North Channel Cruises looks to expand business on Manitoulin Island

North Channel Cruises has been operating out of Little Current with a 100-passenger tour boat and a smaller boat for excursions on the North Channel.

North Channel Cruises has been operating out of Little Current since 2013. The business has a 100-passenger tour boat and a smaller boat for excursions on the North Channel.

Last summer, the company acquired a hectare of land on Louisa Island.

“What we plan to do with the island property is no different than what we’ve already been doing,” said owner Chris Blodgett.

“We land there on the beach and we allow our passengers to get off and … wander around on the property and have the ability to go and hike and swim.”

Blodgett said they want to expand the business by adding infrastructure.

“What we’re looking to do is to put in an open-air pavilion on a concrete floor and eventually some washroom facilities on the island,” he said.

To do that, Blodgett has applied for a commercial amendment to the zoning bylaw with the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands.

It was presented to council at an April 22 meeting for review and because of several letters of opposition, it will come back for a vote May 8.

Boating destination

Mayor Al MacNevin said for many years, the island has been a boating destination even though it’s always been privately owned, with the exception of some Crown land.

“People have assumed that it was a public area,” MacNevin said.

“As Chris pointed out, the shoreline in that area is private. (But) he has no intention of turning boaters away from enjoying the harbour.”

MacNevin said other residents have environmental concerns. Blodgett said the business has shared the channel with thousands of people in an environmental and eco-friendly manner for years and will continue to do so.

“We’re looking into the style of washrooms that are called a vault privy and what that is, it’s tanks that are in the ground,” he said.

“So nothing actually gets out of the system like it would in a leaching field with the septic system. This is all contained and would be barged off the island. But right now and into the future, even our tour boat has hundreds of gallons of capacity boarded already.”

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Blodgett said many of the letters appeared to be from members of the Bay of Islands Community Association. After the April 22 meeting, sent them a letter to address their concerns.

“I’ve received a couple of emails back from people that are going to rescind their opposition to it,” he said.

“I’d love for anybody that has any concerns to reach out and I think I can walk them through it and they would be a lot more comfortable with the plan after.”