St. Joseph Island is one of the largest freshwater islands in the world (365 km²). It's surrounded by the clear waters of the St. Marys River and Lake Huron's North Channel, and locals know it for its sunsets, maple syrup, and slower pace. The villages of Richards Landing and Hilton Beach have excellent marinas for power and sailboats, cafés, and local shops, and there's a 24-hour emergency department at Matthews Memorial Hospital. Known for years as “The Garden of Algoma”, the beauty continues today, along with many farm and vegetable stands. Although the year round population is a little over 2000 residents, seasonal cottages and summer and weekend visitors can swell St. Joseph’s population to 4 times that.

Island life means summer days on the water, fall colour drives past historic farms and vibrant sugar bushes, spring drives to count deer and visit syrup operations like Gilbertson’s Pancake House, enjoy cultural and arts events and artisans, and a calendar full of community events. History lovers can explore Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site (War of 1812), and boaters have easy access to some of the best cruising and sailing waters on the Great Lakes and the world. Whether you're looking for a year-round home, a family cottage, or a place to retire, the island has a way of making people want to stay. In recent years, St. Joseph Island has become a road and mountain biking mecca thanks to hundreds of paved roads and public trails and road allowances. Sailor’s Encampment provides a stunning location to view Lake Superior bound ocean going and lake freighters that travel through the narrow dredged channel between St. Joe Island and America’s Neebish Island.

Excellent fishing is available in the St. Joseph Channel for pickerel (walleye), bass, northern pike, and salmon; and hunting is a popular pastime on St. Joseph Island for deer, wild turkey, and waterfowl. Given there is very little crown land on St. Joseph Island, purchasing land to use for hunting is very common.

For young families, St. Joseph Island Central School is the top rated elementary school in Algoma District (and 199th out of all Ontario elementary schools, per Fraser Institute), with an excellent staff and principal, along with school wide music programs for all students.