Beach houses behind the wide sand beach at Port Stanley on Lake Erie

Elgin County

Lake Erie cottages for sale along the Elgin County shore

Elgin County's Lake Erie shore runs from Port Glasgow in West Elgin east past Port Stanley, Port Bruce and Port Burwell. It is mostly high bluffs broken by creek-mouth harbours and beaches, so the right cottage depends on the lot as much as the view. It suits London buyers who want the nearest Great Lake shore and are willing to do their homework on erosion and septic.

See the 11 homes for sale What is my home worth?

Homes for sale now: 11
Median asking price: $689,000
Asking price range: $350K to $1.98M
Most listed home type: Detached

For sale in Lake Erie cottages right now

See all 11 with filters

$1,690,000
192 Harrison Place
Port Stanley, Detached
3 beds2 baths1,500-2,000 ft²
MLS® X13877696Compare 192 Harrison Place
$459,000
3393 Waneeta Drive
Rural Malahide, Malahide, Detached
3 beds3 baths1,500-2,000 ft²
MLS® X13872914Compare 3393 Waneeta Drive
$699,900
213 William Street
Port Stanley, Detached
2 beds1 bath700-1,100 ft²
MLS® X13787252Compare 213 William Street
$1,299,000
48789 Dexter Line
Rural Malahide, Malahide, Detached
3 beds3 baths2,000-2,500 ft²
MLS® X13696526Compare 48789 Dexter Line
$1,975,000
41108 Sparta Line
Rural Southwold, Southwold, Detached
5 beds3 baths2,500-3,000 ft²
MLS® X13646310Compare 41108 Sparta Line
Price reduced
$353,700was ~~$366,000~~
205 Orchard Street
Port Stanley, Detached
2 beds1 bath700-1,100 ft²
MLS® X13534680Compare 205 Orchard Street
$689,000
374 Edith Cavell Boulevard, Unit 3
Port Stanley, Condo townhouse
3 beds2 baths1,400-1,599 ft²
MLS® X13488164Compare 374 Edith Cavell Boulevard, Unit 3
Price reduced
$374,900was ~~$399,900~~
49075 Dexter Line, Unit 4
Rural Malahide, Malahide, Detached
3 beds1 bath700-1,100 ft²
MLS® X13240462Compare 49075 Dexter Line, Unit 4
$424,900
301 Carlow Road, Unit 24
Port Stanley, Condo townhouse
2 beds2 baths1,200-1,399 ft²
MLS® X13144452Compare 301 Carlow Road, Unit 24

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Listing data provided under copyright by the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® and other participating boards via PropTx Amplify Syndication. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed accurate. Only active listings are shown.

What are the main cottage spots from Port Glasgow to Port Burwell?

Here they are from west to east.

Port Glasgow (West Elgin): a municipal beach, a marina run by the Port Glasgow Yacht Club and a long-established seasonal trailer park that began as Soldiers' and Pioneers' Memorial Park. West Elgin's Official Plan makes it the municipality's main waterfront development area.
Duttona Beach (Dutton Dunwich): the municipality's seasonal residential community on the lake. Its Official Plan notes small lots, possible annual septic inspections and limited services such as year-round road maintenance.
John E. Pearce Provincial Park, south of Wallacetown: a 68-hectare nature reserve, protected since 1957, with a 33-metre cliff over the lake and the Backus-Page House Museum.
Port Stanley (Central Elgin): Central Elgin's harbour village at the mouth of Kettle Creek, with public beaches and a working harbour.
Port Bruce (Malahide): Port Bruce Provincial Park, established in 1974, has a 200-metre sandy beach in the hamlet, which sits where Catfish Creek reaches the lake.
Port Burwell (Bayham): Port Burwell Provincial Park has a 2.5 km sandy beach, the municipality runs the East Beach, and the village keeps its 1840 lighthouse.

How fast is the Elgin shoreline eroding?

West Elgin's Official Plan says its shoreline management plans found the 100-year recession rates on the high bluff reaches to be severe by provincial standards, with an average of 1.6 metres a year along that stretch. Dutton Dunwich's plan describes bluffs 15 to 45 metres above the water and notes that much of its shoreline is undeveloped for that reason.

The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, whose 121 km of Lake Erie shoreline runs from low to moderate bluffs in Chatham-Kent to high bluffs in Elgin, sets 100-year erosion allowances in its permit policies: 100 metres from the Chatham-Kent and West Elgin border to Talbot Creek, and 160 metres from Talbot Creek to the eastern edge of its jurisdiction. On any bluff-top cottage, find out where the house sits relative to that line before you fall for the view.

Which conservation authority do you call for a given stretch?

Ontario Regulation 41/24 requires a conservation authority permit for development in regulated flood, erosion and dynamic beach hazard areas along the Great Lakes shoreline. Which one applies depends on the watershed:

West Elgin and Dutton Dunwich: the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority. West Elgin's Official Plan puts its whole Lake Erie shoreline under LTVCA, and Dutton Dunwich and Southwold are LTVCA member municipalities.
Port Stanley: the conservation authority for the Kettle Creek watershed, which regulates the floodplain where the creek reaches the lake.
Port Bruce: the conservation authority for the Catfish Creek watershed, which covers flooding where the creek meets the lake in the hamlet.
Port Burwell: the conservation authority for the Long Point Region watershed, which takes in Port Burwell.

Whichever authority covers the lot, check its property mapping for the exact address and ask it directly which permits apply before you firm up an offer.

What should you confirm about septic, water and renting it out?

Many lakeside lots run on private septic. West Elgin's plan says Port Glasgow has municipal water but no municipal sewers, relying mainly on septic tanks and tile beds, and Dutton Dunwich's hamlets combine piped water with private septic. Ask for septic permit and pumping records and have the system inspected. For a well, Ontario's well record map can show how it was built, and public health offers free bacterial testing.

If rental income is part of the plan, check the local rules first. For the wider questions, see what to know before buying an investment property.

Questions about Lake Erie cottages

Something else? Ask Rob or George directly.

Can I rebuild a cottage close to the bluff edge?

Sometimes, with limits. Development in a regulated hazard area needs a conservation authority permit, and Dutton Dunwich's plan restricts some rebuilds in unstable areas to wood-frame houses without basements so they can be moved.

Do Lake Erie cottages come with municipal services?

It varies. Port Glasgow has municipal water but private septic, and Duttona Beach lots use private septic. Confirm servicing for each property.

How does Lake Erie compare with Lake Huron for a cottage?

Erie is closer to London and its Elgin shore is more bluff than dune. For the rest of the trade-offs, see how Lake Huron and Lake Erie cottages compare.

Are all of these cottages right on the water?

No. Our Lake Erie cottage search takes in the shore villages and nearby rural properties as well as waterfront listings. If you only want the water's edge, look at Lake Erie waterfront homes on their own.

Around Lake Erie cottages

Buying, selling, or just curious?

Call Rob or George directly, or send a message and one of them will get back to you. A home evaluation is free and prepared by a person, never a formula.

What is my home worth?Send a message

Lake Erie cottages for sale along the Elgin County shore

What are the main cottage spots from Port Glasgow to Port Burwell?

Here they are from west to east.

Port Glasgow (West Elgin): a municipal beach, a marina run by the Port Glasgow Yacht Club and a long-established seasonal trailer park that began as Soldiers' and Pioneers' Memorial Park. West Elgin's Official Plan makes it the municipality's main waterfront development area.

Duttona Beach (Dutton Dunwich): the municipality's seasonal residential community on the lake. Its Official Plan notes small lots, possible annual septic inspections and limited services such as year-round road maintenance.

John E. Pearce Provincial Park, south of Wallacetown: a 68-hectare nature reserve, protected since 1957, with a 33-metre cliff over the lake and the Backus-Page House Museum.

Port Stanley (Central Elgin): Central Elgin's harbour village at the mouth of Kettle Creek, with public beaches and a working harbour.

Port Bruce (Malahide): Port Bruce Provincial Park, established in 1974, has a 200-metre sandy beach in the hamlet, which sits where Catfish Creek reaches the lake.

Port Burwell (Bayham): Port Burwell Provincial Park has a 2.5 km sandy beach, the municipality runs the East Beach, and the village keeps its 1840 lighthouse.

How fast is the Elgin shoreline eroding?

Which conservation authority do you call for a given stretch?

West Elgin and Dutton Dunwich: the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority. West Elgin's Official Plan puts its whole Lake Erie shoreline under LTVCA, and Dutton Dunwich and Southwold are LTVCA member municipalities.

Port Stanley: the conservation authority for the Kettle Creek watershed, which regulates the floodplain where the creek reaches the lake.

Port Bruce: the conservation authority for the Catfish Creek watershed, which covers flooding where the creek meets the lake in the hamlet.

Port Burwell: the conservation authority for the Long Point Region watershed, which takes in Port Burwell.

Whichever authority covers the lot, check its property mapping for the exact address and ask it directly which permits apply before you firm up an offer.

What should you confirm about septic, water and renting it out?

If rental income is part of the plan, check the local rules first. For the wider questions, see what to know before buying an investment property.