In Inverhuron, 4.15 hectares of pristine woodland and critical wildlife habitat are in immediate danger of being destroyed. The site selected for the Tidman development is immediately adjacent to the Inverhuron Provincial Park, a natural haven that is protected for good reason. The Tidman subdivision would consist of up to 80 housing units, a multiple-storey commercial building and a parking lot area. This development would destroy a natural environment that is home to a great variety of wildlife, including endangered and threatened species such as the Little Brown Myotis bat, the Eastern Meadowlark, and the Monarch butterfly. It would also likely cause irreversible damage to the Little Sauble River fishery, which is currently designated as a Fish Sanctuary. Development of this kind risks detriment to the entire surrounding ecosystem. In September 2023, Bruce County Council approved the Tidman subdivision, completely ignoring a community petition with over 200 signatures opposing the development. As a last resort we have filed an application for judicial review. Our goal is to obtain a court ruling that would prevent the Tidman development from going forward without, at minimum, further consideration of its environmental impacts.
We’ve already won a key victory: in April of 2025, the court unequivocally confirmed that the Philosopher’s Wool Environmental Preserve (PWEP) has legal standing. This means we have the right to continue challenging the developer in court and stand up for the natural heritage in Inverhuron. We are entering the next phase with an even stronger case. A hearing on the merits of the case is expected to be scheduled in the coming months.
Thanks to your generous and unwavering support we have already come a long way, but we need your help now more than ever. We require funding for legal counsel so that we can see the judicial review through to the end. Please support us in our fight to protect and preserve this land, water and critical wildlife habitat! We believe it is possible to meet the growing housing need through thoughtful, environmentally responsible development by containing growth within urban boundaries and preventing the kind of sprawl a development such as this one represents. The Tidman subdivision is just the beginning of a trend of destruction, due to increasing development pressure in the area. If we can prevent the Tidman development from going forward, other similarly problematic projects may be stopped in their tracks.
Tax deductible charitable receipts are provided. You can read more about this case and the Tidman development proposal here.
This is a joint project in partnership with PWEP.