Lighthouses of Canada: Central Ontario (Georgian Bay Area)

The nation of Canada was created by the British North America Act in 1867 with Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia as the four original provinces. The area of Ontario was part of New France, the former French empire in North America, from tthe founding of Québec city in 1608 until France was forced to cede its Canadian territories to Britain at the end of the Seven Years War in 1763. Today Canada is a federation of ten provinces and three large federal territories in the far north of the country.

In 1798 the southern portions of modern Ontario were separated from Québec as Upper Canada, known after 1841 as Canada West and taking the name Ontario in 1867. Its territory was expanded northward several times and the province reached it present boundaries in 1912.

The province of Ontario has a tremendous width east to west, including the entire Canadian side of the Great Lakes. Across this vast area there were once about 250 lighthouses. More than 130 remain, a large percentage of them active. This page covers lighthouses of Georgian Bay (except for those of the Bruce Peninsula) and lighthouses of several inland lakes to the north and west of Georgian Bay. Georgian Bay is an eastern basin of Lake Huron, roughly 190 km (120 mi) long from northwest to southeast and 80 km (50 mi) wide. The southern shores of the bay are well populated and feature many popular resorts but the northern shores are remote and rarely visited.

Southern Ontario is divided into counties and municipalities, but the more sparsely populated areas to the north are divided into unincorporated districts.

Aids to navigation in Canada are maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard. In 2008 Parliament passed the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act to designate and protect historic lighthouses.

This page was greatly improved by the comments and corrections of Michel Forand. I'd also like to thank Ron Walker of the Canadian Coast Guard for answering a number of questions.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. CCG numbers are from the Inland Waters volume of the List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. For lights near the international border, USCG numbers are from volume 7 of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

General Sources
Ontario Canada Lighthouses
Excellent photos plus historical and visitor information from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com web site.
Lighthouses in Ontario, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses in Lake Huron
Photos posted by C.W. Bash.
Lighthouses in Ontario
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Canadian part of Great Lakes
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Leuchttürme Kanadas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals
Official Canadian light lists are available in both pdf and html formats.
GPSNauticalCharts
Navigational chart information for Georgian Bay.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Georgian Bay.


Snug Harbour Range Rear Light, Georgian Bay, September 2009
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Vicki McKay

Grey County Lighthouses

Georgian Bluffs Township Lighthouse
Griffith Island
1858 (John Brown). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 20 m (65 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story stone keepers house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. The 1-story limestone keeper's house is collapsing into ruins. Jayne Borschke's photo is at right, another closeup photo is available, Robert Cox has a view from the bay, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the six "Imperial Towers" built by the engineer John Brown on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The isolated lighthouse is rarely visited and the keeper's house, abandoned since 1955, is nearly lost. The island (except for the light station) is owned by a hunting club, and the club has applied to assume ownership of the lighthouse. Located on the northeast point of the island off Cape Commodore at the east side of the base of the Bruce Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Griffith Island Club. ARLHS CAN-216; CCG I-832.

City of Owen Sound Lighthouses
* Owen Sound Range Front (5)
Date unknown (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green light. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with an enclosed upper section, carrying a trapezoidal daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. C.M. Hanchey has a closeup photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Owen Sound is a long inlet at the southwestern corner of Georgian Bay; the town of Owen Sound, at the head of the inlet, is the seat of Grey County. The original range lights were replaced in 1883 and in 1909; the front light was rebuilt after being danaged by fire in 1911. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Sydenham River from Owen Sound. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-783; CCG I-836.
* Owen Sound Range Rear (5)
Date unknown (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); continuous green light. 23 m (75 ft) square skeletal mast, carrying a trapezoidal daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. C.M. Hanchey has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original range lights were replaced in 1883 and in 1909; Michel Forand has a postcard view of the second (1883) lighthouse, a square pyramidal wood tower. The 1909 rear light was replaced after being destroyed by fire in 1915. Located 317 m (347 yd) south of the front light. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-784; CCG I-837.

Griffith Island Light, Georgian Bay, June 2018
Google Maps photo by Jayne Borschke

Meaford Municipality Lighthouses
* Meaford Range Rear
1952 (building constructed in 1895). Inactive since 1988. This was an 8 m (26 ft) short skeletal tower mounted on the roof of a 1-1/2 story brick building; Google's 2022 street view shows that this tower has been removed. Building painted gray with white trim. C.M. Hanchey has a photo and Google has a satellite view. The building was originally a pump house, but now it houses the Meaford Museum. Located on Bayfield Street at foot of Collingwood Street on the waterfront of Meaford. Site open, museum open daily in July and August, Tuesday through Saturday in September and October, and Tuesday through Friday the rest of the year. Owner/site manager: Meaford Museum.
* Meaford Harbour
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); red flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical tower painted white with a red top. Jerry Bazant has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the breakwater of Meaford's eastern harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. CCG I-841.

Simcoe County Lighthouses

Town of Collingwood Lighthouses
Collingwood is the largest town on Georgian Bay; it has a permanent population of about 25,000, increased greatly by vacationers in the summer.
Nottawasaga Island
1858 (John Brown). Inactive since 2003. 28.5 m (94 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story stone keepers house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. A photo is at right, a 2022 photo and a drone view are available, Huelse has a historic postcard view and Bing has a satellite view. This is one of the six Imperial Towers built by the engineer John Brown on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Gravely endangered. In 2003 the Coast Guard announced it was abandoning this lighthouse and would not take action the next time its light failed. The outer wall of the tower was cracked badly, probably the result of lightning strikes, and a large section of the outer wall collapsed on the night of 1-2 December 2004. A Coast Guard photo shows this damage, John Tou has a 2016 photo, and we have additional photos shared by Ron Walker of the Coast Guard. Lighthouse Digest covered the story in January 2005. Fisheries and Oceans Canada allocated $230,000 to stabilize the lighthouse and work was underway during the summer of 2005. A metal band was placed around the upper part of the lighthouse to guard against further collapse, the inner wall was coated and the space between the walls was sealed to prevent moisture damage. Lighthouse Digest reported on this work in February 2006. In November 2007 the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario met in Collingwood and was told that a full restoration will require replacement of the outer walls and would cost about $4.5 million. A preservation group, Friends of Nottawasaga Lighthouse, sought funds for restoration. In 2009 progress stalled due to the economic recession. Renewed interest in saving the lighthouse began in the summer of 2013; a Facebook page was started and town council called for a staff report on what might be done to save the lighthouse. In 2014 the friends group was granted permission to enter the tower and make emergency repairs; they found the interior in relatively good condition. In 2014 Heritage Canada named the lighthouse to its Top Ten Endangered Places list. In 2015 the friends group was reorganized more formally as the Nottawasaga Lighthouse Preservation Society . Fundraising is underway although the task is daunting; a local structural engineer estimates replacement of the outer wall will cost $1.5 million to $2 million. The Society also began working to obtain ownership of the lighthouse. In the fall of 2016 the tower was wrapped in a heavy-duty plastic shrink wrap to prevent further damage to the exterior during the winter; the photo at right shows the result. In 2022 the interior of the lighthouse was cleaned and lead paint was removed. In 2023 Public Works Canada was scheduled to remove lead-contaminated soil from around the lighthouse, a necessary step before ownership can be transferred. Located on a small island in the approach to Collingwood, about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of the town at the southern end of Georgian Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (bird sanctuary). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-356; ex-CCG I-845.

Nottawasaga Light, Collingwood, November 2016
photo copyright Weatherall Dock and Dredge
Collingwood Sector
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 5 s on, 1 s off, 1 s on, 1 s off, 1 s on, 1 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical tower carrying a daymark colored white with an orange vertical stripe. Konstantin Pogodin has a February 2018 street view from Harbourview Park and Google has a satellite view. Located Collingwood Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG I-853.
* Collingwood Yacht Club
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained and unofficial; charted by Navionics); focal plane 9 m (30 ft); continuous yellow light. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. A 2023 photo is available and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the yacht club's dock at the base of the east breakwater at Collingwood. Site open, tower closed. Owner/operator: Collingwood Yacht Club.

Town of Wasaga Beach Lighthouse
*** Nancy Island (replica of Collingwood Outer Range Front)
1967. Inactive. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; the lantern roof is red. Donald Gorham has a page for the lighthouse, a 2008 photo and a 2018 closeup are available, Karl Mok has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. Built as part of the celebration of Canada's centennial in 1967, this lighthouse is meant as a copy of the Collingwood Outer Range Front Light (1884-1961). The lighthouse was refurbished and its siding was replaced in 2008. Nancy Island is an island in the Wasaga River, which flows parallel to the beach for several miles in the town of Wasaga Beach. The island is a historic site, displaying among other attractions the remains of the schooner HMS Nancy, sunk by American forces during the War of 1812. Parking and a visitor center for the park are on Mosley Street at Third Street North in Wasaga Beach, and access to the island is by a pedestrian bridge. The lighthouse is on Tower Island, a small island joined to Nancy Island by a second pedestrian bridge. Site open; tower open daily during the summer season. Owner/site manager: Ontario Parks (Nancy Island Historic Site).

Tiny Township Lighthouses
* Christian Island
1859 (John Brown). Reactivated (inactive 1922-1965); focal plane 19.5 m (64 ft); white flash every 4 s. 18.5 m (61 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. 1-1/2 story stone keepers house in ruins. The original lantern has been replaced. Naeem Khan's 2022 photo is at right, Mike Bingley has a sunset photo, Jacob Maynard has a 2021 closeup, a winter closeup is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Another of the six Imperial Towers, this was the first lighthouse built on Georgian Bay. It was deactivated in favor of an offshore buoy in 1922 and the original lantern was removed during World War II. The present lantern was installed around 2000. The island, principal home of the Beausoleil First Nation, is accessible by passenger ferry from Cedar Point. Located at the end of a sharp peninsula at the southeastern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-136; CCG I-857.5.
 

Christian Island Light, Georgian Bay, October 2022
Google Maps photo by Naeem Khan
 
#Hope Island (1)
1884. Inactive since the 1970s. Demolished in 2017. This was an approx. 11 m (35 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white, attached to 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. Lantern removed. Trista Madsen's photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse deteriorated badly after abandonment. The Huronia Lightstation Preservation Society, formed in 2001, was working for its restoration in cooperation with the Beausoleil First Nation, which owns the island. In fall 2003 volunteers replaced the wood siding on the tower. In 2006 HLPS was cleared by the federal government to begin a thorough restoration of the lighthouse, and an ambitious program of work was planned for 2008. Unfortunately, this work was never done and the group disbanded. The building continued to deteriorate and a decision was made to remove it. The demolition contract was awarded to Priestly Demolition in July 2017. Located on the northeast point of the island in southeastern Georgian Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-230.
Hope Island (2)
1970s. Active; focal plane 17.5 m (58 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) square skeletal tower. Trista Madsen's photo is at right and Google has a satellite view. Located next to the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG I-857.
Giant's Tomb (2)
1969 (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower carrying daymark panels colored in red and white horizontal bands. Google has an indistinct satellite view. This light tower replaced an 1893 frame integral lighthouse; Lighthouse Digest has a historic photo. Located on the south point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Ontario Parks (Awenda Provincial Park). ARLHS CAN-198; CCG I-859.

Hope Island Light (now lost), Georgian Bay, September 2015
Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Trista Madsen
[Whisky (Whiskey) Island (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); white flash every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) mast carrying a red and white daymark. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, a square wood tower, was demolished, apparently in the 1940s. Located on a small island off Peekaboo Point at the entrance to Penetanguishene. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-531; CCG I-873.

Midland Township Lighthouses
* Midland Point Range Front
1900. Inactive since the late 1990s. 14.5 m (48 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the former range line. Sokol Ademi has a 2017 view from the water and Google has a satellite view. This tower was originally the rear light of a different range. In 1913 the range was reoriented to a new purpose and the rear light became the front light of the new range. The original front light was relocated in 1915 to Turning Rock (see below). The lighthouse is now privately owned. Located at the end of Midland Point Road north of Midland. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen through trees from the road. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-316.
* Midland Point Range Rear (2)
About 1913 (station established 1900). Inactive since the late 1990s. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the former range line. It is now stands in front of a bed and breakfast inn. Sandra Fischer has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of Midland Point Road north of Midland. Site open to guests and apparently to visitors, tower closed. Site manager: Beacon Shore Bed and Breakfast. ARLHS CAN-317.
 

Midland Point Range Front Light, Midland, September 2018
Lightphotos.net photo; non-commercial usage with attribution allowed

Tay Township Lighthouses
* Port McNicoll Range Front (2)
1950s (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous green light. 19 m (62 ft) tapered square skeletal tower with a large gallery, painted white and carrying a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located on Beacon Street near the end of Triple Bay Road in Port McNicoll. Site status unknown, but the tower is easy to see from the street. ARLHS CAN-1075; CCG I-866.
Port McNicoll Range Rear (2)
1950s (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); continuous green light. 13.5 m (45 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white and carrying a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. The original lighthouse was a square skeletal tower with enclosed upper portion. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on Rangelight Road off Triple Bay Road in Port McNicoll, 785 m (1/2 mi) south southwest of the front light. Site status unknown, but the tower is easy to see from the street. CCG I-867.
* Victoria Harbour Range Rear
1910. Inactive since the late 1990s. 10 m (32 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the former range line. A closeup photo is at right, Don Armstrong has a 2021 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The Tay Township Heritage Committee received ownership of the lighthouse in 2004. The lighthouse was restored and "reopened" in 2012. The front range lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1960. Located near the intersection of William and Newton Streets in Victoria Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Tay Heritage Committee. ARLHS CAN-1042.

Victoria Harbour Light, Tay, October 2011
Tay Township Heritage Committee photo

Barrie City Lighthouses

City of Barrie (Lake Simcoe) Lighthouse
Lake Simcoe is the largest lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway, an inland waterway linking Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay at Port Severn. The lake is roughly 25 km (15 mi) in diameter. The city of Barrie is at the western end of the lake, at the end of a narrow extension called Kempenfelt Bay.

*
Barrie Yacht Club
Date unknown. Active (privately maintained and unofficial; charted by Navionics); focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); flashing white light. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Luo Xiaoling has a closeup photo, Peter Levers has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south breakwater of the yacht club, on the north side of Kempenfelt Bay. Site open, tower closed.

District Municipality of Muskoka Lighthouses

Georgian Bay Township Lighthouses
[Turning Rock (Waubaushene) (2?)]
1962(?) (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 10.5 m (34 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a daymark colored with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse, a square pepperpot tower, was built as the Midland Point Front Light in 1900 and relocated to Turning Rock in 1915. It was demolished and replaced by a skeletal tower in 1962. Located on a skerry about 3.5 km (2 mi) northwest of Waubaushene. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-509; CCG I-886.
Brébeuf Range Front (Brébeuf Island)
1878 (relocated to this site in 1900). Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story wood keeper's quarters. Lighthouse painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern and gallery painted red. Sue Parton has a 2023 photo, Lighthouse Digest page has a photo, Mike Guilbault has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1900 from Gin Rock. The building is used by Coast Guard search and rescue students in the summer. The former range has been discontinued. Located on Brébeuf Island, a small island in the approaches to Waubaushene and Victoria Harbour. Accessible only by boat; visible distantly from the Georgian Trail on Beausoleil Island in the Georgian Bay Islands National Park. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-058; CCG I-864.
* Brébeuf Range Rear (Beausoleil Island) (2)
1915 (station established 1900). Inactive but charted by Navionics. 27 m (88 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with enclosed lantern and watch room. Lighthouse painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Kent Williams has a street view through trees, a 2022 closeup is available, the lighthouse is in the background of several of Marinas.com's aerial photos of the front light, and Google has a satellite view. Recently deactivated, this lighthouse is now endangered by its abandonment. Located on the west side of the island, accessible by hiking trails. Beausoleil Island is a wilderness island accessible by passenger ferry from Honey Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Parks Canada (Georgian Bay Islands National Park). ARLHS CAN-1027; ex-CCG I-865.

Gravenhurst Township (Lake Muskoka) Lighthouse
The Muskoka Lakes are located about 20 km (13 mi) east of Georgian Bay. There is no navigable connection to Georgian Bay, but the two largest lakes, Lake Muskoka and Lake Rosseau, are connected by a lock at Port Carling. The area is a popular vacation destination.

Gravenhurst Narrows (Lighthouse Island) (4)
2017 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, colored white; the lantern roof is red. This lighthouse replaced the badly-deteriorated 1905 lighthouse in the fall of 2017. Mark Culp's 2023 photo of the new lighthouse is at right, Cristina Vasilenco has a 2019 photo, Claud Ouyang also has a 2019 photo, Ryan Watson has a photo of the light in action, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Brian Ridgway has a photo of the 1905 lighthouse, Chuan Chee has another good closeup photo, Paul Peggie has a view from the lake, and Lighthouse Digest has Michel Forand's historic postcard view. The first light was on a 7.5 m (25 ft) mast. Located on an island on the west side of the Lighthouse Narrows at the entrance to Gravenhurst harbor, at the south end of Lake Muskoka. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1031; CCG I-1378.

Gravenhurst Narrows Light, Gravenhurst, July 2023
Google Maps photo by Mark Culp

Parry Sound District Lighthouses

The Archipelago Township: Southern Area Lighthouses
The Archipelago Township unites two non-contiguous areas, one to the south and one to the north of Parry Sound. "Archipelago" refers to the Thirty Thousand Islands, the world's largest freshwater archipelago, stretching along the east coast of Georgian Bay. The islands were identified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2004.
Western Islands
1895. Active; focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (50 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. A drone view is at right, John O'Connell has a 2022 photo, Carol Currie has several photos (bottom of the page), and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse was designated a Heritage Lighthouse in 2008. The Western Islands are a scattered group of small islands and reefs about halfway between Christian Island and the Parry Sound entrance. Located on Double Top Island, a small, rocky island at the southwestern end of the Western Islands. Accessible only by boat and landing on the island is dangerous. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-498; CCG I-902.

Seguin Township (Lake Rosseau) Lighthouse
Rosseau (Lighthouse Shoal)
1890. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (35 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with square lantern. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Don Smith has a closeup photo, a 2023 photo is available, Ed Boutilier has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. In 2013 members of the Lake Rosseau North Association agreed to raise funds for a restoration of the lighthouse, with Seguin Township agreeing to maintain it; the township has applied for ownership of the lighthouse under HLPA. Renovation work was underway in 2014. Located on a shoal just south of Rosseau at the northern end of Lake Rosseau. Accessible only by boat or over the ice in the winter. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Lake Rosseau North Association . ARLHS CAN-858; CCG I-1404.

Town of Parry Sound Lighthouse
Parry Sound is a complex inlet on the east shore of Georgian Bay. The main body of the sound is connected to Georgian Bay by a narrow passage between Parry Island on the south and the Killbear Peninsula on the north. The town of Parry Sound, at the eastern end of the bay, is the seat of the Parry Sound District; it has a population of about 7000.

[Cape Robert (lantern)]
1885. Inactive since the 1950s. The octagonal lantern from the demolished lighthouse at Cape Robert, Manitoulin Island (see the West Central Ontario page), is now mounted on a 1-story octagonal guardhouse at the Parry Sound Coast Guard base. Guardhouse painted white with red trim, lantern red. Anderson has a photo and Google has a distant street view and a distant satellite view. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard.

Western Islands Light, Georgian Bay, July 2015
Google Maps photo by David B

Carling Township (Parry Sound) Lighthouses
Jones Island Range Front
1894. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); continuous white light visible only on the range line. 11 m (37 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red face on the range line. The range guides vessels in a southeast reach into the entrance to the sound. Prasanna Narayanan has a 2023 photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on an islet, one of the Gordon Rocks, in the entrance to Parry Sound. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1033; CCG I-917.
Jones Island Range Rear
1894. Active; focal plane 18.5 m (61 ft); continuous white light visible only on the range line. 15.5 m (51 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on the roof of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; the tower has a red face on the range line. Marinas.com has aerial photos and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is a twin of the Snug Harbour Range Rear Light shown at the top of this page; the two were built in the same year. Located on an island in Parry Sound, 2.6 km (1.6 mi) southeast of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-257; CCG I-918.
Spruce Island Shoal (Spruce Rock)
1908. Inactive since 1949. 10 m (33 ft) two-stage tower: a 5 m (17 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery is mounted atop a 5 m (17 ft) octagonal pyramidal white concrete tower; all mounted on an octagonal stone and concrete pier. John Lawrence has a good photo and Google has a satellite view. The light was replaced by a buoy. Located on the southernmost shoal of the Spruce Rocks, a hazard in the channel connecting Parry Sound to Georgian Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open if the ospreys are not nesting, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-473. Buoy: CCG I-920.
Depot Island
1898. Inactive for many years. 8.5 m (28 ft) square wood tower with lantern, originally painted white. The light is visible in the forest in Google's satellite view. This lighthouse is abandoned and endangered. The light guided vessels into Depot Harbour, once a railroad terminal and an important port. Eclipsed by the port of Parry Sound, the town is now abandoned. Located near the west end of Depot Island, about 1 km (0.6 mi) west of Depot Harbour on the south side of Parry Sound. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-1059.
[Snug Harbour Range Front (3?)]
Date unknown (station established 1894). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous green light. 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a daymark colored red with a black vertical stripe. Anderson has a photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse, a square wood tower, was removed in 1927. This is an approach range for Snug Harbour, an anchorage just north of the mouth of Parry Sound. Located on Walton Island about 900 m (0.56 mi) west of the rear lighthouse (next entry). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG I-909.
Snug Harbour Range Rear
1894. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green light. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a 2-story wood keeper's house. The active light is a locomotive style lamp mounted in front of the lantern. Lighthouse painted white; front side of tower painted red with a black vertical stripe on the range line. Vicki McKay's photo is at the top of this page, Jack Wilcan has a 2022 photo, Michael and Mundy Levy have a 2008 photo, another photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was recognized as a Heritage Lighthouse in 2016 and ownership was transferred to the township in 2019. Volunteers from the West Carling Association formed a friends group and worked to clean the interior and install shutters that resemble windows to secure the building. A management and restoration plan is being prepared. Located on an island off Snug Harbour and southeast of Stalker Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Canadian Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: Township of Carling. . ARLHS CAN-463; CCG I-910.
Red Rock (2)
1912 (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 7 s. 13 m (43 ft) elliptical cylindrical concrete tower incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters, mounted on a concrete foundation. A helipad has been built above the lantern. Lighthouse itself painted white; lantern, helipad, and caisson are red. Duncan Bell has a 2020 closeup photo of this unusual lighthouse (also seen at right), another closeup photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. This station replaced the Mink Island Light, which was located about 900 m (0.55 mi) to the north. Helicopters now land on a pad beside the lighthouse. Located atop a rocky islet off Snug Harbour in the entrance to Parry Sound. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. . ARLHS CAN-429; CCG I-906.

Red Rock Light, Georgian Bay, July 2020
Google Maps photo by Duncan Bell

The Archipelago Township: Northern Area Lighthouses
*** Pointe au Baril Range Front
1889. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. Approx. 11 m (35 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story frame keeper's quarters. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern is red. The active light is mounted on the gallery rail. A 2022 photo is at right, Rosemary Tiffin has a photo, Dale Roddick has a nice photo of the station, Archipelago Township leases the lighthouse and has a page for it, Huelse has a historic postcard view and Google has a satellite view. Before the lighthouse was built a barrel on a pole was used as an aid to navigation; this gave the point its name. Now a replica barrel marks the spot. The lighthouse is open for tours during the summer and has a gift shop and bakery, all operated in part by the last keeper Emmaline Madigan. Pointe au Baril is a resort village about 11 km (7 mi) from the bay up a narrow inlet. Located on the north side of the entrance to the inlet, off ON 69 about 65 km (40 mi) north of Parry Sound. Although it is possible to reach the lighthouse by land, most visitors arrive by boat. Site open; lighthouse and tower open Thursday through Monday mid June to Labour Day (early September). Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Archipelago Township (Pointe au Baril Lighthouse ). ARLHS CAN-393; CCG I-942.
Pointe au Baril Range Rear (3)
1909 (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 27 m (88 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. Approx. 23 m (75 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with enclosed lantern, gallery, and watch room. Lighthouse painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Google has a satellite view. The light was replaced by a taller tower in 1903 and again in 1909. Located on Macklin Island about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) east of the front range lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1040; CCG I-943.

Pointe au Baril Range Front Light, Pointe au Baril, June 2022
Google Maps photo by Lonely Kayak

Magnetawan Township Lighthouse
* Cecebe Lake (replica)
1995 replica of 1905 lighthouse. Active; continuous (?) red light. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim. The municipality of Magnetawan posted the photo at right, Allen Woodward has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Lighthouse Digest has a historic image of the original lighthouse contributed by Michel Forand, and a historic photo (second photo on the page) is also available. The original lighthouse was deactivated in the 1930s and eventually demolished. The replica is built close to shore and can be viewed from hiking trails that start at the historical museum near the Cecebe Lake dam in Magnetawan. The town is about 100 km (60 mi) northeast of Parry Sound off ON 124 and 40 km (25 mi) west of Burks Falls on route 520. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Magnetawan River Heritage Association.

Byng Inlet Lighthouses
Byng Inlet is an estuary, the widened lower course of the Magnetawan River. This remote area is an unincorporated region of Parry Sound District.

Gereaux Island (2)
1880 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 7 s on, 3 s off. Approx. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story wood keeper's quarters. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Active Coast Guard station. B. Catlin has the photo seen at the bottom of this page, Dale Roddick has a closeup photo, Lighthouse Digest has a historic photo contributed by Michel Forand and Google has a satellite view of the station. The adjacent 1-story crew quarters building is used by Coast Guard search and rescue students in the summer. Located on a small island south of the entrance to Byng Inlet. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-197; CCG I-954.

Cecebe Lake Light, Magnetawan
Municipality of Magnetawan photo
Byng Inlet Range Front
1900. Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); continuous red light visible only on or close to the range line. 10 m (34 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, with an orange daymark. Dale Roddick has the 2013 photo at right and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the channel inside the entrance of Byng Inlet. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-066; CCG I-957.
Byng Inlet Range Rear (2)
1936 (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 19.5 m (64 ft); continuous red light visible only on or close to the range line. 18 m (60 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with enclosed lantern, gallery, and watch room, painted white, with an orange daymark. Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the channel inside the entrance of Byng Inlet. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-552; CCG I-958.

Callander Municipality (Lake Nipissing) Lighthouses
Lake Nipissing is a large but shallow lake, 65 km (40 mi) long and as much as 25 km (15 mi) wide. The lake is roughly 80 km (50 mi) northwest of Georgian Bay, to which it drains via the French River.

Callander
2023. Under construction; focal plane about 14 m (46 ft); white light, pattern unknown. 12.5 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower. Built by Ryan and Erin Farquhar, this lighthouse replaces a faux lighthouse destroyed by a storm in 2006. The Coast Guard has agreed to accept the light as official. The lighthouse was under construction in spring 2023 and should be in service. Located on a small island in Callander Bay, the eastern basin of Lake Nipissing, off the Callander waterfront. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private.
 

Byng Inlet Range Front Light, Georgian Bay, August 2013
Google Maps photo by Dale Roddick
Southeast Bay (Range Front)
1877. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); sector light, showing white in the preferred direction, red or green to the sides, all lights occulting once every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower. Lighthouse painted white with a red vertical stripe on the former range line. Lighthouse Digest has a historic photo contributed by Michel Forand and Google has a satellite view. The range was discontinued in the 1990s and the front light was converted to a sector light. The light guides vessels to the narrow opening of the easternmost basin of the lake and the town of Callander. Located off Lighthouse Road on the southeastern shore of Lake Nipissing west of Callander. The entrance to the lighthouse is ungated but unmarked. Site apparently open (but surrounded by private property), tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-829; CCG I-1424.
 

Sudbury District: Killarney Municipality Lighthouses

French River Lighthouses
The French River drains Lake Nipissing (see above) to Lake Huron. Historically it formed part of the canoe route from Montreal to the upper Great Lakes via the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers and Lake Nipissing. It owes its name to this frequent use by French voyageurs.
Bustard Rocks
1893. Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, paint white with red trim; lantern is red. This lighthouse previously carried the rear range lights for both eastbound and westbound ranges. Both ranges have been discontinued and a general-purpose light installed. A photo is at right, Tim Kinney has a 2022 photo, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a small rocky island west of the main Bustard Island, on the approaches to the French River. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-065; CCG I-966.
Bustard Rocks Eastbound Range Front
1875. Inactive. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a small rocky island west of the main Bustard Island, on the approaches to the French River. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard.
Bustard Rocks Westbound Range Front
1875. Inactive. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. The light is in the background of the photo at right and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a small rocky island west of the main Bustard Island, on the approaches to the French River. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard.
[French River Inner Range Front (Lefroy Island) (3?)]
Date unknown (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white flash every 4 s. 4 m (13 ft) mast carrying a daymark colored white with an orange vertical stripe. A square wood lighthouse was built here in 1914. The small light is barely visible in Google's satellite view. Located on Lefroy Island, on the west side of the entrance to the river. Accessible only by boat. Site open. ARLHS CAN-187; CCG I-968.
Bustard Rocks Light
Coast Guard maintenance team at Bustard Rocks Light, Georgian Bay, July 2011
ex-Panoramio Creative Commons photo by ger_999
French River Inner Range Rear (2)
1893 (station established 1875). Inactive. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with red trim; lantern dome is red. Lighthouse Digest has a distant Coast Guard view, but the tower is not conspicuous in Google's satellite view. This abandoned lighthouse is probably endangered. Located on the south side of the river 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of the mouth. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Ontario Parks (French River Provincial Park). ARLHS CAN-188; ex-CCG I-969.

Killarney Harbour Lighthouses
* Killarney East (Red Rock Point) (2)
1909 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. User-activated fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). Brook Tyler has a September 2009 photo, a good 2006 closeup is available, Adéla Cigániková has a 2022 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of Ontario Street at the east end of Killarney, adjacent to Killarney Provincial Park; the Friends of Killarney Park help maintain the lighthouse. Accessible by a short hike from the end of the street. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. . ARLHS CAN-262; CCG I-974.
Killarney Northwest (Killarney West End, Partridge Island) (2)
1909 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (29 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. E. Green's photo is at right and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on Partridge Island about a mile northwest of Killarney, marking the west entrance to the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-263; CCG I-978.
Badgeley Island (Range Rear)
1912. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) square steel skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Bing has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse was formerly the rear light of a range, but the front range light was discontinued and demolished in 1981. Located on the south point of the island, marking the eastern entrance to the North Channel from Georgian Bay about 6 km (4 mi) southwest of Killarney. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-016; CCG I-987.

Killarney Northwest Light, Killarney, March 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by E. Green

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Badgeley Island Range Front (1912-1981), North Channel. Anderson discusses this lighthouse on his Badgeley Island page; it was demolished in 1981. ARLHS CAN-1259.
  • Carling Rock (1898-1952), Parry Sound, Georgian Bay. Anderson has a historic (but fuzzy) view. The lighthouse was replaced by a buoy (CCG I-921) after being destrotyed by fire in 1952. ARLHS CAN-1055.
  • Collingwood Breakwater (1858-?), Simcoe County. Nothing remains of this lighthouse. ARLHS CAN-1058.
  • Collingwood Inner Range Rear (1906-1920s), Collingwood. The range was discontinued in the 1920s. The range lights were replaced by a sector light (see above). ARLHS CAN-1327.
  • Collingwood Outer Range Front (1884-1955), Collingwood. The range was discontinued in 1955; the harbor approach is now marked by buoys. In 1967 a replica of this light was built at Wasaga Beach (see above). ARLHS CAN-1328.
  • Collingwood Outer Range Rear (1902-eaarly 1960s), Collingwood. The range was discontinued in 1955. ARLHS CAN-1329.
  • Fox Island (1870-1920s), Lake Simcoe. The lighthouse was demolished and there is no longer a light on the island. ARLHS CAN-1063.
  • Gin Rock (1875-1900), southeastern Georgian Bay. The 1878 lighthouse was relocated to Brébeuf Island, where it survives (see above).
  • Meaford (1878-1906), Grey County. Anderson discusses this light on his page for the Meaford Range Rear Light. The lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower. The harbor has been reconfigured so that the original site no longer exists. ARLHS CAN-312.
  • Mink Island (1870-1881), Parry Sound. This lighthouse was replaced by the Red Rock lighthouse (see above).
  • Old Tower Island (1870-1880), Parry Sound. The lighthouse was destroyed by a storm and then replaced by the Red Rock Light (see above). There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1079.
  • Penetanguishene (1876-about 1946), Simcoe County. Nothing remains of this lighthouse. Note: Penetanguishene is near Midland and not on Owen Sound as listed by Lighthouse Digest. ARLHS CAN-372.
  • Presqu'île (1873-1910), Owen Sound, Georgian Bay. The lighthouse was demolished. ARLHS CAN-882.
  • Thornbury Range Front (1887-1950s), Georgian Bay. The lighthouse was demolished. Today a sector light (CCG I-842) is mounted on a mast at the end of the town's east breakwater. ARLHS CAN-500.
  • Victoria Harbour Range Front (1910-1960), Georgian Bay. The lighthouse was demolished after being replaced by a skeletal tower. The rear lighthouse survives and has been restored (see above). ARLHS CAN-1088.

Gereaux Island Light, Georgian Bay, June 2015
Google Maps photo by B. Catlin

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining page: West: West Central Ontario (Lake Huron)

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Posted December 16, 2003. Checked and revised September 4, 2023. Lighthouses: 46. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.