Canada's Lighthouse Bill S-215 Becomes Law

Helps save historic sites...

Chantry Island Light

Bill S-215 Finally Passes:

After seven tries, MP Larry Miller has finally seen his Private Member's Bill S-215 enter into law.

Miller's Lighthouse Bill was designed to save Canada's Heritage Lighthouses and was presented repeatedly over the last ten years without being passed..

It is now anticipated that the new law will enable community groups to save historic lighthouses across Canada.  Each interested group is required to submit a proposal setting out how it wants to use a lighthouse and then present it to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

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According to Miller, if an idea makes viable economic sense, such as using it as a tourism destination, and if it gets approval, the Federal government would then turn the site over in good condition to the group.  It would then become the responsiblity of the organization to maintain its upkeep and improvements under the Heritage Act.

There are six Imperial Tower lighthouses in the Bruce Coastal area alone: Point Clark, Griffith Island, Cove Island, Nottawasaga, Christian Island and Chantry Island.  They are approximately 150 years old and each is unique.  Besides these 'giants' there are many more significant range lights.  Southampton has 3 and others exist at Lion's Head and Tobermory.

The Marine Heritage Society of Southampton should be congratulated for being one of the first in Canada to save and restore a Lighthouse.  Their work and the 2006 International Lighthouse Conference held in Southampton, helped put the muscle behind the bill by having done something.

Barry MacDonald from Nova Scotia should be congratulated for bringing this issue repeatedly before the government.