About Chantry Island in Ontario

Chantry Island is a small landmass located in Lake Huron, just south of where the Saugeen River meets the lake and roughly one kilometre from the shoreline of Southampton, Ontario. The island itself covers around 19 hectares (47 acres), but including the surrounding waters designated as protected, the total area is listed at approximately 63 hectares (160 acres). This area is recognized as a migratory bird sanctuary.

The island received its name in 1822 from British naval officer and surveyor Henry Wolsey Bayfield, who named it in honour of the British sculptor Francis Leggatt Chantrey. In 1957, the Canadian Wildlife Service officially designated the island as a migratory bird sanctuary due to its significance as a resting and nesting site for birds migrating to northern regions. At various times of the year, Chantry Island provides breeding grounds for numerous bird species, such as double-crested cormorants, ring-billed gulls, herring gulls, seagulls, black-crowned night herons, great egrets, and great blue herons.

Ownership of the island and surrounding waters lies with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which leases the area to the local government of Saugeen Shores. The Ontario branch of the Canadian Wildlife Service is responsible for managing the sanctuary and its conservation efforts.

Chantry Island is also home to one of Lake Huron’s historic Imperial Towers—the Chantry Island Lighthouse—built in 1859 along with the lighthouse keeper’s residence. Both structures have been fully restored and are recognized as heritage sites on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

The Chantry Island Lighthouse stands as an important historical landmark. It was constructed during a period of growing commercial shipping activity on the Great Lakes, spurred by new trade agreements between Canada and the United States and the 1855 opening of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal locks. By 1850, the Bruce Peninsula had also become available for settlement, increasing the need for reliable navigation aids. Around the same time, other Imperial Towers—including the nearby Point Clark Lighthouse—were built to guide vessels safely through the region. Like its counterparts, the Chantry Island tower was constructed mainly from cut stone and features a practical yet graceful architectural style that remains visually appealing.

The lighthouse became fully automated in 1954, though the original second-order Fresnel lens continued to function, producing a white flash every four seconds. Today, the light runs on solar power and is managed by the Canadian Coast Guard. Ownership of the lighthouse and its facilities remains with the Government of Canada.

Due to its status as a protected bird sanctuary, public access to the island is highly restricted. Only one organization, the Marine Heritage Society, holds a permit to offer guided tours of the lighthouse and keeper’s quarters. These tours are available a few times a week between late May and mid-September, while the rest of the island remains closed to visitors.