The Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (GSCA) has won a court case and been awarded full court costs regarding a dispute over the ownership of the Hibou Conservation Area.
The court ruling follows a situation from April of 2020 when a "for sale" sign was placed on the northeast portion of the Hibou property near Leith. The GSCA were made aware that another party had made a title claim on that portion of the Hibou Conservation Area.
Following legal action to prevent the sale the Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued a decision on May 27, 2025, declaring that all right, title, and interest in the subject property is vested in GSCA, and that any claim by the respondent or other parties is extinguished.
Additionally, the courts have ruled that the GSCA be awarded full indemnity costs totalling $22,884.13 that were incurred during the legal dispute. Hibou Conservation Area consists of approximately 329 acres of land along the shoreline of Georgian Bay. It was acquired by the former North Grey Region Conservation Authority, now the GSCA, in the early to mid-1970s.
"This ruling confirms that GSCA acted appropriately and responsibly to protect public conservation land. The Court’s decision not only reaffirms our ownership of the Hibou Conservation Area but also ensures that the costs of defending that ownership are not borne by local taxpayers," said Tim Lanthier, CAO of Grey Sauble Conservation Authority.
