A 75,000-pound timber-and-stone house from 1834 just crossed the open waters of Georgian Bay. The Labatte House, believed to be Ontario’s oldest surviving Métis home, arrived safely at Balm Beach after a delicate barge journey from Thunder Beach. Its private owner sold the structure to the Métis Nation of Ontario for a symbolic $2, a transaction designed to clear the path for public preservation rather than profit.
The logistics were no small feat. Crews used hydraulic jacks and steel beams to lift the single-storey building from its original foundations, then drove it onto a heavy-duty transport trailer before loading it onto a barge. Weather conditions dictated the pace; strong winds and rough waves along the bay threatened the vessel's balance, but the structure reached the opposite shore intact. Mitch Anderson, a representative for the preservation project, noted that physical reminders of early Métis settlement are rare across the Great Lakes region. "We cannot replace this," Anderson said. "This is a living testimony to the fact that the Métis here in Ontario existed, and that we still exist."
The move was driven by physical limitations at the original Thunder Beach site, which lacked the space for parking, public visits, and long-term preservation work. The new location is a 39-acre property at 159 Balm Beach Road East, offering room for walking trails, educational facilities, and the restoration of the surrounding land. The house currently sits on a temporary support frame while workers prepare the site. Plans call for a permanent concrete foundation to be poured in spring 2027, followed by detailed restoration of the timber frame, roof, and stonework.
Once restored, the Labatte House will anchor a museum dedicated to Indigenous and Métis history, featuring 19th-century trade tools and household objects. The Métis Nation of Ontario intends to apply for official municipal heritage designation through the Township of Tiny once the foundation is set, securing legal protection against future demolition. Community members and descendants of the Labatte family gathered at the Balm Beach site to mark the arrival, as restoration teams begin exterior repairs over the coming months.