Saugeen Shores is a town in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1998. In addition to the two main population centres of Southampton and Port Elgin, the town includes a portion of the village of Burgoyne and the North Bruce area, straddling the municipal eastern and southern boundary respectively. In 2016, the permanent population of Saugeen Shores was 13,715, in a land area of .
The primary employment categories are agriculture, small business, tourism and employment at the Bruce Power nuclear power station. The population doubles in the summer due to cottagers and campers who arrive in the area. Close to MacGregor Point Provincial Park, the town has several beaches on Lake Huron.
History
The name "Saugeen" is the corrupted form of the word Zaagiing in the language of the Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory, meaning "at the river's outlet" or "at the mouth of the river".
The area that is now Port Elgin was settled by Europeans in 1849 when Lachlan McLean ("Loch Buie") built a shanty and lived in it for the winter. For several years he ran a tavern, his patrons consisting primarily of settlers and sailors passing through the little port. In spring 1852 George Butchart built a dam and saw-mill on Mill Creek.
According to an Ontario historic plaque, Butchart sold the mill to Benjamin Shantz, who built a grist-mill, and within three years, a community of 250 people had developed around these mills. Stores, hotels and tanneries were constructed and in March 1857, a village plot named Port Elgin was laid out. The enterprise of its businessmen, notably Henry Hilker, Samuel Bricker and John Stafford, contributed to the development of the settlement, which had a population of over 600 by 1867. The arrival of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway in 1872 further stimulated the growth of the community and it was incorporated as a village in 1874 with a population of about 950." By 1854, the community had three houses, a tavern, and a mill. Shops, churches, schools, and roads followed, and ten years later, the population totalled six hundred and thirty. Early industries included a steam sawmill, foundry, and woolen mill. In 1873, the railway arrived, allowing Southampton and Port Elgin products to travel out into the world.
Southampton was founded by Captains John Spence and William Kennedy in 1848.
Commercial fishing and coastal trade drove the economy, with the Saugeen River and Lake Huron making for ideal transportation before roads had been built. Its name was changed from Saugeen in 1858. The Chantry Island Lightstation Tower (off Southampton) was completed in April 1859, guiding sailors clear of the underwater boulders that make navigation dangerous. Southampton was incorporated as a town in 1904; at the time, its population was 2,400. The economic base included furniture factories, a tannery and a sawmill. The town built a hospital in 1947, a post office in 1952, a library in 1956, an arena in 1961 (replaced in 1977) and a new firehall in 1974.
On January 30, 1998, the provincial government amalgamated the Towns of Southampton and Port Elgin, together with Saugeen Township, to form the Town of Port Elgin-Saugeen-Southampton. On December 17, 1998, the Province renamed the entity as the Town of Saugeen Shores.
The town's Official Plan (most recently completed in 2014) includes the following comment about the land area: "The Chippewas of the Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation have filed a Native Land Claim for the islands in the Saugeen River, the lands that border the north side of the Saugeen River and the shoreline from the mouth of the Saugeen River northerly around the Bruce Peninsula."
The community was once home to Bluewater Speedway, a 1/3 mile dirt Stock car racing track located across the road from the current Westlinks development, on Bruce Road 17. The Speedway was in operation from 1952 until 1960.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saugeen Shores had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
+ Visible Minorities and Indigenous population Group 2021 Census 2016 Census 2011 Census 2006 Census Population % of total Population % of Total Population % of Total Population % of Total Indigenous First Nations 415 2.7 245 1.8 No data 310 2.7 Métis 260 1.7 180 1.4 Visible Minority 1,190 7.6 620 4.6 425 3.7 All other 13,780 88.0 12,380 92.2 10,820 93.6 Total 15,645 100.0 13,425 100.0 11,555 100.0
+ Population by mother tongue Group 2021 Census 2016 Census 2011 Census 2006 Census Population % of total Population % of Total Population % of Total Population % of TotalEnglish 14,140 89.3 12,410 91.7 11,450 92.0 10,600 91.7French 240 1.5 215 1.6 190 1.5 185 1.6English and French 80 0.5 30 0.2 15 0.1 15 0.1All other 1,370 8.7 885 6.5 800 6.4 755 6.6Total 15,830 100.0 13,540 100.0 12,455 100.0 11,555 100.0
+ Mobility over previous five years Group 2021 Census 2016 Census 2011 Census 2006 Census Population % of total Population % of Total Population % of Total Population % of Total At the same address 8,865 60.0 8,240 64.9 No data 7,350 66.0 In the same municipality 1,990 13.5 2,040 16.0 1,575 14.1 In the same province 3,420 23.1 2,195 17.3 1,900 17.1 From another province 280 1.9 85 0.7 185 1.7 From another country 230 1.5 135 1.1 125 1.1 Total aged 5 or over 14,785 100.0 12,700 100.011,140 100.0
Government Saugeen Shores Council includes a mayor, a deputy mayor, a vice deputy mayor and six councillors. The following were elected in 2018:
+ Saugeen Shores Council (2018)PositionNameMayorLuke Charbonneau (acclaimed)Deputy MayorDon MathesonVice Deputy MayorMike MyattCouncillorsPort Elgin WardKristan Shrider Jami SmithSaugeen WardMatt Carr Dave MyetteSouthampton WardCheryl Grace John Rich
Economy
The major economic activities in this region are agriculture, small business, electricity generation and tourism.
The Town's Official Plan (2014) recognizes the value of a broad objective. "Saugeen Shores will continue to be a leader in Bruce County in providing a place for individuals, families, retirees, culture, tourism, business and industrial opportunities."
A new Saugeen Shores' new Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) was formed in 2017 including council members from Port Elgin and Southampton, as well as citizens. The town offered this comment about the plans for the group: "The Committee's set of responsibilities has yet to be finalized but among them will be to... make recommendations respecting implementation of the Community Improvement Plans (CIP), Streetscape plans and Facade Improvement Studies in both Port Elgin and Southampton including capital improvements.... One of its most important roles will be to advise Council on the development of policy and programs related to economic vitality with a view to enhancing prosperity through coordinated public investment fostering private development and retention of existing jobs".
A major employer of the workforce living in Saugeen Shores, the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Tiverton, Ontario, started a $13 billion refurbishment program in 2016 which will provide employment for many residents and maintain demand for other services. According to Bruce Power, this multi-year plan "will generate between 1,500 and 2,500 jobs on site annually – and 18,000 across Ontario directly and indirectly – while injecting up to $4 billion annually into Ontario’s economy".
Agriculture Agriculture is the longest standing economic practice in the region. Intensive livestock operations include beef and dairy, cattle and hogs. Over a third of Ontario's beef industry is based in Bruce County. Two-thirds of the land within Saugeen Shores is excellent for cash crops. Fresh produce grown locally is sold locally too.
Beef and dairy farming are the primary agricultural activities with orchards, berries, and some large market gardens also in operation.
Small business Southampton resembles a quaint village with a variety of retail stores, boutiques, restaurants, gift shops, and automotive garages. Port Elgin's main street features varied retail uses plus gift shops, restaurants, grocery stores, boutiques, and novelty shops.
The Port Elgin Business Park has land for industrial and commercial uses. Businesses already located here are in the transportation, fuel, technology, recreation and automotive sectors. The Municipal Offices, Community Complex, Police Department and Bruce County Library Headquarters are also here.
Electricity generation Saugeen Shores and Ontario's energy sector have a long-standing relationship via the region's largest employer. Bruce Power, the licensed operator of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, forms the core of the municipality's economic base by providing highly skilled, well paid jobs. More than a third of its 3,500 employees reside in Saugeen Shores.
Tourism
The long sandy beach attracts visitors who are primarily families; many rent or own cottages in the area. (Young singles tend to prefer Sauble Beach some 18 kilometers north of Southampton.) The entire Saugeen Shores beach of the Lake Huron shore faces west so it is famous for its beautiful fabulous sunsets on the water. Cottage Life magazine rated the area highly in its article "10 Spectacular Places to Watch a Sunset in Ontario": "With clear skies, a dry atmosphere, and an unobstructed view of the skyline, many of the west-facing towns along the shores of Lake Huron have the perfect conditions for a breathtaking sunset."
The area also features Port Elgin's busy harbour, Southampton's serene Chantry Island, to the Saugeen river winding its way through the countryside of Saugeen Township. Summer residents are a longstanding feature of Saugeen Shores. In addition to cottages, the communities are also home to a number of trailer parks, hotels and two municipal tourist camps. The local population more than doubles during the summer, substantially benefitting local businesses. Highlights include the Chantry Island Imperial Lighthouse tours; the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre; walking, running, and cycling trails.
The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre provides displays about local history and in summer especially, offers adult and children's programming and special events. These are listed in the Shoreline Beacon community newspaper. The museum has been enlarged over the years. In addition to a settlers' cabin, the facility houses numerous historic artifacts from the area, genealogical records, county newspapers, photographs, and municipal documents.
The Chantry Island lighthouse in Southampton, now completely renovated, was completed in 1859, first lit on April 1, with Duncan McGregor Lambert as the first keeper. The tower and the keeper's home have been extensively renovated. From late-May to mid-September, tours of Chantry Island are available from only one company, reaching the island on a small boat that leaves from the ticket office by the fishing boat docks. The tower and the keeper's home have been extensively renovated but the island is a federal bird sanctuary and access is otherwise prohibited.
Three other lighthouses have been designated under the federal Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act in 2012: McNab Point and both the Front and Rear Range lights at the Saugeen River Front.
The TripAdvisor travel web site's users who have visited Port Elgin recommend the nearby MacGregor Point Provincial Park, the Saugeen Rail Trail walking/cycling route, the Brucedale Conservation Area with small camp sites, and the several nearby golf courses.