Parks Canada and Beausoleil First Nation honour the national historic significance of Beausoleil Island (Bimadinaagogi)

Press Release

From: Parks Canada

September 18, 2025

Today, Parks Canada and Beausoleil First Nation commemorated the historic significance of Beausoleil Island (Bimadinaagogi), with a special ceremony to unveil a plaque at Beausoleil Island in Georgian Bay Islands National Park.

Beausoleil Island – known as Bimadinaagogi (meaning “a ridge extending and growing along”) by the Anishinaabeg – is a powerful reflection of the cultural landscape of the Anishinaabeg of the southern Georgian Bay region. Archaeological studies have traced millennia of human habitation on Beausoleil Island, highlighting its long-standing role as a waypoint on traditional trading routes and a seasonal home for various peoples over time.

The island serves as a place of memory, illustrating the Anishinaabeg’s deep relationship with the land and recalling both their enduring presence and the impacts of displacement in Southern Ontario. The evolving landscape of the island bears witness to this history, with evidence of ancient camps and its brief use as a reserve in the mid-19th century, a time when the Anishinaabeg sought to preserve their traditions while adapting to the pressures of rapidly expanding Euro-Canadian settlement.

The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians and youth connect with their past. The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,270 designations have been made nationwide.

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Quotes

“The peoples of Beausoleil First Nation have a profoundly significant relationship with Bimadinaagogi. Generations of our ancestors both utilized and tended to this land where we once settled. We welcome the designation as a national historic site and appreciate how this effort will not only ensure its natural preservation but also promote it as a place to behold and enjoy. This land will continue to share important pieces of our history as Anishinaabe, that will remain strong for the next seven generations and beyond.”

Chief Joanne Sandy,
Beausoleil Island First Nation

“Recognizing Bimadinaagogi, Beausoleil Island as a national historic site honours its deep cultural significance to the Anishinaabeg and to the national story of Canada. Generations of people have and will continue to connect with the landscapes, oral traditions, and ceremonies that are core to the island’s history and it is through these touchstones that we unify and better understand our country’s rich cultural heritage. I encourage Canadians to visit Beausoleil Island National Historic Site to experience the unique beauty and significance of this special place. Words can only convey so much, it is something best felt firsthand.”

The Honourable ­­­­­­­­­­­­­Steven Guilbeault,
Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Minister responsible for Official Languages

Quick facts

• Ojibway-Anishinaabe nations occupied the south Georgian Bay region from the late 17th century and established seasonal encampments on Beausoleil Island, utilizing its berry resources and the fine fishing areas along its eastern shore.
• Many traditions associated with the island relate to women, including their use of Beausoleil Island for gathering berries and other plants, and for traditional ceremonies such as girlhood to womanhood transformation rituals.
• Since 1999, the Cultural Advisory Circle has guided Georgian Bay Islands National Park on projects respecting Indigenous heritage. Formed after a heritage assessment at the Cemetery of the Oaks, it was one of Parks Canada’s first Indigenous advisory structures, advising on cultural integrity, language revitalization, and sacred sites, while fostering reconciliation and shared stewardship of Beausoleil Island.
• The plaque is written in English, French, and Anishinaabemowin.
• The Government of Canada, through Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant people, places, and events that have shaped this country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past.
• Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the minister responsible for Parks Canada on the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked Canada’s history. To date, more than 2,270 designations have been made nationwide.
• The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To nominate a person, place or historic event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/proposer-nominate.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Beausoleil Island

Associated links

• Parks Canada
• Beausoleil First Nation
• Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
• Framework for History and Commemoration

Contacts

Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca

Kelsey Bowles
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Parks Canada, Eastern and Central Ontario Field Unit
416-528-5728
Kelsey.bowles@pc.gc.ca

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