The lighthouse at Cape Alright was built in 1928. It was the last one built on the archipelago as part of a vast signalling project undertaken by the Canadian Marine and Fisheries Department. Sailing in the vicinity of Cape Alright has been considered hazardous since as far back as the XVIth century, as evidenced by mariners' reports and notations on marine maps.
The design of the lighthouse was created in the latter part of the XIXth century by engineers of the Marine Department. This particular design was widely used in Canada. It is a small structure in the shape of a truncated pyramid with a square base. The design was valued for its simplicity and low construction costs. The Cape Alright lighthouse is the smallest one on Les Îles de la Madeleine. Its total height is 8.3 metres.
The site of the lighthouse is easily accessible on foot and it is close to several tourist attractions. Every day of the summer months brings groups of visiting tourists to the site. The lighthouse has been photographed countless times and it has been pictured in dozens of publications. In 2005, Canada Post included it in a series of stamps as an iconic image of Canada.