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The Summerside City Hall. Photo By Doug Kerr –

Top 10 Surprising Facts about Summerside, P.E.I. 

Summerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island (P.E.I). It is the primary service center for the island’s western side and the second-largest city in the province. 

It is located just 28 km from the Confederation Bridge and the gateway to the western end of the Island. It proudly displays its shipbuilding heritage in many century homes, museums, monuments, and murals, and the harbour front offers a spray of coastal flavour. 

Summerside is named after an inn called Summer Side House, owned by George Linkletter II. It was incorporated into a town with communities of St. Eleanors and Wilmot.  

Summerside’s population is estimated to be 16,001 by the Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada in 2021.   

Here are 10 surprising facts about Summerside in Prince Edward Island.

1. The Best Time to Visit Summerside is in July – August 

A community center in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Photo By Citobun – Wikimedia

Summerside has moderately warm summers and freezing, heavily snowy, and windy winters. Rain falls throughout the year in Summerside but the month with the most rain is October. 

The time of year most favourable to visit Summerside for general outdoor tourist activities is from late June to early September. The peak period is between the second week of July and the second week of August when the weather is at its best. 

2. Summerside has a Flourishing Aerospace Industry at Slemon Park  

Slemon Park was formerly a military airbase. It began as Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF) Station, which trained Canadian and Allied aircrew during World War II.   

Today, the Park is a globally competitive business park owned by Prince Edward Island (P.E.I). Slemon Park hosts some of the world’s most successful aerospace, manufacturing, and public safety training organizations that deal with aerospace engines, interiors for aircraft, vehicles, and aircraft repairs.    

Slemon Park is also home to a thriving residential community of more than 230 families and 700 people. Amenities here include a private airport, hotel, conference center, food services, health center, retail outlet and more. 

This Park is a unique opportunity for businesses, families, and people to work, live and learn. 

3. Foxes Were Once Raised in Ranches in this City 

A red fox. Photo by Ray Hennessy on

Summerside experienced prosperity as a fur trading center by breeding foxes. These foxes looked like elegant, moving cinders. Scores of fox ranchers were racing to breed the animals in captivity to sell their fur.   

The business gained international importance. This led to the establishment of the headquarters of the Canadian National Silver Fox Breeders in 1920. It is said that one out of every 10 residents raised foxes.  

Fox’s ranching business declined after World War II. Some owners could no longer make a profit and so they set their foxes loose. The animals continue to populate the island to this day.  

There is a Museum, the International Fox Museum and Hall of Fame, that dives into the business dealings that shaped that industry. The fox ranching story in the museum is told by the displays of fox ranching equipment complete with fox pelts/furs. 

4. Dairy Farming is a Serious Venture in This City 

This city is well known for Dairy farming. There is an Amalgamated dairy that was founded in 1953 by seven independent dairies. It is a cooperative owned by 220 Island dairy producers.  

The dairy operates as a cheese processing plant in P.E.I, where most milk is processed. Amalgamated dairies are the largest cheese manufacturer in Atlantic Canada, including cheddar, spiced Havarti, and feta.  

There are over 25 different types of cheese and cheddar products manufactured there.  They also produce specialty cheese, butter, ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk.  

5. The City Has the Most Charging Stations for Electric Cars 

Electric vehicles charging. Photo by Michael Fousert on

With the world going green, there is an electric car conversion project that produced several electric cars in Summerside. The goal is to make environmentally-friendly vehicles.  

The city has more charging stations than any other city in Canada. Additionally, an Upcycle Green Technology auto shop remodels or converts old cars into electric ones.  

One of the owners of the auto shop Natal Antonini converted his old 2010 Toyota Corolla into an electric pickup truck. The company’s goal is to produce more than enough greener cars in the market. 

6. There is a Wind Farm that Generates Wind Power 

Until the 1900s, Summerside produced its electricity from diesel generators. The generators operated 24/7, costing 35 to 45 cents per kilowatt-hour. Then the town shifted to purchasing its power from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by cable.   

To curb this, the city built its wind farm to generate green energy. The wind farm then sells the electricity to Summerside electric for profit. The town of Summerside owns Summerside electric which powers 6,200 homes, 30 industrial companies, and 970 commercial properties, and sells to NB Power.  

It also owns and operates an electrical generating station for backup when interruptions occur. The city also entered into a 20-year agreement with a privately-owned wind energy company built in 2007 to supply Summerside with approximately 20% of its electricity. 

7. There is a Hotel Just for Breeding Birds 

The hotel is on Holman’s Island in Bedeque Bay, less than two kilometers from Summerside. This is a protected forest that is an essential habitat for migratory birds.  

The island once housed a resort called Island Park Hotel, which burned down in 1904. The island quickly transformed into a sanctuary for Canada geese, the endangered red knot, belted kingfishers, and great blue herons. 

The isolated area is an ideal habitat for breeding birds. Holman island has 36 acres of mature Acadian Forest which attracts colonial seabirds. There are no hiking trails, and overnight campfires and camping are strictly prohibited.  

8. Summerside’s Farmers Market 

A farmers market. Photo by ja ma on

The farmers market in Summerside began with only 4 vendors but it has grown substantially and now has over 40 vendors. What’s more, there is a waiting list with eager vendors interested in opening a stall and doing business there.   

Over the years, it has been to a few different locations before settling at the Holman building on Water Street, its current location.  

Various products are sold at the market, including meat, eggs, fish, prepared food, cheese, preserves and pickles, organic vegetables, spices, and season plus frozen fruits. The market is open every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. 

9. Summerside Historic Ghost Walk and Guided Tour 

Every year Summerside residents lift the veil between the living and the dead through a guided ghost tour that reveals tales of death, murder, and tragedy of past historical events.  

The guided tours take people to the places of historical murders and disasters in Prince Edward Island. Volunteer actors play out researched vignettes from historical sources, portraying what happened during the historical times. The scripts are written with all ages in mind.  

10. Summerside Has Other Attractions 

Wind mills for green energy. Photo by Keshav Rajasekar on

This city is home to several historical sites and outdoor adventure activities that are a must-see for tourists. Did you know that Summerside’s former post office is a National Historic Site of Canada?     

Popular places to visit include parks, museums, theaters, cultural centers, nature trails, picnic sites, the beach, and the harbour front.