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| Save Ontario Shipwrecks | |
|---|---|
| Name | Save Ontario Shipwrecks |
| Formation | 1981 |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Purpose | Underwater heritage preservation, maritime archaeology |
| Location | Ontario, Canada |
| Region served | Great Lakes |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Save Ontario Shipwrecks Save Ontario Shipwrecks is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, documentation, and promotion of underwater cultural heritage in Ontario waters, particularly within the Great Lakes. Founded in 1981, the organization works with governmental bodies, academic institutions, and community groups to conserve shipwrecks and maritime sites associated with Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan. Its activities intersect with heritage policy, museum practice, archaeological research, and recreational diving communities.
The organization emerged in the early 1980s amid growing public interest in maritime heritage and following precedents set by provincial initiatives like the Ontario Heritage Act and federal developments such as the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Founders drew inspiration from international movements exemplified by the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, and from regional advocacy groups active around Sault Ste. Marie, Toronto Harbour, and the Bruce Peninsula. Early campaigns targeted looting and deterioration of wrecks near Manitoulin Island, Thousand Islands, and Georgian Bay, forging links with provincial agencies and academic programs at institutions like the University of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, and McMaster University. Over successive decades the organization expanded chapters across Ontario, coordinated site surveys, and influenced recognition of wrecks such as the HMS Ontario (1780) and the Hamilton (shipwreck).
The stated mission focuses on protection, research, and public engagement for submerged cultural resources in Ontario waters. Activities include site documentation, archaeological assessment, diver training, public exhibitions, and advocacy for legal protection of wrecks found in locations including Niagara River, Georgian Bay National Park, Fathom Five National Marine Park, and Point Clark. The organization publishes technical reports and newsletters, collaborates with museums such as the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston (historical collections), and the Canada Science and Technology Museum, and supports academic theses and peer-reviewed work produced by scholars at Queen's University, University of Western Ontario, and Brock University.
Conservation and protection efforts operate within frameworks like the Ontario Heritage Act and federal statutes including aspects of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the National Parks Act where applicable. Internationally relevant instruments include the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and customary norms reflected in case law and policy from bodies such as the World Archaeological Congress. The organization liaises with provincial ministries including the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (Ontario) and federal departments like Parks Canada to secure designation, permitting, and enforcement for sites in areas such as Fathom Five and Georgian Bay Islands National Park.
The organization advocates for an array of wrecks spanning commercial, naval, and passenger vessels. Notable sites include the HMS Ontario (1780), the Hamilton (shipwreck), the Niagara (shipwreck), and other historically significant wrecks near Kingston, Ontario, Presqu'ile Provincial Park, and Point Clark Lighthouse. Sites under stewardship range from 18th-century naval losses to 20th-century steamers and schooners that illustrate trade routes linking Detroit, Chicago, Buffalo, and Montreal. Designated marine heritage sites and underwater preserves promoted by the group complement protected areas such as Fathom Five National Marine Park and shore-based collections held by institutions like the Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site.
Research follows professional archaeological standards influenced by methodologies taught at Institute of Nautical Archaeology-partner programs and courses at universities including Memorial University of Newfoundland and SUNY Maritime College. Techniques include non-intrusive remote sensing using sidescan sonar, magnetometer surveys, photogrammetry, and 3D modelling; in-water conservation employs electrolytic reduction, desalination baths, and stabilized display practices aligned with standards from the Canadian Conservation Institute. The organization collaborates with conservation scientists, underwater archaeologists, and equipment providers from centres such as the Royal Ontario Museum Conservation Centre and engages with regulatory permitting from Parks Canada and provincial agencies for any invasive investigations.
Educational programs target divers, students, and the general public through certification workshops, lecture series, guided dives, and museum exhibits. Volunteer initiatives coordinate citizen science projects, community archaeology summer programs, and youth engagement with partners like Scouts Canada, local diving clubs, and university archaeology societies at Laurentian University and Lakehead University. Outreach leverages regional festivals and events in communities like Owen Sound, Collingwood, and Thunder Bay to raise awareness and promote stewardship.
The organization operates through a network of regional chapters, a volunteer board, and partnerships with academic institutions, municipal heritage committees, provincial ministries, and federal agencies. Key collaborators include Parks Canada, the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (Ontario), the Royal Ontario Museum, the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, and universities such as Queen's University and University of Toronto. International links with bodies like ICOMOS and professional associations including the Society for Historical Archaeology and the Nautical Archaeology Society support standards, training, and knowledge exchange. Strategic alliances with municipal governments in locales such as Kingston, Ontario, Port Stanley, and Collingwood enable local stewardship, signage, and dive trail development.
Category:Maritime archaeology organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in Ontario