Lighthouses of Southeastern Ontario

The Canadian 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 lists the lighthouses in the southeastern part of the province including the Ottawa and upper St. Lawrence Rivers, Lake Ontario, and the lower Niagara River. Lighthouses of Lake Erie are listed on the Southwestern Ontario page.

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. In 2010, the Coast Guard declared the great majority of lighthouses to be surplus, and there is fear that this may lead to the disposal and possible destruction of many lighthouses. This fear is particularly acute in more remote areas, where the lighthouses do not enjoy the support of local preservation groups. In fact, dozens of lighthouses have already been lost in this region.

A note: this page has been greatly improved by the comments and corrections of Michel Forand.

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 of Lake Ontario
Excellent photos posted by C.W. Bash; several of these photos appear on this page.
Lighthouses in Ontario, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of Ontario
An extension of Bryan Penberthy's US-lighthouses.com site.
Lighthouses in Ontario
Photos available from Wikimedia.
Lighthouses of the Great Lakes
This site, maintained by Neil Shultheiss, has excellent photos and brief but informative accounts for many of the lighthouses on both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the Lakes.
Island Lighthouses
Articles by Pat McAvoy-Costin on the history of Thousand Islands lighthouses.
Leuchttürme Kanadas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Windmill Point Light
Windmill Point Light, Prescott, July 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Mac Armstrong


Burlington Canal Main Light, Hamilton, October 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash

Ottawa River Lighthouses (see also Western Québec)

Prescott and Russell United Counties Lighthouses
L'Orignal Range Front
1915. Inactive since the early 1990s. 9 m (29 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Anderson has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located in a private campground on the south river bank on the promontory of Pointe Laviolette (Furnis Point), west of the village of L'Orignal. Site closed, although visitors may ask for permission to view the lighthouse; tower closed. Owner/site manager: A La Rochelle Campground. ARLHS CAN-1035.
L'Orignal Range Rear
1915. Inactive since the early 1990s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Anderson has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the promontory of Pointe Laviolette (Furnis Point), about 60 m (200 ft) west of the front light. Site closed, although visitors may ask for permission to view the lighthouse; tower closed. Owner/site manager: A La Rochelle Campground. ARLHS CAN-1036.

Ottawa Lighthouses
[Green Shoal (Beacon Hill)]
1900. Inactive since the 1970s. This was a standard square "pepperpot" lighthouse mounted on a large round concrete pier. The lighthouse was removed, but the pier remains. Google has a satellite view. Lou Bouchard has posted a very rare 1964 photo of this lighthouse (near the bottom of the page). The light was replaced by a green buoy (CCG 1295.1). Located off Lower Duck Island near the Beacon Hill neighborhood in eastern Ottawa. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-811.
* Cape Race (1)
1856. Inactive since 1980. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower, painted with a red and white checkerboard pattern; lantern and gallery are red. Intiaz Rahim's photo is at right, Mike Wright has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse was built at Cape Race, Newfoundland. In 1907 it was relocated to Cape North, Nova Scotia, where it remained in service until 1980. It was then relocated to the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, where it stands at the entrance to the Museum's campus. The 3rd order Fresnel lens used at Cape North is mounted in the lantern. In June 2010 an earthquake spilled mercury from the rotating mechanism, but the contamination was successfully cleaned up. The museum is seeking a site for a new building, so the lighthouse may move in the future. Located at St. Laurent Boulevard and Russell Road on the southeast side of Ottawa. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Museum of Science and Technology. ARLHS CAN-865.

Renfrew County Lighthouses
* Sand Point
1909. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous white light. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern painted green. Lighthouse Explorer has Michel Forand's photo, and Bing has a satellite view. This is the only surviving Ottawa River lighthouse easily accessible to the public. The Arnprior Historical Society applied for ownership of the tower in September 2011. Located at the end of the pier in the village of Sand Point, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Arnprior. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-769; CCG 1305.
Deep River Islet (2)
1913 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white. Anderson has photos, and Google has a satellite view. This obscure and rarely visited lighthouse is located on an island at a sharp bend in the river about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of the town of Deep River. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-993; CCG 1311.

Cape Race Light at Ottawa, July 2008
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Intiaz Rahim
McQuestin Point
1915. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white flash every 4 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white. Anderson has photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the south bank of the river about 5 km (3 mi) east of the town of Deep River. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1039; CCG 1312.

St. Lawrence River Lighthouses (see also Upstate New York)

Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry United Counties Lighthouses

Lancaster Range Front
Date uncertain (station established 1844). Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal wood tower with gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern removed. The tower also carries a triangular daymark painted orange with a black vertical stripe. Anderson has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is an upstream range, guiding westbound vessels. Located on a crib near the middle of the river off Lancaster. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1037; CCG 0123.
Lancaster Range Rear
1959(?). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); continuous white light. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical (concrete?) tower, painted white. The tower also carries a triangular daymark painted orange with a black vertical stripe. Google has a satellite view. The Lancaster Range was established at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. Located on a crib near the middle of the river, 800 m (1/2 mi) southwest of the front light, south of Lancaster. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG 0124.
* Dickinson Landing (2)
1891 (station established 1865). Inactive at least since the 1950s. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is gray. A photo is at right, Merri Wolf has a photo, a closeup is available, Diane Blackburn has a more distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Dickinson Landing is one of ten small villages on the St. Lawrence near Cornwall that were flooded during construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The St. Lawrence Parks Commission removed many historic buildings from the villages, including the lighthouse, and moved them to a heritage park near Morrisburg called Upper Canada Village. Part of the park is a short canal along the riverbank, and the lighthouse was located at the west end of the canal. Located about 10 km (6 mi) east of Morrisburg off ON 2. Site open, tower closed. Owner: St. Lawrence Parks Commission. Site manager: Upper Canada Village Heritage Park. ARLHS CAN-1060.
Dickinson Landing Light
Dickinson Landing Light, Upper Canada Village, July 2008
Flickr photo copyright Krista; used by permission

Leeds and Grenville United Counties Lighthouses
*** Windmill Point
1873 (tower built as a windmill in the 1820s). Inactive since 1978. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) old-style round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Mac Armstrong's photo appears at the top of this page, Anderson has photos, Jeff Rozema has a nice photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The windmill was the site of an important battle in 1837, during a rebellion in the British colony of Upper Canada (now Ontario). The lighthouse was restored by the Friends of Windmill Point and opened as a national historic site in 1996. In 2004, cracks in the exterior were repaired. The tower includes a museum and gift shop. The area was the site of a brief battle during the Upper Canada Rebellion in 1838. Located at the end of Windmill Point Road just off ON 2 about 2 km (1.3 mi) north of Prescott. The area is also accessible by bridge from Ogdensburg NY. Site open daily all year; tower open (to an observation level just below the gallery) daily in July and August, weekends in June and September. Owner: Parks Canada (Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site). Site manager: Friends of Windmill Point. ARLHS CAN-534.
* Prescott Heritage Harbour
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are green. Bash's photo is at right, Anderson has a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is directly across the St. Lawrence from the Ogdensburg (New York) Lighthouse. Located at the end of the main breakwater sheltering Prescott Harbour (now called the Sandra S. Lawn Harbour), at the end of Water Street one block off ON 2 in downtown Prescott. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-767; Admiralty H2727; USCG 7-0975; CCG 0312.5.
*** Prescott (Prescott Rotary)
1989. Active (privately maintained and unofficial); light characteristic not known. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Bash has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. A bivalve Fresnel lens, probably 3rd order, is mounted in the lantern; this lantern was originally mounted atop the former Dominion Lighthouse Depot in Prescott and was used in training lightkeepers. After the Depot building was demolished in 1986, the lighthouse was built by the local Rotary Club to house the historic lens and as a memorial to a former member. The tower contains an ice cream shop and gift shop. Located one block off ON 2 in downtown Prescott. Site open; tower open daily in the summer. Owner: Town of Prescott. Site manager: Prescott Rotary Club.

Prescott Heritage Harbor Light, Prescott, July 2004
Flickr Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash
De Watteville Island Range Rear
1927. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous white light visible only on the range line. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with lantern and enclosed wood watchroom. Tower and lantern painted red; watch room painted white. The lighthouse also carries an orange inverted triangular daymark with a black vertical stripe on the range line. Anderson has photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is a downstream range, guiding eastbound vessels. Located on a promontory off Hillcrest Road about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Brockville. Site presumably closed (private vacation homes in the area). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1170; USCG 7-1115; CCG 0334.
Cole Shoal Range Rear
1917. Inactive since 1923. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal wood tower, painted white; the lantern has been replaced by an octagonal wood observation room. Google has a satellite view. The range guided downbound (eastbound) vessels. Located in a sharp bend of Fulford Point Road, just off King's Highway (ON 2) at Woodridge, about 7 km (4.5 mi) southwest of Brockville. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private.
Cole Shoal (Range Front)
1856. Inactive since 1927. 10 m (31 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. Google has an indistinct satellite view. This is the only survivor of nine small lighthouses built in the Thousand Islands in 1856. The light served from 1917 to 1923 as the front light of the Cole Shoal Range, but it was deactivated in 1927 when the De Watteville range lights were placed in service. In 2002 the Ontario Heritage Foundation (now the Ontario Heritage Trust) spent $15,600 to restore the abandoned tower. Located on a rock in the river 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Brockville, off the end of Hudson Point Road. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Ontario Heritage Trust.

Frontenac County (Thousand Islands) Lighthouses
Note: The Thousand Islands stretch downstream for about 80 km (50 mi) in the outflow of the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. Some of the islands are in Ontario, and others are in the U.S. state of New York. By semi-official count, there are 1864 islands of all sizes; among the larger ones are Simcoe, Wolfe, and Howe Islands in Ontario and Carleton, Grindstone, and Wellesley Islands in New York.
Wolfe Island (Québec Head) (2)
1910 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 11 m (37 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6.5 m (21 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. Anderson has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The private home near the lighthouse is a replica of the Thomas Point Shoal lighthouse in Maryland. Mary Alice Snetsinger has an article on the history of the two Wolfe Island light stations, with several historic photos, and Pat McAvoy-Costin has another article on the history of the station. Located on Québec Head, the northeastern point of Wolfe Island, largest of the Thousand Islands. The lighthouse can be seen only from the water, as there is no public access to the site. Site open, tower closed. Island accessible by ferry from Kingston and (in the summer) from Cape Vincent NY. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-638; USCG 7-1605; CCG 0378.
Knapp Point (Brown's Point)
Date unknown (station established 1847). Inactive since 2000. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Anderson has photos, but the lighthouse is nearly concealed by trees in a Google satellite view. Mary Alice Snetsinger has an article on the history of the two Wolfe Island light stations, with several historic photos. Located on the point, on the north side of Wolfe Island east of Marysville. Apparently accessible only by boat (surrounded by private property). Owner: unknown. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1034.
* Nine Mile Point (Simcoe Island)
1833. Active; focal plane 16 m (53 ft); white flash every 10 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white with northern channel of the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. C.J. Howitt's photo is at right, Anderson has photos, Penberthy also has a page on the light, Pat McAvoy-Costin has an article on the history of the station, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Located at the southwestern point of Simcoe Island just off the island's single gravel road. The island is accessible during the summer by ferry from Wolfe Island. Site and tower closed (private property) but the lighthouse can be seen from the gate and polite visitors are sometimes admitted. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-578; USCG 7-2565; Admiralty H2864; CCG 419.
Pigeon Island (2)
1909 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 20 m (65 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (50 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with central cylinder, lantern, and gallery. Skeletal woodwork painted white; lantern, watch room, gallery, and central cylinder painted red. All other light station buildings demolished. Robert English has a closeup photo, and Pat McAvoy-Costin has an article on the history of the station, but Bing has only a distant satellite view of the island. This is the only Canadian example of a skeletal lighthouse design common in the U.S. The island is a provincial wildlife reserve. Located on a small island in the northeast corner of Lake Ontario, about 4 km (2.5 mi) west southwest of Bear Point, Wolfe Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-785; USCG 7-2570; CCG 421.
Nine Mile Point Light
Nine Mile Point Light, Simcoe Island, September 2009
Flickr photo copyright C.J. Howitt; used by permission

Lake Ontario Lighthouses

Prince Edward County (Quinte Peninsula) Lighthouses
Main Duck Island
1914. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); white flash every 6 s. 24.5 m (80 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are red. Abandoned fog signal building and other structures in poor condition. Graham Clarkson's photo is at right, Robert English has a closeup photo, Anderson has aerial photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view of the station. Once owned by U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, the island has been owned by Parks Canada since 1977. Located at the western end of the island, which is in the center of the lake about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the Ontario shore and 16 km (10 mi) west of the U.S. lighthouse at Galloo Island, New York. Accessible only by boat; tours to the island and lighthouse are available. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Parks Canada (St. Lawrence Islands National Park). ARLHS CAN-760; USCG 7-2585; CCG
False Ducks (False Duck Island) (2)
1965 (station established 1828). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); red flash every 4 s. 19 m (62 ft) round "apple-core" hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with a flared top supporting the lantern; no gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Keeper's houses demolished. Laverna Tuttle has a view from the lake, Anderson has aerial photos, and Bing has a distant satellite view. A sibling of the lighthouses at Cape Forchu, Nova Scotia, and Point Escuminac, New Brunswick, this is the current light at the second oldest light station on the Canadian Great Lakes. The 1828 lighthouse was demolished in 1965, but the lantern and gallery were relocated to Milford (see below). Located at the easternmost point of Swetman (False Duck) Island, off Prince Edward Point at the eastern end of the Quinte Peninsula. Accessible only by boat; distantly visible from the end of county route 13 at Prince Edward Point. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS
* Prince Edward Point (Point Traverse) (1)
1881. Inactive since 1959. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal wood tower attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. Lantern removed. Modern light (focal plane 14.5 m (47 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off) on 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted white, next to the original lighthouse. Jeff Rozema has an excellent photo, Lighthouse Explorer has a photo by Susan LeFever, Anderson has small photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Clearly endangered, this abandoned lighthouse is in very poor condition. Located on the point, at the extreme end of county route 13 (rough road, 4WD recommended) about 35 km (22 mi) east of Milford. Site open, tower closed. Owner: unknown. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-787 (original light) and 788 (active light); USCG 7-2630; CCG 429.
Main Duck Island Light
Main Duck Island Light, August 2007
Panoramio photo copyright Graham Clarkson; used by permission
** False Duck Island (1)
1967 tower with 1828 lantern. Inactive. 10 m (33 ft) round stone tower with the lantern, gallery, and 3rd order Fresnel lens of the original False Duck Island lighthouse. Built as a memorial to sailors of Prince Edward County, the lighthouse is one of the exhibits of a maritime museum. Anderson has photos, Bash has a good photo, Penberthy has a nice closeup photo, and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the intersection of county roads 10 and 13, southeast of Milford near South Bay. Site open; museum open on weekends from late May to mid October and daily except Friday in July and August; tower closed. Owner/site manager: Mariners Park Marine Museum. ARLHS CAN-864.
* Point Petre (2)
1967 (station established 1833). Active; focal plane 21.5 m (71 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower rising from a square workroom. No lantern, but there is a round "watch room" with the light displayed from its roof. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The 1-story wood keeper's house is now used as an environmental research station. Anderson has photos, Bash has a photo, Bill Patterson has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. This modern lighthouse replaced a historic stone tower very similar to the Nine Mile Point Light. Located just east of the point, at the southern end of the Quinte Peninsula and at the end of county route 24. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the gate and visitors are sometimes admitted to take photos. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-763; USCG 7-2635; CCG 490.
Salmon Point
1871. Inactive since 1917. 9 m (30 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Bash has a photo, Anderson has two photos, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse is a good example of a design common in Canada in the late nineteenth century. The lighthouse is available for vacation rental. Located in a campground off county route 18 west of Cherry Valley, marking the southwestern tip of the Quinte Peninsula. Site and tower closed, although polite lighthouse fans may be admitted to take pictures. Owner/site manager: Salmon Point Campground. ARLHS CAN-789.
Scotch Bonnet Island (1)
1856. Inactive since 1959. Ruined 16.5 m (54 ft) round stone tower attached, more or less, to the ruins of a 1-story stone keeper's house. Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. This critically endangered lighthouse is also on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. In fact it is nearly lost already, and it's hard to see how it could be saved. Located on a rocky islet off the west coast of the Quinte Peninsula, about 800 m (1/2 mi) southwest of Nicholson Island. Accessible only by boat (no landing). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-791.
Scotch Bonnet Island (2)
1959 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 4 s. 19 m (63 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located close to the ruins of the historic lighthouse. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-791; CCG 491.

Northumberland County Lighthouses
*** Presqu'île Point
1840. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); continuous red light. 21 m (68 ft) octagonal limestone tower with gallery, painted white with red trim. Lantern removed in 1952. 500 mm lens. The original 1-story limestone keeper's house is part of the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre. Volunteers from the Friends of Presqu'île operate the Centre and its gift shop. Dave Kellam's photo appears at right, Anderson has excellent photos, a good 2007 photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the point in a provincial park at the end of Lake Street south of Brighton. Site open (entry fee); Interpretive Centre open daily in July and August and otherwise on weekends April through October; tower closed. Owner: Ontario Parks; site manager: Presqu'île Provincial Park. ARLHS CAN-412; CCG 492.
Presqu'île Point Light
Presqu'île Point Light, Brighton, July 2005
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dave Kellam
* Cobourg East Pierhead (2)
1924 (station established 1844). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (40 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower on a square concrete base. Chris Creamer has a closeup photo, Anderson has photos, and Bing has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse. Located at the end of the east breakwater at Cobourg. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Cobourg. ARLHS CAN-755; CCG 493.

Durham Region Lighthouse
* [Whitby East Pierhead (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1857). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 6.5 m (21 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white with a red band at the top. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 12 m (39 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, built by the municipal government on the west pier; it was demolished when the piers were rebuilt in 1958. The Whitby Public Library has historic photos of the 1857 lighthouse. Located at the end of the east pier at Whitby, an eastern suburb of Toronto. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-816; CCG 504.

Toronto City Lighthouses
* Toronto Harbour
1974. Active (maintained by Toronto Port Authority); focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); red flash every 10 s. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal steel tower without lantern. Upper 1/4 of the lighthouse painted red, the rest white. Anderson has a photo, Michael Rugosi has posted a distant photo, and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the eastern outer entrance to the harbor, at the end of a long artificial peninsula known as the Leslie Street Spit. The area is part of a large city park, located at the foot of Leslie Street off Lakeshore Boulevard (ON 2) on the east side of downtown. Accessible by bicycle or by a hike of about 5 km (3 mi) each way through the park; from mid May to mid October a free shuttle van covers more than half this distance. Site open, tower closed. Owner: City of Toronto. Operator: Toronto Port Authority. Site manager: Tommy Thompson Park. ARLHS CAN-544; CCG 509.2.
* Gibraltar Point
1808. Inactive since 1958; a decorative continuous green light is reportedly displayed. 25 m (82 ft) hexagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted gray stone; lantern and gallery painted red. A photo appears at the bottom of this page, Joseph Wisdom has another good closeup photo, Anderson has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The height of the tower was raised from 16 m (52 ft) in 1832. This is the oldest lighthouse in Ontario and second oldest in Canada, one of the oldest buildings in Toronto, and the oldest lighthouse on either side of the Great Lakes. It is famous as being haunted by the ghost of its first keeper, who died mysteriously in 1815. The city maintains the lighthouse but has failed to interpret it as the important historical monument it is. Lighthouse Digest has a January 2002 feature article on the lighthouse. Located at the southwestern point of Centre Island, which shelters the city's inner harbor. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from the foot of Bay Street in downtown Toronto. The lighthouse is accessible from the ferry by bike trails and two footbridges; bike rentals are available during the summer. Site open daily year-round; tower closed. Owner: City of Toronto. Site manager: Toronto Islands Park. ARLHS CAN-199.
* Queen's Wharf (Range Rear) (2) (relocated)
1861 (station established 1838). Inactive since 1912. 8.5 m (28 ft) octagonal cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story octagonal wood base. Lighthouse painted brown, lantern dark red. Alan Brown's photo is at right, Lighthouse Explorer has Susan LeFever's photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Originally located on the New Pier, the lighthouse was abandoned when a new channel into the harbor was dredged in 1912. In December 1929, the lighthouse was placed on wooden rollers and pulled by a team of horses to its present position. It now stands beside Lakeshore Boulevard (ON 2) at Fleet Street on the west side of downtown Toronto, near the entrance to Exhibition Place, a city park. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Toronto. ARLHS CAN-542.
* Toronto East Entrance Inner (Eastern Gap Range Rear) (2) (relocated)
1906 (station established 1895). Inactive since 1973 (an unofficial light is now displayed). 6.5 m (21 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white; lantern painted red. Alain Quevillon has a closeup, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The Eastern Gap is an entrance to Toronto's inner harbor created by a storm in 1858. There is a 1980 photo showing the two Eastern Gap Range lights abandoned and in poor condition; a second photo is similar. In 1981 the two lights were relocated to the Humber Bay area on the southwest side of the city, with this lighthouse going to the Etobicoke Yacht Club. According to Michel Forand, who has carefully researched these poorly-known lights, the lighthouse remained in poor condition for a long time, but it has been restored recently. Located at the entrance to the yacht basin at the end of Humber Bay Park Road West. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Etobicoke Yacht Club. ARLHS CAN-805.
Queen's Wharf Light
Queen's Wharf Light, Toronto, June 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Alan Brown
* Toronto East Entrance Outer (Eastern Gap Range Front) (2) (relocated)
1898 (station established 1895). Inactive since 1973 (an unofficial light is now displayed). 12.5 m (41 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern painted red. Stan Wojick has a photo and a more distant view, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. When the two Eastern Gap Range Lights were relocated in 1981, this lighthouse went to the Mimico Cruising Club. It was nicely restored and has been a landmark ever since. Located on the cruising club's quay off Humber Bay Park Road West, a short distance north of the old Inner Light. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Mimico Cruising Club. ARLHS CAN-806.

Peel Region Lighthouse
* Port Credit Inner Channel
1990s. Active (maintained by City of Mississauga); focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal tower with an open lantern, raised on four concrete pillars, attached to the office of the Port Credit Business Association. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. A good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This modern lighthouse is part of the Credit Village Marina development. Located on the south side of the Credit River a short distance from Lake Ontario, at Front Street and Lakeshore Road in Mississauga. Parking available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Mississauga. ARLHS CAN-642; CCG 525.5.

Halton Region (Burlington Area) Lighthouses
* Oakville (2) (relocated)
1889 (station established 1837). Inactive since 1960. 7.5 m (25 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Bash's photo is at right, Anderson has photos, and Google has a satellite view. Replaced by a modern cylindrical lightbeacon, the lighthouse was relocated in 1960 and now stands on the grounds of a marina on the southwest side of Sixteen Mile Creek, just off Lakeshore Road (ON 2) in Oakville. Parking available nearby in the city's Shipyard Park. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Oakville Yacht Squadron. ARLHS CAN-632.
* Burlington Canal South Pier (Burlington Canal Range Front) (2)
1909 (station established 1842). Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); yellow light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square concrete base. Anderson has photos, a closeup photo and a nice moonrise photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse. Located at the end of the south pier at the entrance to the Burlington Canal, a shortcut through a barrier spit that provides access to the protected harbor of Burlington and Hamilton at the west end of Lake Ontario. Parking available off Eastport Drive under that street's bridge over the canal. Accessible by walking the concrete pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-618; CCG 535.
Oakville Light
Oakville Light, Oakville, October 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo copyright C.W. Bash
* Burlington Canal Main (Burlington Canal Range Rear) (2)
1858 (station established 1837) (John Brown). Inactive since 1961. 17 m (55 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, unpainted; lantern is a rusty brown. 1-1/2 story red brick keeper's quarters. The builder, John Brown, is famous as the builder of the Imperial Towers of Lake Huron. This lighthouse is not usually included in that group, but it should be. One of Bash's photos appears at the top of this page, Jimmy Emerson has a 2008 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Endangered: the lighthouse has been abandoned and in poor condition for years. The Beach Canal Lighthouse Group was organized in late 2003 to work for restoration of the tower. In September 2004 engineers studied the tower to determine what need to be done, and in October 2007 the City of Hamilton agreed to provide C$50,000 for detailed planning. Restoration, initially estimated to cost $250,000, is now estimated at $820,000. In December 2011, the city rejected a plan to acquire the lighthouse, but the lighthouse group is now hoping to take ownership. Located just to the west of the older lift bridge that carries Eastport Drive over the canal. Parking available off Eastport Drive under that street's bridge over the canal. Owner/site manager: City of Hamilton (?). ARLHS CAN-063.

Niagara Region Lighthouses (see also Southwestern Ontario)
* Port Dalhousie (Range Front)
1879. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and tower base painted green. Anderson has photos, Bash has a good closeup, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marked the northern entrance to the Welland Canal until the entrance was relocated to Port Weller in 1932. Located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Port Dalhousie harbor entrance, at the end of Lighthouse Road in St. Catherines. Accessible by walking the concrete pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-540; CCG 539.
* Port Dalhousie Range Rear
1898 (station established 1852). Inactive since 1988. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, covered by aluminum siding. Lighthouse painted white with green trim; lantern is green. Shane Shennan's photo is at right, Bash has a good closeup, Anderson has photos, Corey Seeman has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The exterior of the tower was repaired and repainted in 2010 as the first step in a general restoration of the lighthouse. Located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Port Dalhousie harbor entrance, at the end of Lighthouse Road in St. Catherines. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Niagara College. ARLHS CAN-541.
* Port Weller Outer
1931. Active; focal plane 15.5 m (51 ft); red flash every 10 s. 12 m (40 ft) lighthouse consists of a 6 m (20 ft) red pyramidal skeletal tower atop a 6 m (20 ft) square Art Deco concrete base. Bash has a closeup, Anderson has a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the northern entrance to the Welland Canal. Located at the end of the west breakwater at the canal entrance in the Port Weller district of St. Catherines. Access is blocked by an active Coast Guard station, but the lighthouse can be seen from the east breakwater on the other side of the canal entrance. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-766; CCG 551.06.
Port Dalhousie Range Rear Light
Port Dalhousie Range Rear Light, St. Catherines, August 2008
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Shane Shennan
* Niagara River Range Front
1903. Active; focal plane 10 m (34 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 10 m (34 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Hans Last has a good photo, Anderson has photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the entrance to a marina on Ricardo Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a short distance from Lake Ontario. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen and photographed from outside the marina. Also visible from Fort Niagara, across the river in the U.S. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club. ARLHS CAN-620; CCG 549.
* Niagara River Range Rear
1903. Active; focal plane 14 m (47 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 13.5 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Anderson has photos, Corey Seeman has a photo showing both lights as seen from the U.S. side of the river, and Google has a satellite view. Located near the Niagara Pumphouse Art Centre at the end of Collingswood Street, off Ricardo Street, one block south of the front range light. Parking nearby. Site technically closed, but there's no obstacle to approaching the tower; tower closed. Also visible distantly from Fort Niagara, across the river in the U.S. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-621; CCG 550.

Information available on lost lighthouses:


Gibraltar Point Light, Toronto, November 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dane

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Western Québec | East: Upstate New York | South: Southwestern Ontario | West: Central Ontario

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Posted December 16, 2003. Checked and revised November 29, 2012. Lighthouses: 43. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.