General

The Port Burwell Municipal East Beach has received Blue Flag status again for 2026!

The Waterfront Advisory Committee will be hosting a flag raising ceremony at the beach on Monday, June 1st at 5:30 pm. All those who are interested in joining are welcome.

The Waterfront Advisory Committee has also taken the initiative to host a couple of Educational Programs for 2026. Check out the Port Burwell Municipal East Beach page on our website to learn more about these programs and how you can participate!

Your participation matters

The census helps paint a statistical portrait of Canada's diverse population and the places where we live by collecting demographic, social and economic information from households across Canada.

Canadians rely on census data for information that support important decisions that affect Canadian families, communities and businesses. The information you provide ensures that the census accurately reflects Canada's changing society. Your responses are vital for planning services that support employment, education, public transportation, health care, and more.

How to complete the 2026 Census

All Canadian households receive a census invitation letter in the mail with instructions on how to complete their questionnaire online at census.gc.ca.

Confidentiality and security

Statistics Canada places the highest priority on protecting your privacy as well as maintaining the confidentiality and security of completed questionnaires. Your answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and are kept strictly confidential.

For more information and to complete your census online, visit census.gc.ca

If you require additional assistance, please contact the Census Help Line.
Toll-free number: 1-833-852-2026
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-833-830-3109

Bayham’s Waterfront Advisory Committee, The Aylmer Express, Photographers of the Otter Valley (POV), and the Straffordville branch of the Elgin County Library have teamed up to host a photo contest.

Please submit high quality, original size digital format jpeg photos that are taken between June 13, 2026, and September 19, 2026.

Photo(s) must be taken within, or from the Municipality of Bayham and fit the Bayham Waterfront theme, and must be submitted by midnight on Monday, September 19, 2026.

To see last year’s contest winners, please go to the Port Burwell Municipal East Beach page on our website and click on the tab to the right of the page, Blue Flag Educational Programs.

For more information, click on the POSTER or send them an e-mail to bayhampov@yahoo.ca

The Port Burwell Marine Museum opens today, Friday, May 15^th,  from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, until September 7, 2026, Labour Day, at 20 Pitt St, Port Burwell. 

Visit your local museum to see the NEW annual exhibits. This year’s exhibit focuses on photography, "Picturing Port Burwell: 150 Years of Photography".

The Marine Museum will be participating during the Canada Day Celebrations and also the Beachfest Civic Day weekend festivities, with a different craft for kids each day! You can find us along the sidewalk near our museum parking lot. Watch for balloons!!

An Elgin County Tourism Kiosk is also inside the Museum where you'll find several brochures and information about Elgin tourist spots and businesses. 

For further information, please contact the Port Burwell Marine Museum at 519-874-4807 (10:00am – 5:30pm) or email: curator@bayham.on.ca

A reminder that the deadline to register and pay for the Curbside Bulk Garbage pickup is next Tuesday, May 5, 2026 by 4:30pm. The pickup is scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2026.

Please visit our Garbage & Recycling page on our website and click on the Curbside Bulk Garbage Collection tab for more information on how to register and pay.

The year 2026 is recognized as the International Year of Volunteers with this year's theme being ‘Ignite Volunteerism’.  In connection with this, it is also National Volunteer Week, which takes place April 19-25, 2026. During this time Volunteer Elgin will be hosting their 2nd annual Volunteer Fair at the St Thomas Public Library on April 25 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm., which connects local community organizations, with residents interested in volunteering. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about volunteer opportunities, meet representatives from a wide range of local organizations across Elgin, and discover ways to contribute to causes they care about.

For more information, please go to the Volunteer Opportunity Portal, which provides a centralized hub where organizations can post volunteer opportunities and residents can easily discover ways to get involved.

The Museum Advisory Committee meeting will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in the Trackless Lounge at the Straffordville Community Centre located at 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville at 5:00 pm.

•    Open to the Public
•    Agenda posted the Friday before the meeting
•    No livestream available

The Joint Cemetery Board Meeting will be held Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in the Trackless Lounge at the Straffordville Community Centre located at 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville at 6:30 pm. 

•    Open to the Public
•    Agenda posted the Friday before the meeting
•    No livestream available

The Waterfront Advisory Committee meeting will be held Monday, April 20, 2026 in the Trackless Lounge at the Straffordville Community Centre located at 56169 Heritage Line, Straffordville at 5:00 pm

•    Open to the Public
•    Agenda posted the Friday before the meeting
•    No livestream available

The Curbside Bulk Garbage Program runs in the months of April, May, July, September and October with a $25/load fee.

The next curbside bulk garbage pick-up for this year is scheduled for Monday, May 11, with a registration and payment deadline of Tuesday, May 5.

NOTE - Online registration and fee paid to the Municipal Office is required at least 1 week prior to the pick-up date. Only those who complete the registration form and provide payment by the deadline will be included on the list. 

Please visit our Garbage & Recycling page on our website and click on the Curbside Bulk Garbage Collection tab for more information and to find the registration link for the application.

*Upcoming dates are: 

Pickup on Monday, July 13, with a registration deadline of Tuesday, July 7