Government of Canada Designates two new Heritage Lighthouses in Prince Edward Island

Press Release

March 13, 2025

Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of the Wrights Front Range and Wrights Rear Range Lighthouses under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

Wrights Rear Range Lighthouse

Built in 1894, the Wrights Rear Range Lighthouse stands as an example of the second generation of lighthouses built in Prince Edward Island in the era after Confederation. It supported Victoria Harbour’s role as a key shipping outlet for the southwestern part of the island. Wrights Rear Range Lighthouse is a 9.75 metre (32 feet) wooden square-tapered tower designed to guide vessels into Victoria Harbour from the Northumberland Strait. The lighthouse is located in a mixed residential and agricultural area at the end of Beach Light Road, 1.25 kilometres west-southwest of Victoria.

Wrights Front Range Lighthouse

Built in 1903, Wrights Front Range Lighthouse is a 3.7 metre (12 feet) wooden square-tapered tower, also designed to guide vessels into Victoria Harbour from the Northumberland Strait. The lighthouse is located in an open field on a point known locally as “Paul’s Bluff”, situated approximately 1 kilometre southwest of Victoria

With these new designations, 114 lighthouses in eight provinces have now been protected under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. They include some of the country’s most architecturally and historically significant lighthouses, including the Fisgard Lighthouse in British Columbia, the Île du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie in Quebec, and Point Amour in Newfoundland and Labrador, which are treasured symbols of our country’s maritime heritage.

The Government of Canada continues to work in close collaboration with community groups, Indigenous Peoples, and other levels of government to facilitate the designation of heritage lighthouses and ensure their protection for the benefit and enjoyment for generations to come. Designations under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act are made by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

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Quotes

“More than just beacons for navigation, heritage lighthouses are an integral part of the maritime identity of Canadians. The Wrights Rear and Front Range lighthouses continue to be important visual landmarks at the entrance of Victoria Harbour. I’m delighted to add these two Prince Edward Island lighthouses to the family of Canada’s designated heritage lighthouses.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

“This heritage designation highlights the significance of the Wrights Rear and Front Range Lighthouses as symbols of Victoria’s maritime heritage. While these lighthouses no longer serve their original navigational role, they remain beautiful landmarks with rich history for all to enjoy.”

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“Today’s designation celebrates Prince Edward Island’s storied maritime heritage. The Wrights Rear and Front Range lighthouses reflect a vital part of our history, connecting communities and people to the waters that helped shape their identities and continue to sustain them.”

Heath Macdonald,
Member of Parliament for Malpeque

Quick facts

The Wrights Rear and Front Range lighthouses are two of six range lighthouses near Victoria Harbour, all dating from the mid-to-late 19^th century.
The Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act is a law designed to protect lighthouses owned by the federal government that have significant heritage value. The Act protects the heritage character of designated lighthouses and requires that they be reasonably maintained. Subject to certain conditions, heritage lighthouses may be sold or transferred to other levels of government, to not-for-profit community organizations, or to individuals in order to promote new uses and to ensure their long-term protection.
Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked Canada’s history. Together with Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration and these important stories are shared with Canadians.