Ipperwash Provincial Park

Ipperwash Provincial Park, on Lake Huron near Grand Bend, was established in 1936 and valued for its sandy beach, dunes, rare flowers, and migratory birds. It later became central to a major conflict over Indigenous land rights. After nearby Chippewa of Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation land was taken in 1942 for a military base, Camp Ipperwash remained in use for decades, while the adjacent park was also claimed as First Nation land and believed to contain a burial ground. The 1995 occupation and the death of Dudley George reshaped debate in Ontario, and later inquiries, policy changes, and land transfers led to the park’s return in 2016.

Ontario · Canada