Assiginack

---

title: "Assiginack" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["municipalities-in-manitoulin-district", "single-tier-municipalities-in-ontario", "township-municipalities-in-ontario", "1836-establishments-in-the-british-empire"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assiginack" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Assiginack
official_name	Township of Assiginack
settlement_type	Township (single-tier)
native_name
image_skyline	SS Norisle (ship, 1946).jpg
image_caption	The SS Norisle at the Manitowaning Heritage Complex
pushpin_map	CAN ON Manitoulin#Ontario
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Canada
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	Ontario
subdivision_type2	District
subdivision_name2	Manitoulin
government_type	Township
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Brenda Reid
leader_title1	MP
leader_name1	Jim Belanger (Conservative)
leader_title2	MPP
leader_name2	Bill Rosenberg (PC)
established_title
established_title2	Incorporated
established_date2	1871
unit_pref
area_footnotes
area_land_km2	224.89
population_as_of	2021
population_footnotes
population_total	1008
population_density_km2	4.5
timezone	EST
utc_offset	-5
timezone_DST	EDT
utc_offset_DST	-4
elevation_footnotes
postal_code_type	Postal code FSA
postal_code	P0P
area_codes	705, 249
website
::

|name = Assiginack |official_name = Township of Assiginack |settlement_type = Township (single-tier) |other_name = |native_name =
|nickname = |motto = |image_skyline = SS Norisle (ship, 1946).jpg |image_caption = The SS Norisle at the Manitowaning Heritage Complex |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = | pushpin_map = CAN ON Manitoulin#Ontario | pushpin_label_position= |coordinates = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Canada |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Ontario |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Manitoulin |government_type = Township |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Brenda Reid |leader_title1 = MP |leader_name1 = Jim Belanger (Conservative) |leader_title2 = MPP |leader_name2 = Bill Rosenberg (PC) |established_title = |established_date = |established_title2 = Incorporated |established_date2 = 1871 |established_title3 = |established_date3 = |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = 224.89 |area_water_km2 = |area_water_percent = |population_as_of = 2021 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 1008 |population_density_km2 = 4.5 |timezone = EST |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = |postal_code_type = Postal code FSA |postal_code = P0P |area_codes = 705, 249 |website = |footnotes =

Assiginack () 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.

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

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. 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 living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 224.89 km2, it had a population density of in 2021. |location = Assiginack |2021_population=1,008 | 2021_pop_delta=-0.5 | 2021_land_area=224.89 | 2021_pop_density=4.5 |2021_median_age=53.6 | 2021_median_age_m=53.2 | 2021_median_age_f=54.0 |2021_total_pvt_dwell=710 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=447 |2021_mean_hh_income=73,500 |2021_geocode=2021A00053551011 | 2021_access_date=2023-10-19 |2016_population=1,013| 2016_pop_delta=+5.5 | 2016_land_area=226.72 | 2016_pop_density=4.5 |2016_median_age=50.3 | 2016_median_age_m=50.1 | 2016_median_age_f=50.5 |2016_total_pvt_dwell=730 | 2016_mean_hh_income=63,189 | 2016_access_date=2019-06-20 |2011_population=960 | 2011_pop_delta=+5.0 | 2011_land_area=227.87 | 2011_pop_density=4.2 |2011_median_age= | 2011_median_age_m= | 2011_median_age_f= |2011_total_pvt_dwell=707 | 2011_mean_hh_income= | 2011_access_date=2012-02-24 |2006_population=914 | 2006_pop_delta=-1.8 | 2006_land_area=227.44 | 2006_pop_density=4.0 |2006_median_age=48.5 | 2006_median_age_m=46.4 | 2006_median_age_f=49.7 |2006_total_pvt_dwell=709 | 2006_mean_hh_income=51,039 | 2006_access_date=2012-02-24 |2001_population=931 | 2001_pop_delta=+0.5 | 2001_land_area=227.32 | 2001_pop_density=4.1 |2001_median_age=42.7 | 2001_median_age_m=42.3 | 2001_median_age_f=42.9 |2001_total_pvt_dwell=707 | 2001_mean_hh_income=36,462 | 2001_access_date=2012-02-24

|title = Historical census populations – Assiginack |align=none |cols = 3 |footnote= |source = Statistics Canada | 1881 |881 | 1891 |818 | 1901 |839 | 1911 |668 | 1921 |614 | 1931 |631 | 1941 |760 | 1951 |738 | 1956 |881 | 1961 |805 | 1966 |711 | 1971 |757 | 1976 |789 | 1981 |851 | 1986 |846 | 1991 |917 | 1996 |926 |2001| 931 |2006| 914 |2011| 960 |2016| 1013 |2021| 1008

References

References

1. {{SCref. (2021)
3. The Canadian Press. (2017). "The Canadian Press Stylebook". [[The Canadian Press]].
4. [http://www.ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_MNO/Plaque_Manitoulin03.html Ontario Plaque] {{webarchive. link. (2013-12-02)
5. (2 April 2024). "A Brief History of the Settlement and Administration of the Area Around Lake Manitou". Lake Manitou and Area Association.
6. "Manitowaning".
7. [[Canada 2001 Census. 2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census. 2006]] census

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