Back to SearchAs demolition along Beach Drive nears completion, the redesign and reconstruction phase of this iconic road has been awarded to locally owned and operated Arnott Construction
“Today we’re taking the next step to reinvent our town’s main commercial area along Beach Drive at Beach Area 1. For year-round hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes, and attractions to succeed near the beachfront, we need to rebuild Beach Drive and make it climate resilient. This is vitally important to ensure Wasaga Beach thrives as Ontario’s summer playground – and that we evolve into a year-round destination that will grow Ontario’s tourism sector, increase our municipal tax base, support local businesses, and better support the high levels of growth that our community has been experiencing.” — Mayor Brian Smith
WASAGA BEACH – Wasaga Beach is taking the next step to reinvent the town’s famous commercial area along Beach Drive at Beach Area 1. Today the Town awarded an RFP to redesign and rebuild Beach Drive to locally owned and operated Arnott Construction.
Improving roads and infrastructure along Beach Drive and at the Town’s main commercial area at Beach Area 1 will resolve flooding issues that have continued to negatively impact tourism and businesses along this important economic corridor. It will also unlock millions of dollars of investment, including a mixed-use, residential and commercial development at Beach Area 1 inspired by the Village at Blue Mountain, and a premium hotel that is set to be built in 2026 by the award-winning Sunray Group.
Mayor Smith and members of council approved awarding the RFP today during a regularly scheduled meeting of council.Redesigning and rebuilding Beach Drive is the next step in the Town’s transformational beachfront redevelopment project, which began with the demolition of municipally-owned properties along Beach Drive in March 2025.
In January 2025, Council welcomed the largest infrastructure investment in the history of Wasaga Beach when the Ontario government announced that it would invest over $10.9 million to help fund half of the costs of the redevelopment of Beach Drive. Sunray Group and Stonebridge Building Group will fund the remaining costs.
To ignite tourism in Ontario and create year-round economic opportunities for the Town of Wasaga Beach, Council continues to call on the province to partner with the Town to re-imagine “Ontario’s summer playground” and Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. This includes asking the province to invest more in maintenance, amenities and recreation at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, and to return Nancy Island Historic Site to the Ontario Ministry of Tourism.
Additional quotes
MPP Brian Saunderson
“I’m pleased to see the Town of Wasaga Beach moving this project forward quickly. Our government understands how important this project is to resolve flooding and other issues along Beach Drive. This will unlock investment, housing, jobs, tourism and economic growth throughout the community and region.”
Quick Facts
- Each year the Town of Wasaga Beach welcomes over 2 million visitors who come to enjoy local businesses, outdoor recreation, live music festivals, beachfront food trucks, a classic Midway and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
- Plan your summer in Wasaga Beach now — we're open for business while we rebuild Beach Drive and get shovels in the ground on a new beachfront hotel, shops, restaurants and other amenities: wasagabeach.com/summer2025
- Over the past 24 months, the Town and Council of Wasaga Beach have successfully advocated for and welcomed over $129 million in new provincial investments to build new housing-enabling infrastructure including roads, two high schools, a community theatre, and more.
Related news
Council Welcomes $10.9 Million in Provincial Support for Redevelopment of Town’s Iconic Beach Drive
Vision Unveiled for New Mixed-Use Development on Wasaga Beach's Iconic Beachfront
Town Calls On Province to Place Wasaga Beach and Nancy Island Under the Ontario Ministry of Tourism
About Wasaga Beach
For over fifty years, the Town of Wasaga Beach has been Ontario’s iconic summer playground — a place people come to have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime. Today, we’re on a mission to become a four-season recreation and live-music destination. Rebuilding Beach Drive and re-imagining our main commercial area at Beach Area 1 supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to create opportunities to diversify the economy, grow tourism, create jobs and build a complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation and fun — a place with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive, complete neighbourhoods, where we celebrate our rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
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Media contact:
Sandra Watts, Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs: sandra.watts@wasagabeach.com
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