Heritage lighthouses in Canada

Lighthouses across Canada have long symbolized strength, safety and safe harbour. Parks Canada administers the heritage designation aspect of the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act on behalf of the federal government. This consisted of receiving petitions between 2010-2012 on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada and currently assisting the Minister and his Advisory Committee (the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada) in the designation and protection of heritage lighthouses.

There are currently more than 100 designated heritage lighthouses across the country.

Protection and conservation

Heritage lighthouses designation process

Heritage lighthouses evaluation and criteria

Designated heritage lighthouses

Profiled below are designated heritage lighthouses that have been designated through the recommendations of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC). The list is sorted by province and indicates the number of designated heritage lighthouses in each of these provinces.

 
Heritage lighthouses
Official name Description
Active Pass Lighthouse
Mayne Island, British Columbia		 Built in 1969, the Active Pass Lighthouse is a 13.7 metre (45 feet) tall, cylindrical, concrete structure topped by an octagonal metal lantern. It is one of the “apple core” lighthouses, a popular design on the West Coast at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s. It is located on the north eastern extremity of Mayne Island in the Georgia Strait.
Annandale Rear Range Lighthouse
Annandale, Prince Edward Island		 The Annandale Rear Range Lighthouse is a 19.8 metre (65 feet) tapered, wooden tower which guides vessels into the Boughton River from the Northumberland Strait. It was constructed in 1901 to replace the original 1898 lighthouse which was destroyed by a gale in 1900. The lighthouse is located on the eastern side of Juniper Point, near the fishing village of Annandale, Prince Edward Island.
Bayswater Lighthouse
Bayswater, New Brunswick		 Bayswater Lighthouse is a traditional, square tapered wooden tower, standing 8.8 metres (29 feet). It was constructed in 1913 to guide vessels along the lower Saint John River, which was a major shipping and passenger traffic corridor from the mid-19th century into the 20th century. The lighthouse is located on a small parcel of land on the west side of the Milkish Channel, in New Brunswick. It has been de-activated since 2005.
Bear River Lighthouse
Digby, Nova Scotia		 The Bear River Lighthouse is a wooden, square-tapered tower that measures 9.8 metres (32 feet). Located in a wooded area on the western shore of the mouth of Bear River, the lighthouse marks the entrance to Bear River from the Annapolis Basin. Built in 1905, it is the first lighthouse on the site. Due to its proximity to the world-renowned Bay of Fundy, the Bear River Lighthouse is highly valued in the small coastal community of Digby.
Belle Isle South End Lower Lighthouse
St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Belle Isle South End Lower Lighthouse, built in 1908, is a rare example of a Canadian lighthouse which has a lantern, but no tower. The lighthouse consists of a massive concrete base with an exterior masonry wall, to which is affixed a red metal lantern topped with a dome. At 5.7 metres in height, it is one of the smallest lighthouses in Canada.
Black Rock Point Lighthouse
Community of Black Rock, Nova Scotia		 The Black Rock Point Lighthouse is a 10.8 metre (35 feet) tall combined lighttower and engine room. The lighthouse was constructed in 1978 and is the third installation on the site – the first was constructed in 1868. The lightstation is associated with Cape Breton’s industrial past, having guided shipments of coal and other goods from Sydney down through the calmer waters of the Bras d’Or Lakes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it supports the local fishing industry and pleasure boaters.
Blockhouse Point Lighthouse
Rocky Point, Prince Edward Island		 The Blockhouse Point Lighthouse is a 12.8 metres (42 feet) tall, square-tapered wooden tower lighthouse with an attached two-storey lightkeeper’s residence. The lighthouse was built in 1876 as part of a federal program to improve maritime safety by erecting a network of coastal lighthouses. It guides ships and mariners safely through the Northumberland Strait. Situated prominently at the west entrance of Charlottetown Harbour on Prince Edward Island's south shore, the lighthouse serves as a central feature and focal point of the area.
Boars Head Lighthouse
Tiverton, Nova Scotia		 Built in 1957, the Boars Head Lighthouse measures 11.6 metres (39 feet) and is a square, tapered, wood frame tower. The lighthouse sits on Long Island, 28 metres (93 feet) above the Petit Passage, a narrow pass that connects the Bay of Fundy to St. Mary’s Bay, and is highly visible from the water below.
Boat Bluff Lighthouse
Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia		 Originally established in 1907, the Boat Bluff Lighthouse is situated within a picturesque lightstation setting against the rugged backdrop of the Pacific Northwest mountains and forest. The light guides vessels through a heavily trafficked portion of the Inside Passage.
Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse
Amherstburg, Ontario		 The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse is a white circular tapered stone lighthouse built in 1836 and is located on the southern tip of the island at the juncture of the Detroit River and Lake Erie. The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse National Historic Site of Canada is managed by Parks Canada.
Brier Island Lighthouse
Digby, Nova Scotia		 Brier Island Lighthouse is an 18-metre (59 feet) tapered, octagonal, reinforced-concrete tower that is surmounted by a red octagonal lantern. Located on the westernmost tip of the 7-kilometre long island in the Municipality of Digby, Nova Scotia, the lighthouse marks the entrance to the Bay of Fundy. Constructed in 1944, it is the 3rd generation lighthouse on the site.
Brighton Beach Front Range Lighthouse
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island		 Built in 1889, the Brighton Beach Front Range Lighthouse is a 12.2-metre (40 feet) square, tapered, wooden tower painted in the traditional red and white of the Canadian Coast Guard. It is a highly valued symbol of Charlottetown’s Brighton Ward and for the city as a whole.
Burlington Canal Main Lighthouse
Hamilton, Ontario		 The Burlington Canal Main Lighthouse is a 16.7 metre (55 feet) tall, circular, tapered, limestone tower with an iron lantern and catwalk. The lighthouse marks the entrance to the Burlington Canal. It supported the passage of vessels from Lake Ontario to Burlington Bay (now known as Hamilton Harbour). The current lighthouse was built in 1857 and is the second on site.
Caissie Point Lighthouse
Dundas (Cap-de-Caissie), New Brunswick		 The Caissie Point Lighthouse is a 13.9 metres (46 feet) square, tapered, wooden lighthouse located in the village of Cap-de-Caissie on the southeastern shore of New Brunswick. Constructed in 1872, the light is a navigational aid for vessels travelling through the Northumberland Strait and for mariners entering Shediac Bay.
Cap au Saumon Lighthouse
La Malbaie, Quebec		 The Cap au Saumon Lighthouse is a 14-metres (46-foot) octagonal, tapered, reinforced-concrete lighthouse located on a dramatic bluff setting on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It is easily visible to passing vessels in the Malbaie region. A light was first installed at Cap au Saumon in 1894, and the current lighthouse was built in 1955 as part of an effort to modernize aging light stations in the 1950s and 1960s.
Cap de la Madeleine Lighthouse
Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine, Quebec		 The Cap de la Madeleine Lighthouse is a cylindrical reinforced concrete tower 17 metres (55 feet) tall, topped with a circular iron lantern and a dome roof. Built in 1908, it is one of the oldest examples of reinforced concrete lighthouses in Canada.
Cap de la Tête au Chien Lighthouse
Saint-Siméon, Quebec		 The Cap de la Tête au Chien Lighthouse is an octagonal, reinforced concrete lighthouse built in 1909. With the help of lighthouses like the one at Cap de la Tête au Chien, the St. Lawrence River would serve as a major artery for economic development in Canada during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Cape Anguille Lighthouse
Codroy, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Cape Anguille Lighthouse is a tapered, octagonal, reinforced-concrete lighthouse, measuring 17.7 metres (58 feet). The lighthouse serves as a popular tourist destination; visitors stay at the bed and breakfast in the old lightkeeper’s residence, a provincial Registered Heritage Property.
Cape Beale Lighthouse
Alberni-Clayoquot, British Columbia		 Built in 1958, the Cape Beale Lighthouse stands on the treacherous coastline of Vancouver Island, 60 metres above the Pacific Ocean in an isolated and heavily forested environment within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Known for its association with several significant shipwrecks and life rescues by its lightkeepers, is an excellent example of the aids to navigation system.
Cape Bear Lighthouse
Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island		 The Cape Bear Lighthouse is a wooden square-tapered tower. Built in 1881, the lighthouse is located on the southeastern tip of Prince Edward Island overlooking the Northumberland Strait. The Cape Bear Lighthouse is a symbol of Murray Harbour and the south shore of Prince Edward Island and a well-known landmark in the province.
Cape George Lighthouse
Antigonish County, Nova Scotia		 The Cape George Lighthouse is an octagonal, tapered, reinforced-concrete lighthouse built in 1968. The lighthouse measures 13.7 metres (45 feet) and stands 123 metres (404 feet) above the water, on a wooded bluff overlooking Ballantyne Cove, and its position at the top of the bluff enables it to guide vessels through the Northumberland Strait, as well as into St. George’s Bay.
Cape Jourimain Lighthouse
Botsford, New Brunswick		 The Cape Jourimain Lighthouse is a tapered, octagonal, wood-frame tower that was built in 1869. It measures 15.5 metres (51 feet) and is located at the narrowest section of the Northumberland Strait. Located just off the coast of New Brunswick and within the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, the lighthouse is highly visible from the Confederation Bridge that connects Prince Edward Island to the mainland.
Cape Mudge Lighthouse
Quadra Island, British Columbia		 The Cape Mudge Lighthouse is a tapered, octagonal, reinforced-concrete tower surmounted by an octagonal lantern. Located on the southwestern-most coast of Quadra Island at the southern entrance of the Discovery Passage and constructed in 1916, it is the second lighthouse on the site, having replaced the original lighthouse built in 1898.
Cape Race Lighthouse
Cape Race, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Cape Race Lighthouse is a reinforced concrete cylindrical shaft, topped by a circular lantern with a dome roof. Built in 1907, and standing 29 metres (95 ft) tall, this landfall light was the first lighthouse in Canada to be built with reinforced concrete and its lantern houses a very rare hyper-radial Fresnel lens.
Cape Ray Lighthouse
Cape Ray, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Cape Ray Lighthouse consists of a reinforced-concrete, tapered, octagonal tower surmounted by an aluminum and glass lantern. Situated near a small fishing village by the same name, in an isolated area on the southwest coast of Newfoundland, the lighthouse guides international and coastal shipping vessels navigating the Cabot Strait, where the Atlantic Ocean intersects with the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Cape Spear (Old) Lighthouse
St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador		 Built in 1835, the Cape Spear Lighthouse combines a lighthouse and keepers’ dwelling, a popular 19th century design. The lighthouse stands on a rocky peninsula that forms the easternmost point of North America. Its construction is associated with the achievement of representative government in Newfoundland in 1832. It was the new government’s first major public works project. The Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada is managed by Parks Canada and welcomes visitors from mid-May to mid-October.
Cape St. Marys Lighthouse
Clare, Nova Scotia		 The current lighthouse, the third on the site, is an 8.7-metre square concrete tower with an adjoining square concrete fog alarm building that stands at the edge of the rocky cliffs of the cape. This scenic location is a much appreciated icon for visitors and residents alike, both from the land and the water.
Cape St. Mary's Lighthouse
Cape St. Mary's, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Cape St. Mary’s Lighthouse is a tapered, octagonal tower that measures 10 metres (33 feet). Originally built as a brick tower in 1859-60, it was first covered with concrete and encased in a cylinder of cast-iron sheets in 1885, and then covered in poured concrete in the mid-1950s, giving it its current form. The lighthouse is located atop stunning 100-metre cliffs at Cape St. Mary’s, at the southwestern tip of the Avalon Peninsula.
Cape Tryon Lighthouse
Park Corner, Prince Edward Island		 The Cape Tryon Lighthouse is a 12.4 metre (40 feet) square, tapered, wooden lighthouse that sits atop a red sandstone cliff to the north of the Village of French River, guiding mariners and their vessels along the northern coast of Prince Edward Island between Richmond Bay and New London. Built in 1967, it is the second lighthouse on the site.
Carmanah Point Lighthouse
Cowichan Valley, British Columbia		 Built in 1922, the Carmanah Point lighthouse is a tapered, octagonal reinforced concrete tower, recalling the classically-inspired tripartite division of base, shaft, and capital. Located on a point cleared from extremely dense rainforest, 45 metres above high water, the station is within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and is accessible to hikers of the West Coast Trail.
Coldspring Head Lighthouse
Northport, Nova Scotia		 The Coldspring Head Lighthouse is an 11-metre (35 feet) square, tapered, wooden lighthouse surmounted by a superimposed gallery and a red hexagonal lantern. Constructed in 1889, it features a classically inspired frieze, comprised of a series of ornate brackets below the lantern gallery.
Covehead Harbour Lighthouse
Covehead, Prince Edward Island		 The Covehead Harbour Lighthouse is square, tapered, 8.2 metre (26.9 ft) tall wooden tower surmounted by a square, wooden lantern. It is located among the sand dunes of Prince Edward Island National Park of Canada, on the beach just to the east of the entrance into Covehead Bay. It is the second lighthouse on the site, built in 1975 as a replacement for the original tower.
Dryad Point Lighthouse
Central Coast, British Columbia		 The Dryad Point Lighthouse is a square-tapered, reinforced concrete tower that measures 7.3 metres (24 feet) in height. This lighthouse provides a very good illustration of the lightkeeping tradition, as the lightstation has always been maintained by a lightkeeper since its establishment in 1899.
East Point Lighthouse (Saturna Island)
Saturna Island, British Columbia		 Established 125 years ago, the East Point lightstation on Saturna Island was the first to mark the intricate channel between the Juan de Fuca and Georgia Straits. The East Point heritage lighthouse designation includes the former fog alarm building which has been adapted for use as an interpretive centre on Saturna Island’s rich history.
Egg Island Lighthouse
Central Coast, British Columbia		 The Egg Island Lighthouse is a tall, square tapered, steel frame skeleton tower, located on an island of the same name which, from a certain distance, is said to resemble a hen’s egg on the horizon. The designation includes seven ancillary buildings showcasing traditional red and white exterior colour schemes.
Enragée Point Lighthouse
Chéticamp Island, Nova Scotia		 The Enrageé Point Lighthouse is an octagonal, tapered, reinforced-concrete lighthouse built in 1956. The lighthouse measures 13.3 metres (44 feet) and overlooks the Gulf of St. Lawrence from its location on Chéticamp Island. The lighthouse is a graceful example of a common Canadian lighthouse design favoured in the mid-20th century. It is the second lighthouse built on the site to guide vessels through the Northumberland Strait, as well as into Chéticamp Harbour.
Entrance Island Lighthouse
Nanaimo, British Columbia		 This round, “apple core” lighthouse, guides mariners into the entrance of Nanaimo Harbour. Each day, thousands of people on ferries, cruise ships, shipping vessels, recreational boats, and floatplanes pass by the Entrance Island Lighthouse.
Estevan Point Lighthouse
Alberni-Clayoquot, British Columbia		 The Estevan Point Lighthouse is a 30.5 metre (100 feet) tall, white, octagonal tower of reinforced concrete comprised of a central column surrounded by eight immense flying buttresses and surmounted by a gallery topped by a red circular metal lantern. It is located at the southern extremity of the Hesquiat Peninsula on Vancouver Island’s rugged and remote western coast.
Fisgard Lighthouse
Colwood, British Columbia		 The Fisgard Lighthouse is a 17.1-metre (56 feet) tapered, cylindrical tower surmounted by a multi-faceted lantern and attached to a two-storey keeper’s dwelling. Constructed in 1859-1860 to mark the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour, it is the first and oldest lighthouse on Canada’s Pacific Coast.
Flowerpot Island Lighthouse
Tobermory, Ontario		 The Flowerpot Island Lighthouse is a square, tapered, steel tower surmounted by two unenclosed lights. The present Flowerpot Island Lighthouse was built in 1969. The lighthouse supports the tourism industry associated with Flowerpot Island, which is a major attraction for boaters due to its “flowerpot” rock structure.
Fort Amherst Lighthouse
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Fort Amherst Lighthouse is a square, tapered, wooden tower overlooking the Narrows, the channel leading to St. John’s Harbour in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located where Fort Amherst, a British military tower and battery, once stood. Built in 1951, it is the third lighthouse on the site.
Gillis Point Lighthouse
Gillis Point, Nova Scotia		 The Gillis Point Lighthouse, built in 1895, is an 11.3 metre (37 feet) tall, wooden, square tapered tower that sits on a narrow section of land stretching into the Bras d’Or Lakes in rural Cape Breton Island. Gillis Point Lighthouse is associated with Cape Breton’s industrial past, having guided shipments of coal and other goods from Sydney down through the calmer waters of the Bras d’Or Lakes. The lighthouse is also noted for having been tended by one of the few female lightkeepers in Nova Scotia, Catherine MacLean, who was lightkeeper from 1916 until 1939.
Grand Passage Lighthouse
Digby, Nova Scotia		 The Grand Passage Lighthouse is an 8.5 metre (28 feet) square, reinforced-concrete tower located on the northern tip of Brier Island, Nova Scotia. The lighthouse marks the northern entrance to Grand Passage, which runs between Brier Island and the western shore of St. Mary’s Bay. The current lighthouse was built in 1964 and is the second on site. The first lighthouse was put into operation in 1901.
Green Island (Catalina) Lighthouse
Green Island, Catalina, Newfoundland and Labrador		 Green Island Lighthouse is a 10.4 metre (34 feet) tall octagonal, tapered, reinforced concrete-clad stone lighthouse. The lighthouse is also known as Catalina Lighthouse. It stands off the east coast of Newfoundland, on a wave-swept island on the southern approach to Catalina Harbour in Trinity Bay. It is the oldest lighthouse erected after Newfoundland received full colonial status that is still standing. Nearly 150 years old, the lighthouse is a major landmark for local mariners, passing commercial vessels and hikers taking in views from the mainland.
Green Island Lighthouse
Green Island, Skeena-Queen Charlotte A, British Columbia		 The Green Island Lighthouse is an octagonal, tapered, reinforced concrete tower surmounted by an octagonal lantern. As British Columbia’s northernmost lighthouse, just 5 kilometres from the Alaskan border, it is the first notable landmark that is seen as marine traffic enters Canada.
Green Point Lighthouse
Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Green Point Lighthouse, built in 1883, is a 6.3 metre (20.7 feet) cylindrical, cast-iron tower with a red and white colour scheme, similar to many cast-iron lighthouses built in Newfoundland in the 1870s and 1880s. By the 19th century, the Port de Grave Peninsula had become a leading fishing, trading and commercial settlement. The lighthouse served both the inshore and Labrador fisheries, contributing to the growth of the local economy and surrounding communities. Today, Port de Grave continues to be one of the most active fishing ports in the province, and the lighthouse guides numerous tankers, ferries, fishing and cargo vessels, and recreational boaters.
Gull Harbour (1898) Lighthouse
Hecla Provincial Park, Manitoba		 The Gull Harbour (1898) Lighthouse is located on Hecla Island on a small spit of land projecting into Lake Winnipeg. It stood watch over the channel between Hecla Island and Black Island until it was replaced by a taller structure in 1926.
Gull Harbour (1926) Lighthouse
Grindstone Provincial Park, Manitoba		 The Gull Harbour (1926) Lighthouse is located on Hecla Island on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba and is the second lighthouse on the site. Measuring 23.5 meters (77 feet), the lighthouse was built to guide vessels through the channel between Hecla Island and Black Island.
Heart's Content Lighthouse
Heart's Content, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Heart’s Content Lighthouse is a 9.1-metres (30-foot) cylindrical cast iron tower. Built in 1901, it is located on the north point of the natural harbour that makes up the town of Heart’s Content, on the eastern side of Trinity Bay. Built when Newfoundland was still a British colony, the lighthouse’s prefabricated cast-iron construction illustrates the theme of growing industrialization around the turn of the 20th century, of which Britain was a world leader. The Heart’s Content Lighthouse is a symbol of the community, held in high esteem by the citizens of the town.
Île aux Perroquets Lighthouse
Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Quebec		 The Îles aux Perroquets Lighthouse is located on the Îles aux Perroquets, at the western extremity of the Mingan Islands in Quebec and is located within the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada. The lighthouse is a three-storey white tapered octagonal reinforced concrete tower capped by an octagonal red fibreglass lantern and topped with a decorative roof cover.
Île du Pot à l'Eau-de-Vie Lighthouse
Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, Quebec		 Built in 1861, the Île du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie Lighthouse is the last combined lighthouse and dwelling still standing on a St. Lawrence River island. It comprises a 30-foot high cylindrical tower that rises from the centre of the lightkeeper’s residence. The lighthouse is a major symbol of local tourism owing to its architecture, its unique design, and its current role as a bed and breakfast.
Île Verte Lighthouse
Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, Quebec		 The Île Verte Lighthouse is located on a rocky outcrop at the northeast tip of Île Verte, an island located in the St. Lawrence River. The lighthouse represented an important milestone in the development of interior timber trade routes, and has been directly linked to increased trade along the St. Lawrence River.
Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse
Havre-aux-Maisons Island, Quebec		 The Île du Havre aux Maisons Lighthouse, also known as Cape Alright Lighthouse, is a wooden, square tapered tower that measures 8.5 metres (28 feet). Built in 1928, it stands atop 20-metre-high red sand cliffs on Cape Alright at the eastern extremity of Île du Havre aux Maisons.
Inch Arran Point Front Range Lighthouse
Dalhousie, New Brunswick		 Overlooking Chaleur Bay in New Brunswick, the Inch Arran Point Front Range Lighthouse is a very good example of Canada’s post-Confederation expansion of the lighthouse system and is one of many surviving wooden square-tapered tower lighthouses constructed after 1867. The 11 metre high wooden tower is distinguished by its birdcage-style lantern gallery, a unique feature among existing lighthouses in Canada.
Isaacs Harbour Lighthouse
Guysborough County, Nova Scotia		 Isaacs Harbour Lighthouse is a 12.8 metre (42 feet) combined lighthouse and keepers’ dwelling. Located on the southeast coast of Nova Scotia, the lightstation was originally established in 1874 to guide vessels into the harbour and to serve the growing local community and the shipping, fishing and gold mining industries. The current lighthouse, a wood structure surmounted by a cupola, a gallery, and an octagonal lantern, was constructed in 1928 as a replacement to the original built in 1874, which was destroyed by fire. The lighthouse has been de-activated since 2008.
Lamb Island Lighthouse
Thunder Bay, Ontario		 The Lamb Island Lighthouse is a four-sided, five-sectioned tapered steel tower rising to a height of 13.6 metres (45 feet). The lighthouse was built in 1961 and is the second lighthouse on the site. The Lamb Island Lighthouse and its related buildings are highly visible from land and from water and they reinforce the dramatic maritime setting of the area.
Langara Point Lighthouse
Village of Masset, British Columbia
Long Eddy Point Lighthouse
Grand Manan, New Brunswick		 Situated at the northern tip of Grand Manan Island, the Long Eddy Point Lighthouse is a combined tower and fog alarm building. The lighthouse stands at 9.3 metres in height, and consists of a square, reinforced-concrete tower, built in the corner of a square concrete-block fog alarm building. It is a rare surviving example of an aid to navigation station established to provide only an audible signal, necessitated at this location by the thick fog that caused a significant number of shipwrecks around Grand Manan Island.
Long Point (Twillingate) Lighthouse
Crow Head, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Long Point (Twillingate) Lighthouse is a brick lighthouse built in 1876, which was later encased in reinforced-concrete in 1929. Situated 100 metres (331 feet) above sea level, atop a cliff in Notre Dame Bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland, the lighthouse guides vessels into Twillingate Harbour and is a popular eco-tourism destination.
Machias Seal Island Lighthouse
Grand Manan, New Brunswick		 Built in 1914, Machias Seal Island Lighthouse is a tapered octagonal reinforced concrete tower measuring 19.8 metres (65 feet) tall. The Machias Seal Island Lighthouse is also a symbol of Canada’s claim to ownership of the island itself, with lightkeepers stationed there for sovereignty purposes.
Margaree Harbour Front Range Lighthouse
Inverness, Nova Scotia		 Margaree Harbour Front Range Lighthouse is a traditional, square tapered wooden tower, standing 6.8 metres (22 feet). It is one of a pair of range lighthouses constructed in 1900, which act as secondary coastal lights to guide vessels entering Margaree Harbour from the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. The lighthouse has served throughout its history as a guide for the local and regional commercial fishery, as well as for recreational boat traffic. It is located in Inverness County, on the western coastline of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Margaree Harbour Rear Range Lighthouse
Inverness, Nova Scotia		 Margaree Harbour Rear Range Lighthouse is a traditional, square tapered wooden tower, standing 10.15 metres (33 feet). It is one of a pair of range lighthouses constructed in 1900, which act as secondary lights to guide vessels entering Margaree Harbour from the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. The lighthouse has served throughout its history as a guide for the local and regional commercial fishery, as well as for recreational boat traffic. It is located in Inverness County, on the western coastline of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Margaretsville Lighthouse
Margaretsville, Nova Scotia		 Margaretsville Lighthouse is a 9.7 m square tapered light tower featuring white painted shingles with a black horizontal daymark. It is a coastal light that sits on a small point that projects into the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Built in 1859, it is the first lighthouse on this site.
McInnes Island Lighthouse
McInnes Island, British Columbia		 The McInnes Island Lighthouse is a white rectangular multiuse concrete building with the lighttower built into one corner. Located on Milbanke Sound, the lighthouse is a major coastal light that guides traffic headed to the aluminum smelter at Kitimat.
McNab Point Lighthouse
Saugeen Shores, Ontario		 The McNab Point Lighthouse is an 8.5 metre (28 feet) square wooden structure with tapered walls, surmounted by an iron lantern and a cylindrical ventilator. Constructed in 1877 as part of a major harbour improvement project, it was relocated from the northern tip of Horseshoe Bay to its present location on McNab Point in 1901.
Merry Island Lighthouse
Sunshine Coast, British Columbia		 The Merry Island Lighthouse consists of a square base, with a tower (12 metres (40 feet) in height) rising from the corner of the building. Two red maple leaves, sculpted in relief, add to the visual interest of the lighthouse.
Mohawk Island Lighthouse
Dunnville, Ontario		 The Mohawk Island Lighthouse is an excellent example of the development of navigational aids on Lake Erie. It is closely associated with the early history of Welland Canal, as it was specifically erected to warn of the dangers of an off-shore shoal and to direct traffic to and from the southern end of the canal.
Neil's Harbour Lighthouse
Victoria County, Nova Scotia		 The Neil Harbour Lighthouse is a square, tapered, wooden tower that measures 10.4 metres (34 feet). Built in 1899, the lighthouse was constructed to guide ships into Neil’s Harbour, a naturally protected bay. The Neil Harbour Lighthouse is highly valued by the nearby community of Neil’s Harbour. The residents consider the lighthouse to be a part of their historical and municipal identity.
New Férolle Peninsula Lighthouse
New Férolle, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The New Férolle Peninsula Lighthouse is a tapered, hexagonal, reinforced-concrete lighthouse that measures 19.2 metres (63 feet) in height. Since its construction in 1913, the tower has guided transatlantic shipping entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence through the Strait of Belle Isle.
Nootka Lighthouse
Strathcona A British, Columbia		 The Nootka Lighthouse is a square, galvanized-steel tower surrounded by a steel skeleton tower originally designed to support the lantern gallery and a wooden daymark. Built on San Rafael Island as a replacement lighthouse in 1958, the Nootka heritage lighthouse is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island at the entrance to Nootka Sound, overlooking Friendly Cove.
Northport Rear Range Lighthouse
Northport, Prince Edward Island		 Built in 1885, the Northport Rear Range Lighthouse is a 13.6 metre (45 feet) square, tapered, wooden tower with a straight top surmounted by a square, wooden lantern. It is located at the south end of the harbour in the Community of Northport, overlooking Cascumpec Bay.
Pachena Point Lighthouse
Alberni-Clayoquot, British Columbia		 The Pachena Point Lighthouse, a major coastal light on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, is a wooden, octagonal tower and supports a First Order Fresnel lens. In 2007, Pachena Point was one of five Canadian lighthouses featured in a stamp series released by Canada Post.
Panmure Head Lighthouse
Montague, Prince Edward Island		 The Panmure Head Lighthouse is a 17.7 metre (58 feet) octagonal, tapered, wooden tower surmounted by a twelve-sided, cast-iron lantern. Constructed in 1853, it was the second lighthouse built in Prince Edward Island. It is visually attractive due to its excellent proportions and decorative architectural features. The Panmure Head Lighthouse is a symbol of the local community, being a major tourist attraction and icon for over 50 years.
Peter Island Lighthouse
Digby, Nova Scotia		 The Peter Island Lighthouse is a tapered, wooden, octagonal tower standing 13.4 metres (43.9 feet) in height. Located on the small, uninhabited Peter Island, it marks the southern entrance to the Grand Passage in the Municipality of Digby, Nova Scotia. Constructed in 1909, it is the 2nd generation lighthouse on the site. The original lightstation was established in 1850.
Pictou Island South Lighthouse
Pictou Island, Nova Scotia		 Built in 1907, the Pictou Island South Lighthouse is a square, tapered, wooden lighthouse with a square lantern. With only a few public buildings on the island and as the last remaining lighthouse, the Pictou Island South Lighthouse is considered very important and is highly valued by the small community of permanent residents.
Pilier de Pierre Lighthouse
Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec		 The Pilier de Pierre Lighthouse is a circular stone tower topped by a gallery and lantern with a red cupola. The lighthouse stands 18.3 metres (60 feet) tall on a narrow rocky islet, one of the Piliers Islands in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. It has undergone very little change since its construction in 1843 and remains operational, warning vessels of the dangerous reefs in the waterway.
Point Amour Lighthouse
L'Anse Amour, Newfoundland and Labrador		 Built in 1857, the Point Amour Lighthouse is located on the southeast side of Forteau Bay in the Strait of Belle Isle. At 33.2 metres (109 feet), it is the tallest lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador and the second tallest in Canada. The lighthouse has a tapered limestone and brick shaft, capped by a stepped and flared cornice, upon which rests the gallery and the lantern. A two-storey, gable-roofed duplex dwelling, also constructed of limestone, is attached to the lighthouse by its rear wing.
Pointe à Jérôme Front Range Lighthouse
Bouctouche, New Brunswick		 The Pointe à Jérôme Front Range Lighthouse is a 6.3-metre (20.6 feet) square, tapered, wooden tower. Located near the town of Bouctouche, New Brunswick on the north side of Bouctouche Harbour, the lighthouse is surrounded entirely by a residential property. It is part of the 2nd generation of range lights to mark the harbour.
Point Clark Lighthouse
Huron-Kinloss, Ontario		 The Point Clark Lighthouse is a slightly tapered circular tower, 26.5 metre (87 feet) tall, constructed of whitewashed limestone. It is capped by a cast-iron lantern with 12 glass sides and a cast-iron dome. Commissioned in 1859, it is one of six imperial towers built on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
Point Prim Lighthouse
Belfast, Prince Edward Island		 The Point Prim Lighthouse is located at the end of Point Prim on a point of land extending into the Northumberland Strait. It marks the southeastern entrance to Hillsborough Bay and Charlottetown Harbour. The lighthouse is a tapered, cylindrical, brick tower covered in wood shingles, and measures 18.3 metres (60 feet) from base to vane.
Pointe Mitis Lighthouse
Métis-sur-Mer, Quebec		 The Pointe Mitis Lighthouse is a 25 metres (82 feet) tall, hexagonal, reinforced concrete tower surmounted by a cylindrical iron lantern with its base supported by concrete buttresses. The lighthouse is an excellent example of the campaign by the post-Confederation government to improve the safety of maritime commerce by developing navigational aids.
Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse
Rimouski, Quebec		 The Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse consists of a central octagonal tower made of reinforced concrete, supported by eight concrete flying buttresses that are attached to the tower at each floor level. The lighthouse is 32.9 metres (108 feet) tall and measures 3.35 metres (11 feet) in diameter. The lighthouse is an example of an architectural style that is unique to Canada. The Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada is managed by Parks Canada in partnership with the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père.
Port Dover West Pier Lighthouse
Port Dover, Ontario		 The Port Dover West Pier Lighthouse is a square-tapered, wooden tower surmounted by a square lantern that is prominently located at the end of the west pier of the entrance to Port Dover Harbour, on Lake Erie. This heritage lighthouse has been, almost since its construction, an emblem of Port Dover’s maritime character and dependence on Lake Erie.
Port Mouton Lighthouse
Port Mouton, Nova Scotia		 The Port Mouton Lighthouse is a wooden square tapered tower that measures 7.5 metres (25 feet). Built in 1937, it replaced the original Port Mouton light that had stood on the site since 1873. The lighthouse guides vessels into the small Port Mouton harbour and is highly valued by the nearby community of Port Mouton.
Port Stanley Breakwater Lighthouse
Port Stanley, Ontario		 The Port Stanley Breakwater Lighthouse is a pyramidal reinforced concrete tower that measures 10 metres (33 feet). Built in 1911, the lighthouse is the second to be erected on the site. The lighthouse and Port Stanley are directly associated with the expansion of shipping activities and growing significance of the commercial fishery on Lake Erie, both of which became significant parts of the regional economy.
Prim Point Lighthouse
Digby, Nova Scotia		 The Prim Point Lighthouse is a 13.9 metre (46 feet) tall tower with an attached fog alarm building. Built in 1964, it sits in a wooded area overlooking the rocky cliffs on the west point of Digby Gut at the narrow opening of the Annapolis Basin in the Bay of Fundy. For two centuries, there has been a light at Prim Point to guide mariners from the Bay of Fundy to the Annapolis Basin.
Prince Edward Point Lighthouse
Prince Edward, Ontario		 The Prince Edward Point Lighthouse is a square-tapered wooden lighthouse with an attached dwelling. Built in 1881, today this lighthouse is a recognized community landmark at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory as the main feature of the Observatory’s logo.
Pulteney Point Lighthouse
Port McNeill, British Columbia		 The Pulteney Point Lighthouse is a very good example of early modernism applied to lighthouse design with its square concrete lighttower rising from the corner of a flat-roofed, single-storey, square concrete fog-alarm building. Built in 1943, this square, concrete building replaced the 1905 combined lighthouse-dwelling.
Queensport Lighthouse
Rook Island, Nova Scotia		 Built in 1936, the Queensport Lighthouse combines a lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling, a popular design for lighthouses in remote areas. The two-storey, wood frame residence is surmounted by a square lantern which is accessible from the second floor of the dwelling. The lighthouse is located on Rook Island, a small island off the shore of Queensport harbour, in Chedabucto Bay.
Rocky Point Lighthouse
Harbour Breton, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The Rocky Point Lighthouse is a 9.1 meter tall, round, cylindrical, prefabricated cast-iron tower surmounted by a lantern of triangular-paned design. Constructed in 1881, the lighthouse is the second on the site and is the oldest extant lighthouse on the southwest coast of Newfoundland.
Sand Point Lighthouse
Sand Point, New Brunswick		 Built in 1898, the Sand Point Lighthouse is a square, tapered wooden tower with a square lantern room, mounted on a two-tiered steel skeleton tower and four concrete footings. The lighthouse is an excellent example of a leading light built for a remote, low-lying area by providing height and resistance to severe weather conditions and seasonal flooding.
Saugeen River Front Range Lighthouse
Saugeen Shores, Ontario		 The Saugeen River Front Range Lighthouse is a 9.5 metre (31 feet) square wooden structure with tapered walls, surmounted by a metal railed gallery and a wooden lantern. Located on Lake Huron on the end of a pier extending westward from the north side of the mouth of the Saugeen River in the community of Southampton, it and the nearly identical rear range light located 750 metres to the east were constructed in 1903.
Saugeen River Rear Range Lighthouse
Saugeen Shores, Ontario		 The Saugeen River Rear Range Lighthouse is a 9.5 metre (31 feet) square, wooden structure with tapered walls, surmounted by a metal railed gallery and a wooden lantern. Located on a rise of land on the north side of the Saugeen River in the community of Southampton, it and the nearly identical front range light located 750 metres to the west were constructed in 1903.
Schafner Point Lighthouse
County of Annapolis, Nova Scotia		 The Schafner Point Lighthouse is a 13 metre (43 feet) square-tapered, wooden tower surmounted by a superimposed gallery and a red octagonal iron lantern. Constructed in 1885, it is the first lighthouse on the site but the second navigational aid erected on the Digby Gut–Annapolis Basin water corridor. It is located 11 km downstream from Annapolis Royal on the north side of the Annapolis Basin.
Scotch Bonnet Island Lighthouse
Prince Edward, Ontario		 Built in 1856, the lighthouse formerly served as a hazard avoidance light to warn ships travelling through Lake Ontario of the potential danger of the small Scotch Bonnet Island and the nearby shoals.
Seacow head Lighthouse
Fernwood, Summerside, Prince Edward Island		 Seacow Head Lighthouse is located at the entrance to Bedeque Bay and the Summerside Harbour. Constructed in 1865 and one of the oldest standing lighthouses in the Maritimes, the tapered, octagonal lighthouse measures 18.3 metres (60 feet) in height and was named after the walruses that were once abundant in the region. The lighthouse serves as both a harbour light and a secondary coastal light to guide mariners through the narrowest passage of the Northumberland Strait. The lighthouse has been featured prominently in various Canadian television productions and contributes to the region’s tourism industry. It remains a cherished symbol of the local community
Shaganash Island Lighthouse
Island No. 10, near Thunder Bay, Ontario		 The Shaganash Island Lighthouse is a 9.4 metres (30.5 feet) tall, square-tapered wooden lighthouse situated on Island No.10, on the north shore of Lake Superior. After the original lighthouse burned down, the current tower was built in 1922 and operated as both as a coastal light directing vessels to the city’s harbour, and as a range light identifying safe passage through a rock strewn channel. The lighthouse was an important navigational aid that supported the silver mining, pulp-wood, and fishing industries. By the mid-twentieth century, the pulpwood industry had receded and was replaced by growing recreational boat traffic that continues to navigate the lake today. Located approximately 55 kilometres from Thunder Bay, it remains a well-known landmark and navigational aid.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse
Shirley, British Columbia		 The Sheringham Point Lighthouse has stood on the west coast of Vancouver Island since 1912. The white hexagonal, reinforced concrete tower guides vessels as they enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which provides access from the Pacific Ocean to significant ports, including Victoria and Vancouver.
Snug Harbour Rear Range Lighthouse
Carling, Ontario		 The Snug Harbour Rear Range Lighthouse is a one-and-a-half storey dwelling with a tapered tower rising from the centre of its roof. Built according to plans prepared by the Department of Marine and Fisheries, this distinctive lighthouse is a simple and elegant response to the combined functional requirements of a keeper’s dwelling and navigational light.
St. Jacques Island Lighthouse
St. Jacques - Coomb's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The St. Jacques Island Lighthouse, also known as the Fortune Bay Lighthouse, is a 12 metre (39 foot) white, cylindrical, cast-iron tower built in 1908. Its spectacular setting on a steep 30-metre cliff, and the lack of vegetation surrounding it, make the lighthouse highly visible from all around the bay.
St. Paul Island Southwest Lighthouse
Dingwall, Nova Scotia		 The St. Paul Island Southwest Lighthouse is a prefabricated, cast-iron, cylindrical tower surmounted by a 12-sided iron lantern. It was built to warn vessels away from the dangerous St. Paul Island in the Cabot Strait with a flashing light that was visible to a distance of 18 nautical miles. It illustrates the importance and ingenuity of the Dominion Lighthouse Depot and the Canadian Coast Guard in providing a marine aids to navigation program in Canadian waters.
St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse
Peters Harbour, Prince Edward Island		 St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse is a 10.4-metre square tapered wooden tower has a hexagonal lantern which is atypical on an otherwise classic example of an architectural pattern that was the preferred design in Canada in the 19th century. Located among the dunes in a provincially protected area, it has come to be associated visually with the PEI National Park across the bay. The lighthouse is a 45-minute drive from downtown Charlottetown.
Terence Bay Lighthouse
Terence Bay, Nova Scotia		 The Terence Bay Lighthouse is an eight metre (26 feet) high square, tapered, wooden tower topped by an electric fixed light. Built in 1903, it replaced the original pole light that was erected in 1885. The light is located on Tennant Point in the small fishing village of Terence Bay.
Trial Islands Lighthouse
Oak Bay, British Columbia		 The Trial Islands Lighthouse, built in 1970 to replace the original lighthouse erected in 1906, is a white, cylindrical, reinforced-concrete lighthouse topped by a red aluminum lantern and gallery. The Trial Islands Lighthouse stands 13 metres (42 feet) tall and is located on the southeast point of the larger of the two Trial Islands.
Triple Islands Lighthouse
Triple Islands, Skeena-Queen Charlotte A, British Columbia		 The Triple Islands Lighthouse is an octagonal, reinforced concrete tower measuring 23 metres (76 feet) high. It is attached to the corner of a square, three-storey, and reinforced concrete structure that serves as the keeper’s dwelling and equipment building. The lighthouse is recognized nationally as one of the most hazardous construction projects in Canadian maritime history, which led to its designation as a national historic site.
Victoria Beach Lighthouse
Pointe Battery, Nova Scotia		 The Victoria Beach Lighthouse is an 8 metre (26 feet) square-tapered, wooden tower topped by a superimposed gallery and a square wooden lantern. Constructed in 1901, it is the first lighthouse on the site but the fourth navigational aid erected on the Digby Gut–Annapolis Basin water corridor. It is located at Battery Point on the east side of the Digby Gut.
Wallace Harbour Sector Lighthouse
County of Cumberland, Nova Scotia		 Built in 1904, the Wallace Harbour Sector Lighthouse is an 8 metre (26 feet) square wood-frame tower painted white with a broad horizontal red band across its front as a daymark. It is situated on the side of a main highway near the shoreline of Wallace Harbour. It was originally one part of a pair of range lights, but was converted to an individual sector light in 1990. Route 6, the local highway, passes very close to the doorway of the lighthouse.
Walpole Island Lower A32 Lighthouse
Walpole Island, Ontario		 Walpole Island Lower A32 is a square-tapered, reinforced-concrete lighthouse with no lantern. It stands approximately 5.6 metres (18.4 feet) tall and features a projecting sill and shallow inset panels that add a degree of elegance and visual interest to the tower. Serving as a navigational aid, it is strongly associated with the international through-traffic traversing the St. Clair River between Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair.
Walpole Island Upper A34 Lighthouse
Walpole Island, Ontario		 Walpole Island Upper A34 is a square-tapered, reinforced-concrete lighthouse with no lantern. It stands approximately 5.4 metres (17.7 feet) tall and features a projecting sill and shallow inset panels that add a degree of elegance and visual interest to the tower. Serving as a navigational aid, it is strongly associated with the international through-traffic traversing the St. Clair River between Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair.
Windmill Point Lighthouse
Prescott, Ontario		 The Windmill Point Lighthouse (also known as Battle of the Windmill Lighthouse and Windmill Tower) is an18.9 metres (62 feet) round, tapered, stone tower crowned with a cast iron lantern. It is located on a height of land near the town of Prescott, where it overlooks the old King’s Highway and the St. Lawrence River. Initially built as a windmill in ca. 1832, it was the site of the Battle of the Windmill during the Rebellion of 1837-38. In 1872, it was converted to a lighthouse and became operational by 1874, remaining in service for over a century.
Woody Point Lighthouse
Woody Point, Newfoundland and Labrador		 The 7.3-metre Woody Point Lighthouse is a square tapered wooden tower with a classic square wooden lantern. Surrounded by Gros Morne National Park, it is an important landmark from both land and water. The lighthouse can be reached by car from the airport at Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador, within one hour.

Parks Canada administered lighthouses

Parks Canada administers 11 lighthouses, all of which have been nominated for heritage lighthouse designation. They are used for various program requirements, including interpretation, visitor facilities and the protection of species at risk.

Want to see more heritage designations?

Search through over 3,600 designations listed in the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations (DFHD)

The Directory of Federal Heritage Designations offers a complete list of federal designations stemming from various programs managed by Parks Canada. It includes information on designated persons, places, and events of national historic significance under the National Program of Historical Commemoration, as well as railway stations, lighthouses, and federal buildings that are of national historic value or interest.

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