OTTAWA -- Three East Coast lighthouses have received heritage designation from the federal government.
The St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, the Cape St. Marys Lighthouse near Yarmouth, N.S., and the Woody Point Lighthouse surrounded by Gros Morne National Park, N.L., were designated under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.
A total of 90 lighthouses in eight provinces have now been protected under the act, with more to follow, Parks Canada said in a statement.
The legislation requires a designated lighthouse to be "reasonably maintained," even if it is sold by the federal government.
Of the 90 heritage lighthouses, more than half are to be managed by new, non-federal owners, the agency said. Community-based organizations and other levels of government are working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to take over responsibility for some lighthouses.
The federal government is committed to protecting the country's heritage lighthouses, said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, describing them as "cultural treasures" and important tourist attractions that contribute to local economies.
