Missing Georgian Bluffs Man James Van-Veen Found Deceased at Inglis Falls
James Van-Veen, missing since January, has been found deceased at Inglis Falls. Police say foul play is not suspected following an extensive search.
The search for a missing Georgian Bluffs man has come to a tragic end. Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police confirmed that James Van-Veen, 64, was found deceased at the Inglis Falls Conservation Area shortly after 9:30 a.m. on March 25.
Police say foul play is not suspected. No further details have been released.
Van-Veen had been missing since January 26, when he failed to arrive for work. His vehicle was later located in the Inglis Falls parking lot, prompting an extensive search of the surrounding area.
Van-Veen’s disappearance prompted a large-scale search effort that extended over several weeks and involved both police and community volunteers.
In the days immediately following his disappearance, OPP deployed multiple specialized units — including the Emergency Response Team, Canine Unit, Aviation Services, and the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit — focusing on the escarpment, riverbanks, wooded terrain, and trail systems surrounding Inglis Falls.
Those efforts were suspended in early February due to hazardous winter conditions, including deep snow, unstable ice, and dangerous terrain that made it unsafe for crews to continue.
As conditions began to change in early March, search activity resumed in stages. An OPP helicopter was observed searching along the Sydenham River through downtown Owen Sound as part of renewed efforts tied to the spring thaw and shifting water conditions.
Alongside the official search, volunteers played a sustained and visible role.
The volunteer organization Please Bring Me Home, working with Van-Veen’s family, organized coordinated searches and maintained a daily presence in the area, continuing efforts even after police operations were paused.
More than 100 community members participated in one organized search in February, despite extreme cold, while smaller groups and individuals continued to monitor the area in the weeks that followed.
Nick Oldrieve, founder of Please Bring Me Home, told Owen Sound Current the group “feels privileged they were able to assist Jim’s family and offer them the opportunity to be involved in the search and contribute to that effort.”
Related:
