Wood Islands & Area Development Corporation

On the south-eastern shore of Prince Edward Island, the Wood Islands & Area Development Corporation stands as a proud steward of rural heritage, community development, and local opportunity.

At the heart of their efforts is the beloved Wood Islands Lighthouse, a landmark that has guided mariners and welcomed visitors for a century and a half. In 2026, the Corporation completed an extensive two year restoration of the lighthouse, finishing just in time to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

But the lighthouse is only one part of a much larger story.

The Wood Islands & Area Development Corporation (WIADC) owns and operates the Wood Islands Market, a vibrant multi-building community space that supports tourism, local business, and rural entrepreneurship.

The Market includes:

• Plough the Waves building home to the Provincial Visitor Information Centre
• Lease space for local entrepreneurs currently including The Sweet Company and a new coffee shop opening soon
• A community hall upstairs that seats 100 guests and features a licensed kitchen
• A replica of the Wood Islands Train Station providing lease space to the Rural Municipality of Belfast and the Belfast & Area Watershed Group
• The Wood Islands Saltwater Market and Liquor Store, the only not-for-profit associate liquor store on PEI
• An e-bike rental service housed in the refurbished railway freight shed

Together, these operations create local employment, support small businesses, and offer services that bring both residents and visitors together.

Executive Director of the Corporation, Todd St. Clair says when they began planning the lighthouse restoration project, they knew it would require significant investment. That led them to reach out to CBDC Eastern PEI, located at the Rural Action Centre Montague, to seek financing.

They also took advantage of RAC-supported training opportunities, including First Aid certification for their employees — a practical benefit for a busy tourism and community site.

Their connection to RAC Montague began simply: through social media posts highlighting available services. What followed was a partnership that helped make one of the region’s most important heritage projects possible.

CBDC provided low-interest financing with flexible terms, giving the Corporation an affordable way to move forward with the lighthouse restoration — something traditional financial institutions could not offer.

The restoration is now a point of pride not only for the Corporation, but for the entire region.

For the Wood Islands & Area Development Corporation, the Rural Action Centre is an essential part of rural economic development.

Todd shared that RAC Montague provides solutions to many challenges rural businesses and non-profits face — from training workshops to flexible loans to guidance on provincial and federal grants. Having access to these supports locally makes a meaningful difference.

As he put it: “We’d be lost without them.”

The Wood Islands & Area Development Corporation is an example of what rural communities can accomplish when passion, history, and local support come together.

With the lighthouse restored, new businesses opening, and community spaces bustling with activity, the future of Wood Islands is bright — and the Rural Action Centre Montague is proud to be part of that story.

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