In 2019 the City was granted $9.8 million in funding from the Federal Government, Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, to address city-wide shoreline protection to address changing climate, extreme weather events and erosion. Funding is provided to improve and protect critical infrastructure and the community’s quality of life along the waterfront. For this project selected shoreline and beach areas along the pathway have been identified as areas requiring restoration and protection. 

This pathway connects Portsmouth Olympic Harbour to Lake Ontario Park along the waterfront and through the lands behind the Providence Care Hospital.

Pathway improvements and shoreline works will include:

• A new accessible 3 meter wide pathway
• Shoreline protection
• Lookouts
• Benches and seating opportunities
• Mowat Avenue pedestrian bridge improvements
• Landscaping
• Shoreline protection at Morton Way

Project information panels (finalized concepts)

• Waterfront accessible trail and shoreline rehabilitation
• Shoreline rehabilitation, protection and revetment – Lake Ontario Park to Portsmouth Harbour. This panel includes repairs to shoreline on Morton Way at the Tett Centre
• Portsmouth beach area
• Mowat Avenue lookout
• Accessible route and lookout - Providence Care site

Public engagement

• Reporting back - July 2020

Project updates

• June 17, 2021: Construction fencing will be erected at the beginning of July to prohibit access to the pathway and waterfront at the foot of Mowat Avenue and Yonge Street, and east of Lakewatch Lane. The bridge will be removed at the same time. The pathway and shoreline improvements will be under construction in fall 2021.

Preliminary Construction Timeline

Winter 2021 

• Tree removal and site preparation 
• Lake Ontario Park – shoreline protection
• Providence Care ball diamond – shoreline protection
• Foot of Morton Way – shoreline protection

Spring – Summer 2021 

• Lake Ontario Park - landscaping and pathway improvements
• LOP – Providence Care Ball diamond – pathway improvements
• Foot of Morton Way – asphalt and landscaping

Summer – Fall 2021 

• Mowat Avenue point, bridge and pathway – pathway improvements, shoreline protection and lookout 
• Portsmouth Harbour beach – pathway improvements and beach protection

The Portsmouth Waterfront Pathway was completed in 2021.