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52-571: South Bruce Peninsula is a town at the base of the Bruce Peninsula of Ontario , Canada , in Bruce County between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay . It was formed on January 1, 1999, when the town of Wiarton, the village of Hepworth, and the townships of Albemarle and Amabel were amalgamated. The new municipality was created to provide necessary political representation, administrative support, and necessary municipal services on behalf of

104-645: A Sauble Beach Guitar Festival and an 8 km Walk/Run. The Festival of the Classical Guitar has been held since 2007. The Canadian National (Beach) Volleyball Championships have been held there, and the local Sauble Speedway (with a Hepworth, Ontario address) was on the CASCAR professional racing circuit. The Speedway was purchased by new owners in 2017 and they obtained NASCAR sanctioning in 2018. A 2023 publication stated that Sauble Beach receives approximately 400,000 tourists annually. Sauble Beach

156-543: A cottage nearby in 1877. Other settlers followed and the village continued to grow with a boarding house and then a store. In the 1900s a large sawmill below the falls on the Sauble River employed 40 people. Initially, development was to the south and later to the east of the river. By the early decades of the 1900s, Sauble Beach was attracting visitors because of its gorgeous beaches; this grew as an increasing number of families acquired automobiles. In 2020 as chronicled in

208-574: A dozen nature reserves, and the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory. The Bruce Trail runs through the region to its northern terminus in the town of Tobermory . This region is named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin (Lord Elgin), Governor General of Canada . Parks Canada now refers to the peninsula as "Saugeen Peninsula" in recognition of its being traditional territories of the Saugeen-Ojibway nation. However

260-550: A lawsuit against the Town, to be heard in court no earlier than 2018. Sauble Beach is the permanent year-round home to approximately 2,000 people. The cottage owners add thousands of seasonal community members. Cottage owners are uniquely split between those who own property outright and those with cottages on Native lands. (Years earlier, the Saugeen First Nation had successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from

312-792: A new kind of resident: the cottager. Today, seasonal residents outnumber permanent residents, especially in the summer. In its southern Ontario portion, the Niagara Escarpment is a ridge of rock several hundred metres high in some locations, stretching 725 kilometres (450 mi) from Queenston on the Niagara River, to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Today, in Ontario, the Escarpment contains more than 100 sites of geological significance, including some of

364-530: A point between 1st St. South and 6th St. North. This claim has been in litigation since 1990 when the federal government started an action on behalf of the Saugeen First Nation, stating that the area is part of the Saugeen 29 Reserve. The band also filed its own claim in 1995. On 4 April 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that the waterfront area between 1st and 6th is part of

416-529: A population of 9,137 living in 4,148 of its 7,093 total private dwellings, a change of 8.6% from its 2016 population of 8,416 . With a land area of 530.61 km (204.87 sq mi), it had a population density of 17.2/km (44.6/sq mi) in 2021. Population trend prior to amalgamation: Mother tongue (2021): The main tourist attractions for the area are Sauble Beach, Wiarton Willie ( Groundhog Day ), and fishing locations on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The region has many annual festivals such as

468-516: Is a beach community and unincorporated area in the town of South Bruce Peninsula , Bruce County , in the northern area of southwestern Ontario , Canada . It is on the Bruce Peninsula , along the eastern shore of Lake Huron , on the north edge of the Saugeen First Nation . The beach takes its name from that given by early French explorers to the sandy Sauble River , originally "La Rivière Au Sable" (sand river) also indicating that

520-687: Is home to 77 of these species. Ontario has 61 varieties of orchids, and of these, 44 can be found in the Bruce Peninsula. A selection of interesting orchids on the Bruce Peninsula: The Bruce Peninsula is composed of the Municipalities of Northern Bruce Peninsula and South Bruce Peninsula . The main villages in these regions are as follows: 44°56′43″N 81°16′37″W  /  44.94536°N 81.27686°W  / 44.94536; -81.27686 Sauble Beach, Ontario Sauble Beach (pop. 2000 )

572-605: Is in the same building as the fire station. The town is home to the June Motel, a boutique motel featured in the 2021 Netflix series Motel Makeover . There is only one school in town under the Bluewater District School Board . Amabel-Sauble Community School was built in 1995 as an experiment in joint ownership between the board and the Township of Amabel (now part of South Bruce Peninsula);

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624-537: Is located on a major northern migration route, so many species of birds, such as the bald eagle, have their wintering grounds here. The highest concentration of nesting birds can be found in the Bruce in May and June each year. About 20 species of warblers breed on "the Bruce," including the black-throated green, yellow, yellow-rumped, and Blackburnian warblers and the ubiquitous American redstart. They make their summer homes in

676-474: Is now determined to establish its claim to the waters of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and any Crown Land remaining on the peninsula. "The two First Nations are claiming aboriginal title to the lands under the water covering an area of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay from south of Goderich, west to the international border and north to the mid-point between the tip of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island; then east to

728-732: Is represented by two councillors for Wards 1 and 3 on the Town Council for South Bruce Peninsula in Wiarton, Ontario . There has been friction between the Town of South Bruce and the Saugeen First Nation because of continuing land claims in the Sauble Beach area. A settlement was mediated in 2014 but was subsequently rejected by South Bruce, leading to a lawsuit against the Town, to be heard in court no earlier than 2018. There has also been conflict regarding environmental protection of sensitive dunes and protected species that are located on

780-479: Is the permanent year-round home to approximately 2,000 people. The cottage owners add thousands of seasonal community members, some who stay through the spring to fall time period and others who retreat to Sauble on weekends. In summer, the visitor count increases to over 30,000 on hot weekends and up to 60,000 on a long weekend. Cottage owners are split between those who own a property outright and those with cottages on Native lands. A lease relationship exists between

832-632: The Michigan Basin , the outer rim of this massive saucer-shaped feature governs the location of the Niagara Escarpment, which is shaped like a gigantic horseshoe. The Escarpment can be traced from near Rochester, New York , south of Lake Ontario to Hamilton, north to Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. It is covered by the waters of Lake Huron, appearing as Manitoulin Island, then across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and down

884-452: The Saugeen 29 Reserve. The band also filed its own claim in 1995. In 2019, the Saugeen First Nation banned the driving and parking of vehicles on their South Sauble beach; the town had done so previously on their public beach. Bruce Peninsula The peninsula is a popular tourist destination for camping, hiking and fishing, with two national parks ( Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park ), more than half

936-555: The Saugeen River and Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. The original territory included all of the Saugeen River watershed and all of the Bruce Peninsula. Organized in the mid-1970s, during a period of increased political activism, Saugeen First Nation declared itself the primary 'political successor apparent' to the historic Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory , who had occupied this territory and made treaties with

988-749: The Clerk's Division, By-Law Enforcement and Animal Control, and the Building Division. The Parks & Recreation Department services parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, ball diamonds, arena, aquatic programs and various programs. The town has Fire stations but policing is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police from the Wiarton Detachment. There is one hospital in the town: Wiarton Hospital with emergency and ambulance services, with 22 beds. Nearby, though outside

1040-466: The Court of Appeal set aside the judgment declaring the relevant section of Sauble Beach as First Nation reserve land. Local businesses offer retail and services for hardware, appliance and grocery shopping, restaurants and hotels, fire and police services, daycare and a medical clinic. Fire Station 40 is located at 21 Sauble Falls Parkway. The town is policed by the Ontario Provincial Police whose office

1092-455: The Crown in failing to meet its treaty obligations to protect Aboriginal lands. The claim seeks the return of lands still held by the Crown and financial compensation for other lands. This claim is still active. European settlement began on the peninsula in the mid-19th century, despite its poor potential for agricultural development. Attracted by the rich fisheries and lush forest, settlers found

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1144-652: The Crown. However, along with the Saugeen First Nation, the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation also claims to be the 'political successor apparent' to the Chippewa of Saugeen Ojibway Territory. Under the Saugeen Tract Agreement , the portion south of Owen Sound was ceded to the Crown , with reserves later established on the Bruce Peninsula. The claims for land and payment of rent on lands discussed in early treaties are significant. The Saugeen

1196-415: The Escarpment. Some rock layers now consist of soft shales and sandstones while others are made up of dolomite (a rock similar to limestone which contains magnesium and is more durable). Today, fossil remains illustrating the various life forms can be found in many of the rocks as they are slowly exposed by the action of wind, water and ice. Saugeen First Nation is an Ojibwa First Nation located along

1248-630: The Netflix series Motel Makeover, The June Motel opened at the former Knights Inn. At over eleven kilometres (7 mi) long, Sauble Beach is said to be the second longest freshwater beach in Canada after Wasaga Beach . A phenomenon of sandbar deposits building out along the Lake Huron shoreline keeps the water at Sauble very shallow and warm. This is one of the very few beaches in Ontario where cars were, until recently, allowed to drive and park on

1300-532: The Niagara Escarpment. Hawks travel during the day, and can be seen in the vicinity of Cabot Head in the open areas west of Dyers Bay, and near Tobermory, in April. Some of the rarest flowers and ferns in Ontario can be found growing on the Bruce Peninsula. For example: lakeside daisy ( Tetraneuris herbacea var. glabra ), dwarf lake iris ( Iris lacustris ), and northern holly fern ( Polystichum lonchitis ) Globally, there are more than 30,000 orchid species. Canada

1352-408: The Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away", according to one news report.) A lease relationship exists between the Saugeen First Nation, the "Chippewas of Saugeen", and cottagers who built seasonal homes on leased land in the a lakeside area between urban Southampton, Ontario and Sauble Beach. They pay an annual fee to the Saugeen First Nation. The current land lease agreement between

1404-518: The Saugeen First Nation successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away". The beach area to the south of Main St. in the community is referred to by the band as Sauble Park or South Sauble Beach Park. In addition to the south Sauble Beach area, the Saugeen First Nation claims the rights to another stretch of the public beach, approximately 2 km long, west of Lakeshore Boulevard extending to

1456-611: The Saugeen First Nation, who also refer to themselves as the "Chippewas of Saugeen", and those who had built seasonal homes on the Native land in the lakeside area between urban Southampton, Ontario and Sauble Beach. There are approximately 1,200 such cottages. Each cottager on Native land pays an annual fee to the First Nation. A lease contract between the cottagers and two Saugeen First Nation Reserves, Chief's Point 28 and Saugeen 29 , expired on 30 April 2021. Some years ago,

1508-514: The Saugeen reserve, owned by the Saugeen First Nation. The court also ruled that the Government of Canada had abrogated the 1854 Treaty by allowing the beach waterfront to be taken away from the Saugeen. The Town of South Bruce Peninsula council subsequently voted unanimously to appeal the court decision. Later in April 2023, the appeal was filed by the Town and some landowners, requesting that

1560-863: The Wiarton Willie Festival, held each February; the William Wilfred Campbell Poetry & Arts Festival in June; the Wiarton Rotary Village Fair, held on Civic Holiday weekend each August; the Oliphant Regatta, held each summer; Sauble Sandfest, held each August; and the Wiarton Fall Fair, held each September. The Bruce Trail , the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada, with over 440 km of side trails, runs up

1612-659: The best exposures of rocks and fossils of the Silurian and Ordovician periods (405 to 500 million years old) to be found anywhere in the world. The Niagara Escarpment has origins dating to the Silurian age some 430 to 450 million years ago, a time when the area lay under a shallow warm sea. This sea lay in a depression of the Earth's crust, centered in what is now the lower peninsula of the State of Michigan . Known geologically as

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1664-414: The cottagers and the Saugeen First Nation remains in effect until April 30, 2021. Some years ago, the Saugeen First Nation successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away", according to one news report. The beach area to the south of Main St. in the community is referred to by the band as Sauble Park or South Sauble Beach Park. In addition to

1716-441: The eastern side of the Bruce Peninsula. Isaac Lake Management area is north of Wiarton, Ontario . An elected mayor, deputy major and three councilors provide the municipal government, guided by provincial legislation. A number of Committees and local Boards assist Council. "Council establishes policies and budgets for programs and services delivered by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula." The Legislative Services Department includes

1768-458: The extensive wooded areas along the Peninsula. The annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in May observes the spring migration. The endangered piping plover has made a comeback along the northern shores of Sauble Beach as well, and nest in restricted areas of the beach. These are well marked to prevent visitors overrunning the area and to reduce negative human effects. Migrating hawks also follow

1820-474: The land known then as the "Indian or Saugeen Peninsula" to be irresistible. In 1881, settlers built the first sawmill on the peninsula in Tobermory . In less than 20 years, most of the valuable timber was gone, and timber industry jobs declined. Fuelled by the waste left behind by the rapid logging and land clearances, intense forest fires sprang up around the peninsula in 1908, burning large swaths of land. By

1872-652: The many ships that would pass by her shores. The Cove Island Light , located near Tobermory is one of the six famous "Imperial" lighthouses built in the 1850s by John Brown which can be found on the mainland and on nearby islands of the northern Bruce Peninsula. Other lighthouses include: There are many varieties of wildlife on the Bruce Peninsula, such as the northern flying squirrel , black bear , chipmunk , fisher, long-eared bats, red squirrel, fox, massasauga rattlesnake , red-shouldered hawk , barred owl , hermit thrush , black-throated blue warbler, scarlet tanager and yellow-spotted salamander . The Bruce Peninsula

1924-484: The mid-1920s, the formerly abundant forests of the peninsula were nearly barren. When the lamprey eel was accidentally introduced to the Great Lakes in 1932, the devastation on the fish supply made the peninsula a less attractive place to live; many left when fish stocks became depleted. The peninsula underwent a steady decline in population until the 1970s. In the late 20th century, the peninsula started to attract

1976-427: The mid-point of Georgian Bay and south to the southernmost point of Nottawasaga Bay." A trial to establish the ownership and resolve disputes over the treaties began in 2019. There are 2 National Parks, 8 Ontario Parks, and 4 Federation of Ontario Naturalists Parks located within the Bruce Peninsula. Ontario Parks - include: Federation of Ontario Naturalists - Ontario Nature works to protect and restore

2028-588: The national park retains the name "Bruce Peninsula National Park" for the time being. The Bruce Peninsula is a key area for both plant and animal wildlife. Part of the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve , the peninsula has the largest remaining area of forest and natural habitat in Southern Ontario and is home to some of the oldest trees in eastern North America. An important flyway for migrating birds,

2080-432: The often-treacherous waters around the tip of the peninsula. The last portage on the route was around a waterfall near the Lake Huron coast. The French explorers named the river, “La Riviere au Sable”, which translates to “the river to the sand”. This name continued until 1881 when a mapmaker, perhaps inadvertently, marked the river with the name “Sauble.” The first settler is reported to have been John Eldridge, who built

2132-487: The peninsula is habitat to a variety of animals, including black bear , massasauga rattlesnake , and barred owl . Until the mid-19th century, the area known as the Bruce Peninsula was territory controlled by the Saugeen Ojibway Nations. The nations included the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation . Historical and archaeological evidence from the area concludes that at

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2184-472: The peninsula near its base. They would enter near the site of the present-day location of the town of Wiarton and after portaging, would paddle their canoes across the lakes and rivers that almost connect both shores. The route became known as the Rankin Portage and it is suspected that early French explorers used this route to visit the various indigenous communities, which existed in the area and avoid

2236-579: The peninsula to the Canadian government in exchange for learning agriculture, proper housing, assistance in becoming "civilized," and for permanent protection of the peninsula. In 1854, the Saugeen Ojibway agreed to sign another treaty – this time for the peninsula itself. In 1994, after decades on increasing First Nations activism, the Saugeen Ojibway filed a suit for a land claim for part of their traditional territory; they claimed breach of trust by

2288-498: The residents. Tourism, particularly cottage rental and providing services to visitors, is the major industry in the area. Many cottages are found along Sauble Beach (North and South). The town comprises a number of villages and larger communities. These include the following: The administrative centre of the region is found in Wiarton. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , South Bruce Peninsula had

2340-594: The river emptied into Lake Huron at a sandy beach. The river was labelled with the French name on maps until 1881, when it became the Sauble River; in early years, a sawmill was built on the river, and later, a hydro electric plant. Long before any settlers arrived, the Anishinabek of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation looking for a shorter and safer route between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, would cross

2392-555: The sand near the water, at least on the side (left of the entrance) that is part of the Saugeen First Nation native lands. In 2019, however, the First Nation also banned beach parking. Recreational activities include swimming , windsurfing , water-skiing , fishing , golfing , lawn bowling , tennis , street dances, beach volleyball , snowmobiling , cross-country skiing and birding . The town hosts an annual Winterfest. In summer, there are weekly Family Movie Nights, an annual sandcastle building contest, Cruise Nights on Tuesdays,

2444-603: The school provides primary curriculum from Jr. Kindergarten to Grade 8. The closest secondary school is Peninsula Shores District School in Wiarton, Ontario . There are no Roman Catholic schools in town; the closest schools with the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board are in Port Elgin, Ontario , and Owen Sound, Ontario . The closest post-secondary institution is Georgian College 's Owen Sound, Ontario , campus. Sauble Beach

2496-405: The south Sauble Beach, Ontario area, the Saugeen First Nation claims the rights to another stretch of the public beach, approximately 2 km long, west of Lakeshore Boulevard extending to a point between 1st St. South and 6th St. North. This claim has been in litigation since 1990 when the federal government started an action on behalf of the Saugeen First Nation, stating that the area is part of

2548-663: The species, spaces and landscapes that represent the full diversity of nature in Ontario. The Bruce Peninsula has a cold climate, with freezing cold winters and mild summers, caused by maritime cooling from Lake Huron . The peninsula has eastern mixed forests and boreal forest, especially to the north of the peninsula. Due to almost all of the Bruce Peninsula being in a Snowbelt , the peninsula experiences heavy Lake-effect snow from Lake Huron , often receiving multiple meters of snow per year, which can be extremely dangerous for unprepared individuals. The Bruce Peninsula's shoreline has several lighthouses, necessary to provide guidance to

2600-559: The time of first contact with Europeans, the peninsula was inhabited by the Odawa people , from whom a large number of local native people are descended. Oral history from Saugeen and Nawash suggests their ancestors have been here as early as 7500 years ago. The area of Hope Bay is known to natives as Nochemoweniing, or Place of Healing. In 1836 the Saugeen Ojibway signed a treaty with Sir Francis Bond Head to cede lands south of

2652-562: The town, is the Grey-Bruce Regional Health Centre in Owen Sound . The latter is larger and is the regional referral centre for Grey and Bruce counties with over 50 specialists on staff. There has been some friction between the Town and the Saugeen First Nation because of continuing land claims in the Sauble Beach area. A settlement was mediated in 2014 but was subsequently rejected by South Bruce, leading to

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2704-548: The west side of Lake Michigan into the State of Wisconsin . As occurs with present-day water bodies, such as Hudson Bay or the Gulf of Mexico, rivers flowing into this ancient sea carried sand, silt and clay to be deposited as thick layers of sediment. At the same time, lime-rich organic material from the abundant sea life was also accumulating. Over millions of years these materials became compressed into massive layers of sedimentary rocks and ancient reef structures now visible along

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