From Sauble to Saugeen Beach: Sign Change on Canada Day Signals Land Reclamation
The Sauble Beach sign was changed to “Saugeen Beach" for July 1, marking a milestone in Saugeen First Nation’s land reclamation efforts and drawing mixed reactions locally.
This Canada Day, residents and visitors awoke to find a prominent symbol at the heart of one of Ontario’s most recognizable beaches had changed. The sign that once read “Sauble Beach” now reads “Saugeen Beach.”
It marks the end of one era — and the reassertion of a much older one.
The sign stands on reserve land legally affirmed by Canadian courts to be part of Saugeen First Nation #29 following a series of court rulings. Now, it signals a public declaration of ownership and identity, one that has been decades in the making.
Cheree Urscheler, a Band Councillor at Saugeen First Nation #29 and co-chair of the Beach Advisory Committee (alongside fellow Councillor Sonya Roote), shared photos of the new sign and a message with her community on social media:
“Saugeen First Nation has been fighting for the rightful recognition and return of this land for decades.
What some see as just a sign change is, for us, a symbol of truth, resilience and the reclamation of what has always been ours.
Welcome to Saugeen Beach—where the land remembers, and so do we.”
~ Cheree Urscheler, a Band Councillor at Saugeen First Nation #29
Not all are celebrating the change. In a July 1 media release, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula stated the updated sign was installed overnight without prior notice to the municipality.
Legal Rulings and Land Reclamation: Sauble Beach’s Disputed History
Sauble Beach was originally named “La Riviere Au Sable” by French explorers for the sandy sable river that empties into the lake at Sauble Falls, according to Bruce County’s archives.
The long-standing land dispute over a two-kilometre stretch of Sauble Beach continues to shape the relationship between the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) and the Town of South Bruce Peninsula (SBP), as a series of court decisions and cultural assertions reaffirm the First Nation’s claim to the area now officially recognized as reserve land.
The contested beach section, known to the Saugeen Ojibway Nation as Chi-Gmiinh, lies along Lake Huron, west of Lakeshore Boulevard between Main Street and 7th Street North.
The dispute dates back to an 1856 Crown survey that failed to include this area in Saugeen Reserve No. 29, despite its intent under Treaty 72, signed in 1854. SON launched a legal challenge asserting their rightful ownership of the land.
In April 2023, Ontario Superior Court Justice Susan Vella ruled that the beach land was always intended to form part of the Saugeen reserve. She found that the 1856 survey was flawed and that the Crown breached its treaty obligations. The court rejected claims that Crown land patents or third-party interests, such as the rights of current landowners or public access arguments, could override Indigenous title.
The decision also dismissed the bona fide purchaser defence raised by some landowners, noting that reserve land rights are not extinguished by historical oversights or subsequent sales. A June 2023 ruling further clarified that life interests or other legal accommodations for non-band members were not permissible under the Indian Act.
The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the decision in December 2024, dismissing appeals from SBP, the Province of Ontario, and individual landowners. The appeals challenged the trial judge’s interpretation of the reserve’s eastern boundary and the exclusion of certain defences, but the appellate court affirmed the reasoning and findings of the lower court.
Though the federal government admitted to breaching its fiduciary duty, it successfully argued that its liability should be determined in a later trial phase focused on compensation, expected no earlier than 2026.
Town's Position and Potential Supreme Court Appeal
Following the Court of Appeal decision, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula acknowledged the ruling but noted that outstanding issues remained. In January 2025, the Town stated it would consider filing for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada before the February deadline, particularly due to concerns about boundary interpretations and unresolved governance matters.
The Town pointed to the need for a federal legal survey, expected mid-2025, to clarify jurisdictional lines. It also raised concerns about SON not limiting its claim strictly to lands west of Lakeshore Boulevard, and emphasized ongoing discussions with SON about beach access, infrastructure, and cooperative management.
As of mid-2025, the relationship between SON and SBP remains under negotiation, shaped by legal outcomes, cultural recognition, and questions of shared public access and infrastructure. While the courts have affirmed SON’s land rights, the implications for local governance, tourism, and reconciliation remain active areas of concern and discussion.
South Bruce Peninsula and Mayor Jay Kirkland Respond
On July 1, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula sent a media release expressing “disappointment” at SON’s decision to change the sign without informing the municipality in advance.
“The change was made overnight on June 30 without any notice to the Town. While the sign is located on lands under the jurisdiction of Saugeen First Nation we are disappointed not to have been told of the decision to change the name,” the Town stated.
“The Sauble Beach sign is a well-known landmark with deep meaning for many people,” said Mayor Jay Kirkland.
“While we respect Saugeen First Nation’s right to make changes on their land, we believe open communication is important—especially when it involves something so symbolic to the broader community,” Kirkland added.
He noted that SBP remains committed to respectful dialogue and working together in the spirit of mutual understanding.
A popular fan page called Sauble Beach, Ontario (not to be confused with the Sauble Beach Chamber of Commerce’s official tourism page) urged community members and visitors to respect the change.
“While we are aware the name change on the iconic Sauble Beach sign brings with it, a nostalgic sadness to many, to many others it reflects their own pride, in what they believe is a righted wrong,” the post stated.
“Please remember this Canada Day that with all the unrest in the world, Canada is a wonderful example of what is still good and a reminder that there is more that unites us, than divides us. Carry on with your family celebrations of our beautiful country... and be kind to one another,” the author added.
Our message to the page asking who authored the post was not returned.
Related:
The acrimony over the sign change highlights the entitlement that settlers have engaged in since the Bruce peninsula was originally taken illegally.
Indigenous communities have been told for generations to "get over it". Now it our turn. Let's really try to "get over it" and work with First Nations rather than fighting with them over legitimate land claims.