MS Chi-Cheemaun celebrates 50 years of service

Iconic ferry has completed more than 24,000 voyages since 1974

(L-R): MPP Rick Byers and Captain Yasser Elkhodiry, MS Chi-Cheemaun, Owen Sound Transportation Corporation

September 30, 2024

TOBERMORY — The MS Chi-Cheemaun is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its maiden voyage in 1974, commemorating five decades of sailing across Lake Huron.

“The MS Chi-Cheemaun is one of the most recognizable ferries in Canada, offering passengers spectacular views of Georgian Bay every summer and into the fall,” said Rick Byers, MPP, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound on behalf of Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Tourists and locals have relied on the MS Chi-Cheemaun for years and today we’re marking a milestone for this historic ferry.”

Since it first set sail, the MS Chi-Cheemaun has served as an iconic symbol of Georgian Bay, completing more than 24,000 voyages between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island. The ferry has carried approximately 10-million passengers and three million vehicles during its five decades of service. The ferry connects communities, serves customers, and moves essential goods to support economic development, tourism, and agricultural and commercial activity in the region by providing transportation service across Lake Huron between Highway 6 on the Bruce Peninsula to Highway 6 on Manitoulin Island.

For its 50th anniversary sailing season, the MS Chi-Cheemaun has played host to the Sail Through Time Exhibit, featuring artifacts, posters, photographs and reproductions generously on loan from the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre in Owen Sound, the Collingwood Museum and the Grey Roots Museum & Archives that showcase several historic elements related to the ferry and its predecessors throughout the years.

QUICK FACTS

  • The MS Chi-Cheemaun operates seasonally, with daily round trips between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island, sailing from May 3 to October 20.
  • The ferry accommodates passenger vehicles, bicycles and RVs, and features an outdoor deck, licensed dining area and an upper lounge with local craft beer and wine.
  • The Owen Sound Transportation Company operates the MS Chi-Cheemaun along with three other ships and one seasonal, contracted air service in Ontario.
  • In October 2023, the Government of Ontario published The Future of the Great Lakes Economy: Ontario’s Marine Transportation Strategy, outlining the province’s 10-year plan to strengthen the province’s position as a leader in marine transportation.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

MS Chi-Cheemaun: Owen Sound Transportation Corporation