Pelee Island | |
|---|---|
| Township of Pelee | |
 Aerial photo of Pelee Island | |
 Seal | |
 | |
  Pelee Island Location within Ontario  Pelee Island Location within Canada | |
| Coordinates: 41°46′30″N 82°39′35″W / 41.77500°N 82.65972°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Cathy Miller |
| Area | |
• Total | 41.79 km2 (16.14 sq mi) |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 230 |
| • Density | 5.5/km2 (14/sq mi) |
| Area codes | 519, 226, 548 |
Pelee Island /ˈpiːli/ is an island in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the western half of Lake Erie. At 42 km2 (16 sq mi), Pelee Island is the largest island in Lake Erie and the southernmost populated point in Canada. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected by the province to commemorate the development of Pelee Island's role in Ontario's heritage.[2] Nearby Middle Island is the southernmost point of land in Canada.
Due to its southerly location and the moderating effect of Lake Erie, it has a slightly milder climate than inland areas.[3] Its climate is one of the mildest in Canada, and the island has been used for vineyards and wine making since 1860, though local wine making died out in the early twentieth century and was restarted in the 1980s by the Pelee Island Winery.[4] The island is an agricultural-based community, which grows about 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of soybeans, about 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of wheat, 200 hectares (500 acres) of grapes, and a few hectares of specialty corn.
The island is connected to the Canadian mainland and the United States by ferry service. It is a part of an important flyway for migrating birds between Ohio, the Lake Erie islands and Point Pelee. For many years, the island has hosted a fall pheasant hunt which attracts hunters from Canada, the United States and many other countries. The pheasant hunt brings tourist dollars to Pelee at a time of year when virtually no other activities are available, thus generating important revenue in the offseason.
- ^ "2016 Census Profile for Pelee (Township)". 2016 Census Data. Statistics Canada. 2018-03-20. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ "The Development of Pelee Island". Ontarioplaques.com. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
- ^ Wake, Winifred Cairns (1997). A Nature Guide to Ontario, p. 47. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-2755-5.
- ^ Aspler, Tony (1999). Vintage Canada: The Complete Reference to Canadian Wines, p. 68. McGraw-Hill Ryerson. ISBN 0-07-086043-2.