Assiginack

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]

Assiginack
Township (single-tier)
Township of Assiginack
The SS Norisle at the Manitowaning Heritage Complex
Assiginack Show map of Manitoulin District Assiginack Show map of Ontario
Coordinates: 45°44′N 81°48′W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Manitoulin
Incorporated	1871
Government
• Type	Township
• Mayor	Brenda Reid
• MP	Jim Belanger (Conservative)
• MPP	Bill Rosenberg (PC)
Area [1]
• Land	224.89 km2 (86.83 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[1]
• 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 code(s)	705, 249
Website	www.assiginack.ca

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]

	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

Canada census – Assiginack community profile

References: 2021^[6] 2016^[7] 2011^[8]

Historical census populations – Assiginack

Year Pop. ±% 1881 881 —     1891 818 −7.2% 1901 839 +2.6% 1911 668 −20.4% 1921 614 −8.1% 1931 631 +2.8% 1941 760 +20.4% 1951 738 −2.9%	Year Pop. ±% 1956 881 +19.4% 1961 805 −8.6% 1966 711 −11.7% 1971 757 +6.5% 1976 789 +4.2% 1981 851 +7.9% 1986 846 −0.6% 1991 917 +8.4%	Year Pop. ±% 1996 926 +1.0% 2001 931 +0.5% 2006 914 −1.8% 2011 960 +5.0% 2016 1,013 +5.5% 2021 1,008 −0.5%
Source: Statistics Canada[1][9][8]

See also

• List of municipalities in Ontario
• List of townships in Ontario