Ipperwash Provincial Park
Ipperwash Provincial Park is a former park on the southern shore of Lake Huron in Lambton County, Ontario, near Grand Bend. It covered about 56 hectares (140 acres) and opened in 1936. The park has a long sandy beach, sand dunes, and rare flowers. Animals seen there include migrating birds such as jaegers, scoters, grebes, and brant geese.
In 1942, the Canadian government took part of the land to use as a military base from the Chippewa of Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation, initially promising it would only be temporary and paid for. Camp Ipperwash was used for summer cadet training for many years afterward.
In the late 1980s, the Stoney Point First Nation pressed to regain ownership, based on an agreement from 1941. The adjacent part of Ipperwash Park was believed to contain a burial ground. Protests began in September 1995, with First Nations activists occupying the base and the park. A confrontation with the Ontario Provincial Police resulted in the death of Dudley George.
The Ipperwash Inquiry, started in 2003, looked into George’s death and the events around the protest. It led to changes in policing and found that some officials had made racist comments.
On December 20, 2007, the Ontario government said Ipperwash Provincial Park would be returned to the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, with joint administration at first.
In 2015 there were plans to build a cultural centre on the former park site and a nearby hotel. On February 4, 2016, the land was officially transferred to the Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation, with Chief Tom Bressette signing on their behalf.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 21:06 (CET).