling fill from the GTA, disrupting our community’s peace and safety.”

“It is unfortunate that some members of this current Council are unaware that this proposal does not reflect the local community’s priorities,” says Early. “This is unnecessary given that the pit is already fully rehabilitated and serving as a cherished natural habitat.”

“Swan Lake,” will now return to Council.

When the motion was initially approved, it was stated that Staff were directed to prepare a report to Council or the Planning and Development Committee with respect to the matter before entering into an agreement.

Brookvalley Project Management Inc. was contacted for a statement, but had not responded to the Citizen’s request by press time this week.