A new island rises: Toronto opens Biidaasige Park, a symbol of renewal, resilience and reconciliation – Money.ca

Jul 30, 2025

Canada’s largest new park in a generation has officially opened in Toronto’s Port Lands. But Biidaasige Park is more than just a new green space. It is a milestone in Indigenous partnership, climate adaptation and city-building that has been nearly two decades in the making.

Spanning 20 hectares (50 acres), Biidaasige Park welcomed its first visitors over the weekend of July 19 and 20, 2025. Located on the city’s newly created island, Ookwemin Minising — Ojibwemowin for “the place of black cherry trees” — the park sits atop land formed through a massive flood protection and ecological restoration effort.

The name Biidaasige means “sunlight shining toward us” in Anishinaabemowin, and it speaks directly to the park’s core purpose: To bring life, light and connection back to a part of Toronto that has long been inaccessible.

Read More: https://money.ca/news/toronto-opens-biidaasige-park