PEI·NewThe province is asking residents of the community currently known as Savage Harbour for their help choosing a new name for their area. It is part of a provincial initiative to remove derogatory place names, government said in a news release Thursday. Process is part of a provincial initiative to remove derogatory place namesMarilee Devries · CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2025 6:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes agoAs of September 2024, this federally operated wharf on P.E.I.’s North Shore has been known as Crowbush Cove Wharf Small Craft Harbour. The name change was in response to a request from the Abegweit First Nation. (Brian Higgins/CBC)Warning: This story contains language that some may find offensive.The Prince Edward Island governemnt is asking residents of the community currently known as Savage Harbour for their help in choosing a new name for the area. It’s part of a provincial initiative to remove derogatory place names, the priovince said in a news release Thursday. Last year, the federal government renamed the wharf in the community at the request of the Abegweit First Nation. It is now called Crowbush Cove Wharf Small Craft Harbour.But it’s up to the province to rename the community and bay, which sits along P.E.I.’s North Shore. In a frequently asked questions section on its website, the government says the name of the community and the bay can be different from each other. The area known today as Savage Harbour was first settled in 1725 by a French family, according to an Acadian history website. (Brian Higgins/CBC)The province is holding three community meetings at Mount Stewart Consolidated School, all from 7 to 9 p.m.: Oct. 15. Nov. 17. Dec. 1. The first meeting will be a discussion about renaming. The second is intended to explore potential names and identify up to five that will be put to a community vote. The third and final meeting will include an in-person ballot.Once a new name has been selected by community vote, the P.E.I. Geographical Naming Advisory Committee will present it to the province for approval. That committee is made up of P.E.I. residents and community representatives. It was formed to support the province’s geographic naming and renaming program, which in turn was created as a response to a national call by the Geographical Names Board of Canada to review and revise place names deemed offensive or harmful.The community meetings are open only to residents of Savage Harbour, and registration is required. However, between Oct. 16 and 29, any Island resident can submit name suggestions and feedback via an electronic form, by email at naming@gov.pe.ca, or by mail. ABOUT THE AUTHORMarilee Devries is a journalist with CBC P.E.I. She has a journalism degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. She can be reached at marilee.devries@cbc.ca
Residents will soon vote on name change for community, bay on P.E.I.’s North Shore
