Nearly 110 years after the Battle of Passchendaele, Zonnebeke, Belgium, home of the battlefield, has ratified a Memorandum of Understanding with Saugeen Shores, formally establishing a sister city relationship.
Passchendaele is widely regarded as a defining moment in Canada’s emergence as a nation and in the shaping of Canadian national identity. Saugeen Shores is just one of many small Canadian communities that sent sons and daughters who served and sacrificed in one of the defining conflicts in the country’s history.
“This Memorandum of Understanding turns a shared history of sacrifice into a living relationship between our two communities,” said Mayor Charbonneau. “We’re proud to formalize our bond with Zonnebeke, and to ensure that the connection between Saugeen Shores and Passchendaele continues to be honoured by future generations on both sides of the Atlantic.”
In February 2026, the Town passed a by-law authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Sister City relationship with the City of Zonnebeke. This partnership establishes a lasting town-to-town relationship connecting schools, museums, veterans’ organizations, heritage groups, and youth in both communities, and will also work with the Royal Canadian Legion, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Veterans Affairs Canada.
Following ratification, Saugeen Shores and Zonnebeke will begin implementing the partnership, including planning a formal signing ceremony, launching initial joint initiatives, and preparing for a delegation visit around November 11th.
“This is wonderful news,” said John Willetts of Southampton, who initiated the process to move forward with the twinning of Saugeen Shores with Zonnebeke, the home of the Battle of Passchendaele. “The Municipality of Zonnebeke officially and unanimously ratified the partnership framework today, June 30th, at precisely 4:39 our time. I would also like to thank Joachim Jonckheere of Zonnebeje for his leadership and support throughout this journey. This is a real milestone and marks the shift into active collaboration between the two municipalities. We can now begin shaping early joint projects and opportunities together.”
“This is a Canadian moment, a provincial moment, and a proud town moment,” added Willetts. “In Flanders, the Canadians who fought and fell at Passchendaele are not forgotten. They rest in Belgian soil, but remain present in our collective memory, based on a shared history between our communities. This agreement reflects a grassroots path forward in international relations—built through community, heritage, and shared purpose between towns.”
