Assiginack

Assiginack
Assiginack
Township (single-tier)
	Township of Assiginack
	The SS Norisle at the Manitowaning Heritage Complex
	Assiginack Assiginack
	Coordinates: 45°44′N 81°48′W / 45.733°N 81.800°W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Manitoulin
Incorporated	1871
Government
• Type	Township
• Mayor	Brenda Reid
• MP	Jim Belanger (Conservative)
• MPP	Bill Rosenberg (PC)
Area
• Land	224.89 km2 (86.83 sq mi)
Population (2021)
• Total	1,008
• Density	4.5/km2 (12/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code FSA	P0P
Area codes	705, 249
Website	www.assiginack.ca

Assiginack (/əˈsɪɡɪnæk/)^[2] is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on Manitoulin Island. An Ontario Historical Plaque was built on the grounds of the Assiginack Museum by the province to commemorate the Manitoulin Treaties' role in Ontario's heritage.^[3]

The township is named after Jean-Baptiste Assiginack, an Odawa chief who supported the signing of the Manitoulin Treaty of 1862.^[4]

Communities

The principal community in the township is Manitowaning. Smaller communities in the township include Bass Creek, Bidwell, Clover Valley, Eagles Nest, Hilly Grove, The Slash, Squirrel Town and Vanzant's Point.

Manitowaning

Manitowaning is the administrative centre of Assiginack township. The town was founded in 1836 as a centre of the island's Aboriginal education.^[5] Manitowaning Bay is a natural harbour, and the community has a marina with good docking facilities. From its early history, Manitowaning was a regular port of call for schooners and steamboats from many points on the Great Lakes. Manitowaning was the first and last scheduled stop on Manitoulin Island for the ships of the Owen Sound Transportation Company. The old steamboat wharf is now part of the community's Museum Heritage Complex, home of the SS Norisle. The town is home to the De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Creation Centre. Cardwell Street in Manitowaning continues east of the community, becoming the primary access road to the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Reserve.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Assiginack had a population of 1,008 living in 447 of its 710 total private dwellings, a change of -0.5% from its 2016 population of 1,013. With a land area of 224.89 km² (86.83 sq mi), it had a population density of 4.5/km² (11.6/sq mi) in 2021.^[1]

Canada census – Assiginack community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	1,008 (-0.5% from 2016)	1,013 (+5.5% from 2011)	960 (+5.0% from 2006)
Land area	224.89 km² (86.83 sq mi)	226.72 km² (87.54 sq mi)	227.87 km² (87.98 sq mi)
Population density	4.5/km² (12/sq mi)	4.5/km² (12/sq mi)	4.2/km² (11/sq mi)
Median age	53.6 (M: 53.2, F: 54.0)	50.3 (M: 50.1, F: 50.5)
Private dwellings	710 (total) 447 (occupied)	730 (total)	707 (total)
Median household income	$73,500	$63,189