Métis Nation of Ontario Acquires Historic Labatte House to Protect and Preserve Métis History in Ontario
TINY, ON — The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is pleased to announce the acquisition and relocation of Labatte House, the oldest known and still-standing historic Métis home in Ontario. This investment is delivering on the MNO’s mandate and commitment, as a Métis government, to protect and preserve Métis history in Ontario.
At the 2023 MNO Annual General Assembly, MNO citizens passed a multi-year, multi-faceted strategy, entitled, “Revitalizing Our Stories, Histories, Alliances and Relationships.” In 2026 the MNO acquired ownership of Labatte House under the “Telling Our Stories and Histories” pillar of this strategy, with the intention of relocating and preserving this important part of Métis history for generations to come.
Situated in the traditional territory of the Georgian Bay Métis Community, part of the Upper Great Lakes Métis that were recognized in the Supreme Court’s landmark R. v. Powley decision, Labatte House was built in 1834 by Métis War of 1812 veteran Louis-George Labatte after the relocation of many Upper Great Lakes Métis families from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in the late 1820s. Labatte House was home to generations of Labattes until it was sold outside of the family in the early 1900s.
Earlier this year, MNO was presented with—and acted on—the opportunity to acquire Labatte House. After many months of work with the Township of Tiny, the MNO received approval to rehome this important piece of the Georgian Bay Métis Community history from Thunder Beach to a new location within Tiny Township, where it will become a publicly accessible historic site for generations to come.
The Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario unanimously supported the preservation and relocation of Labatte House. It is an investment in protecting Métis history in the largest Métis community in Ontario and advances the MNO’s mandate as a Métis government to promote Métis history, values, culture, languages and traditions in Ontario.
“This is an exciting moment for the MNO and the Georgian Bay Métis Community,” said Kathleen Anderson, MNO Provincial Secretary for Economic Development and Government Infrastructure, who led this initiative on behalf of the MNO. “Canada was built through the partnership of Métis and other Indigenous peoples, including through our alliance with the British in the War of 1812. We need to preserve and tell this important history, as well as the proud histories of the Métis in Ontario.”
“Our Métis government is delivering on the direction from our Citizens to ‘tell our Métis stories and histories in Ontario’ in concrete ways,” added Paul Robitaille, MNO’s Chief Strategy Officer. “As an MNO citizen and Labatte family descendant, I am very proud this important part of the Georgian Bay Métis Community’s history will be preserved.”
The MNO also extends its sincere thanks to the Township of Tiny for their collaboration and partnership, and to the Hardcastle-Roebuck family, who sold Labatte House to the MNO for $2.00, for their many years of dedicated stewardship of the property.
Further details about the Labatte House’s revitalization, as a part of MNO’s larger Métis history preservation strategy, will be shared with MNO citizens in the coming months.
About the Labatte House and Georgian Bay Métis Community
At the 2023 MNO Annual General Assembly, MNO Citizens passed a multi-year, multi-faceted strategy, entitled, “Revitalizing Our Stories, Histories, Alliances and Relationships.” In 2026 the MNO acquired ownership of Labatte House under the “Telling Our Stories and Histories” pillar of this strategy, with the intention of relocating and preserving this important part of Métis history for generations to come.
Labatte House is the oldest known and still-standing historic Métis home in Ontario. Built in 1834 at Thunder Beach by Métis War of 1812 veteran Louis-George Labatte, the Labattes were among the many Upper Great Lakes Métis families who relocated from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene Bay in the late 1820s after the British ceded the island to the United States of America.
Louis-George Labatte, like many other Upper Great Lakes Métis, fought alongside the British in the War of 1812. In 2012, Canada honoured Métis and First Nations fighters for their contributions to the War of 1812, including Prime Minister Harper presenting the MNO a commemorative medal for Métis contributions.
Following the War of 1812 and Drummond Island being ceded to the United States, the Métis who fought with the British (and whose homes were being turned over to the Americans that they just fought against) moved to other existing Métis settlements around Lake Huron, including a significant number of Métis families moving to Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay.
In 2003, the history of the Upper Great Lakes Métis was recognized in the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in R. v. Powley (“Powley”). In Powley, the Court confirmed the Sault Ste. Marie Métis community collectively holds land-related rights protected by s. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Parts of what is now “Northern Michigan,” which included Drummond Island, where a significant Métis community lived before and after the War of 1812, were recognized as part of the historic Métis community. Today, Powley remains the high court’s only confirmation of Section 35 Métis rights in Canada.
As a part of their relocation, these Métis families were promised lands by the British for their military service and to re-establish their community. Despite these solemn Crown promises and repeated petitions by the “Half breeds residing in the town of Penetanguishene”, including the Labattes, Longlades, Trudeaus, Vasseurs, Blettes, Beausoleils, the British and Canada never honoured these land promises. For the Métis, these Canadian promises remain unfulfilled and require reconciliation.
The Labattes remained key to the larger Upper Great Lakes Métis network, with Louis-George’s son, Michel Labatte, serving as a mail carrier between Penetanguishene and Sault Ste. Marie throughout the mid-1800s, acting as an important line of communication between Métis communities.
Labatte House remained home to generations of Labattes before it was sold outside of the family in the early 1900s. For almost two centuries, Labatte House has been part of the Georgian Bay Métis Community’s collective memory, standing as a physical reminder of the resiliency of the Labatte family, Georgian Bay Métis Community, and the Upper Great Lakes Métis.
Labatte House will now become protected and preserved for generation to come by the MNO for the largest Métis community in the province – the Georgian Bay Métis Community.
For more information on the Labatte House, please visit Ontario Métis Facts.