Hello readers, I am ashamed to admit that I have never been to Pelee Island. There. I said it. Quite unbelievable I know, given how long I’ve now lived here, but nonetheless true. I’ve been meaning to get over to the island for ages. It’s been on my list since […]
ATTENTION: FRAUDULENT WEBSITE DETECTED It has come to our attention that a fake website, www.ontarioferries.org, is currently in use and impersonating our organization. This website is not affiliated with the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) or our ferry services, and any information or services found on it are not official or […]
The Town of Kingsville is sharing new information received from the Kingsville Non-Profit Port Management Corporation about the status of dredging in Kingsville Harbour. The ferry annually begins service to Pelee Island from the port of Leamington and then mid-summer transitions to the port of Kingsville for the remainder of […]
The Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) issued this announcement on July 24, 2024 concerning transportation to and from Pelee Island: “TRAVEL ALERT: Due to dredging operations in Kingsville Harbour, ALL MAINLAND SAILINGS will be from the port of LEAMINGTON until Tuesday, August 5th. Please check your reissued email confirmation for […]
Air Service Operated by Cameron Air Services Start of 2024/2025 Winter Air Service: Service is scheduled to begin on Monday, December 9th, departing Windsor at 4 p.m. A return flight from Pelee Island will immediately follow at 4:40 p.m. Service will continue daily until the start of ferry service in […]
The Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) issued this announcement on September 16, 2024 concerning transportation to and from Pelee Island: “Starting Thursday, September 19th, 2024 all mainland operations will be from the port of Kingsville; located at 25 Dock Road.” View the 2024 Ferry Schedule Book a Reservation For information […]
There has recently been an increase in the number of sick wildlife – mainly racoons – reported and seen on Pelee Island. Many of the raccoons are showing signs consistent with the Canine Distemper Virus. The Township of Pelee is actively working with partner agencies to confirm a diagnosis for […]
A free Nature Talk and Luncheon was held at the Pelee Island Legion Branch 403 on Monday, August 12. Cherie Dillen of the Pelee Island Butterfly Sanctuary and Teaching Garden was the speaker that morning. It turned out to be another “sold out” event at the Pelee Island Legion! Cherie […]
The Butterflies of Pelee Island: Free Nature Talk and Luncheon Pelee Island Legion Branch 403 Monday, August 12 at 10:30 a.m. Join us at the Legion for a nature talk from Cherie Dillen of the Pelee Island Butterfly Sanctuary and Teaching Garden, followed by a complimentary luncheon. You will never […]
On July 22nd, the CDC revised and removed many conditions regarding bringing dogs into the U.S.A. starting August 1, 2024. The list of requirements stands as follows: Be at least six months of age Be microchipped Appear healthy upon arrival Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt (this form is completed by the pet owner and must […]
*IMPORTANT UPDATE* Due to Potential Fire Risk & Safety Recall, 2017-2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug In Hybrids (PHEVs) are No Longer Permitted on our Ferries. July 22, 2024: Due to battery fire risk and safety recall, 2017-2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug‑In Hybrids (PHEVs) are no longer permitted on our ferries until the service recall is completed. To […]
Scheduled burn to take place between August 26th and September 7th, if weather and site conditions permit Ontario Nature is planning to do a prescribed burn on the Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve located on Pelee Island. An alvar is an area of very thin topsoil over limestone bedrock. These conditions […]
The Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) issued this announcement on July 24, 2024 concerning transportation to and from Pelee Island: “Due to dredging operations in Kingsville Harbour, ALL Mainland SAILINGS will be from the port of LEAMINGTON until further notice. Updates will be posted regularly and please check your email for […]
The first sailing of 2024 will head out of Leamington on Thursday, March 28 at 6 p.m. After that a regularly posted schedule will be followed. Here is the opening reservation schedule: Feb. 29 for April 8 (Total Solar Eclipse) by phone only March 1 for the first, second and […]
The Pelee Island Ferry Service 2023 sailing season will end on Monday, Dec. 11 at 7 a.m. Pelee Island 23/24 Winter Air Service commences on December 11 at 4 p.m. with a flight departing from Windsor. Air Service is operated by Cameron Air Services. All flights leaving Windsor will be from […]
Good news! The MV Pelee Islander has passed its USCG inspection. The ferry will be starting its regular Sandusky service on Friday, June 2, 2023. You can book reservations online at ontarioferries.com or call 1-800-661-2220. Reservation Line Hours: April 1 – December 9 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily Pelee Island Terminal: General […]
The MV Pelee Islander will be returning to reduced service on Friday, May 26 and Sunday, May 28, 2023. According to Pelee Island Transportation Service, the Pelee Islander will be leaving Leamington at 12 noon and at 4 p.m. It will set sail from Pelee Island at 2 p.m. and 7 […]
The MV Pelee Islander will not be in service until early June due to technical issues. Updates will be posted when available. The Pelee Islander is normally scheduled for four trips a week to the Island this time of year. The Pelee Islander was built in Erieau, Ontario in 1960. […]
The MV Pelee Islander II will begin ferry service to Pelee Island on May 12, 2023 rather than on May 18 as had previously been scheduled. When the ferry was in drydock a technical problem was discovered so the return had to be delayed. The Pelee Islander II will be […]
Special Meeting of Council: Roundtable Discussion for 2022 Great Lakes Islands Alliance Summit The Township of Pelee is hosting a roundtable discussion on the 2022 GLIA Summit. It will take place on Monday, July 11, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 403. The focus of this […]
Everything that comes to and leaves Pelee Island does so at great cost. By ferry, plane or personal watercraft — everything consumed or wasted has to come and go somehow. The actual cost of wasting things on the island cannot be fully understood unless the cost of producing the thing […]
It is a common misconception that once the last ferry sails for the season in December that those living on Pelee Island year round are island-bound with no provisions or connection to the outside world until the ferry begins its daily treks across the lake again in the spring. For […]
The nearly century-old tradition of fall pheasant hunting returned to Pelee Island this fall. After a brief hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Township of Pelee committed to three Main Hunts and four Clean Up Hunts in October and November of 2021. Pheasants were introduced to the island by […]
Pelee Island is a place that defies expectations on varying levels. When people arrive on Pelee Island for the very first time in the fall, they don’t expect to see acres of farms, row upon row of grapes, and tractor trailers full with the season’s haul sleepily boarding the ferry […]
The Pelee Island Heritage Centre on Pelee Island has been closed to the public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. The keeper of near and distant island history reopened its doors to visitors on August 9, 2021. The HC, as it is commonly called, sits directly […]
While unplugging may be part of what makes Pelee Island a real escape for visitors, lack of internet and, somedays, cell service leaves residents and business owners woefully behind in a digitally connected world. Most find short-term solutions through unlimited data plans but those plans can be costly, deliver throttled-down […]
(PELEE ISLAND, ON) -On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, a new pilot project regulation under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) to permit the use of golf cars on Pelee Island came into effect. The Township of Pelee Island has approved By-laws governing the operation of golf cars on the island. The Ten-year […]
(PELEE ISLAND, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Essex County Detachment is reminding all off-road vehicle users to obey applicable laws and safety precautions when operating any off-road vehicle on roads on Pelee Island. In accordance with the Off-Road Vehicle Act, municipalities must have a by-law permitting certain All-Terrain Vehicle […]
When most people in Southwestern Ontario think of a remote or isolated community, they think of Northern Ontario. Pelee Island is the most southern community in Canada and also happens to be isolated, without year-round road or marine access. While it is specifically the isolation many people seek, the gaps […]
Residents, tourism operators, farming operations, cottagers and visitors are scrambling to book passage to and from the mainland terminal in Leamington due to extremely limited ferry capacity. A staffing issue at Owen Sound Transportation Company, on top of COVID-19 restrictions, are cited as the specific reasons for the service reduction. […]
Pelee Island is known for some unusual spaces and historical holdovers from yesteryear. Did you know that the Island also has an acoustically perfect natural limestone amphitheatre? Exposed natural limestone shale lines a defunct quarry and provides the backdrop for an eclectic art, music and spoken word series known as […]
The “everywhere” real estate boom is more of a rumble on Pelee Island but it is still being felt. To the people trying to escape cities, green their lives and find their own beach, a remote island looks pretty good. A shortage of available inventory has driven prices up everywhere. But […]
What most people in Windsor and Essex County have experienced through extended lockdowns is the general state of affairs on Pelee Island. No big box stores, gyms or nail salons are closed because none have ever been opened. There are no little leagues or soccer pitches to shut down. Obtaining […]
The Township of Pelee is one of 405 municipalities to receive a Municipal Modernization Grant as part of a $125 million roll out of funds from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to help small and rural communities find opportunities to share resources and deliver services to taxpayers more […]
Host of CBC’s “Still Standing” Jonny Harris In the fall of 2019 Jonny Harris, along with his best friend Macy, full production crew, a team of writers and producers, arrived on Pelee Island to take a look at how the largest island in Lake Erie is “still standing.” Harris is […]
For many city dwellers stuck indoors and surrounded by concrete, spending time at parks, getting outside hiking and biking have been a welcome reprieve from the day to day. “Demand for backcountry campsites in Ontario’s provincial parks is up 29% from a year ago,” according to a recent Toronto Sun article. “We’re […]
The arts are being profoundly affected by COVID-19. Live performers, musicians and artisans have seen their live shows cancelled, and retail or gallery spaces close. While some sectors of the economy slowly re-open, artists will continue to struggle with uncertain futures. Pelee Island is fortunate to have had some prominent […]
While many beaches across the province may be experiencing higher than normal volumes of people looking to get outdoors, most beaches on Pelee Island remain quiet, natural and undisturbed. High water and wind direction certainly affect beach conditions on Pelee Island, and contribute to the ever-changing landscape on our shores. […]
The fourth and most recent extension of the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to non-essential travel has left the small community of Pelee Island in the middle of some heated debate among local and international taxpayers. With over a third of the island land owners residing stateside, most wonder when […]
On April 1, ferry service to Pelee Island resumed on schedule replacing the winter air service that residents rely on from December to March. COVID-19 has changed the way people travel afar, and right here in Windsor/ Essex/ Pelee Island too. The Pelee Islander began modified service with restricted access […]
Lake Erie’s North Shore has some pretty incredible views. Essex County’s picturesque cottage country includes wineries and farms with panoramic backdrops of Lake Erie. As summer begins, and many in Windsor/ Essex/ Pelee Island consider how best to make the most of the warm and sunny days ahead, the Great […]
On June 25, Pelee Island along with Windsor and most of Essex County moved to Stage 2 of Ontario’s reopening plan. Like Windsor, Pelee Island is a single-tier municipality with a mayor, deputy mayor and three councillors. Pelee Island and the eight other islands that constitute the township are not […]