Penetanguishene [key], town (1991 pop. 6,643), S Ont., Canada, on Penetanguishene Bay, an inlet of Georgian Bay. The name is a Native American word for “white rolling sands.” The town is a tourist center with such manufactures as auto parts, extruded aluminum products, and other metal and plastic products. A British naval base was established there (1817–34), and a military garrison and French-Canadians and Métis moved there from Drummond Island c.1828, giving the town a bilingual heritage that continues to the present. A maritime museum (with replicas of a warship and transport ship), a historical museum, and historic churches are in the city.
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