List of canals in Canada explained

There exists a number of canals in Canada that are used as aqueducts, diversionary channels for power stations, and for shippings.

Natural canals

A natural canal exists between the Magaguadavic River and Lake Utopia outside St. George, New Brunswick.

Shipping canals

Active

CanalProvinceLengthNumber of locksMax boat lengthStart pointEnd pointYear openedNotes
Beauharnois CanalQuebec24.5km (15.2miles)2Lake Saint FrancisLake Saint-Louis1932Later incorporated as a part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway
Canso CanalNova Scotia0.56km (00.35miles)1740order=flipNaNorder=flipSt. George's BayChedabucto Bay1955
Carillon CanalQuebec21km (13miles)1Ottawa RiverOttawa River1830
Chambly CanalQuebec20km (10miles)9Richelieu River (Chambly)Richelieu River (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu)1843
Dougall CanalOntario0.8km (00.5miles)Lake CouchichingLake Couchiching
Lachine CanalQuebec14.5km (09miles)5Saint Lawrence River (Old Port of Montreal)Lake Saint-Louis1825
Murray CanalOntario8km (05miles)Bay of QuinteLake Ontario1889
Rideau CanalOntario202km (126miles)4790order=flipNaNorder=flipOttawa River (Ottawa)Lake Ontario (Kingston)1832
Saint Lawrence SeawayOntario & Quebec600km (400miles)15740order=flipNaNorder=flipSaint Lawrence River (Old Port of Montreal)Lake Erie (Port Colborne)1959
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue CanalQuebecLake Saint-LouisLake of Two Mountains1843
Sault Ste. Marie CanalOntario1.6km (01miles)1St. Marys RiverSt. Marys River1895
St. Peters CanalNova Scotia0.8km (00.5miles)1300order=flipNaNorder=flipBras d'Or LakeAtlantic Ocean (St. Peter's)1869
Tay CanalOntario9.8km (06.1miles)290order=flipNaNorder=flipTay RiverLower Rideau Lake1891Currently operated as a part of the Rideau Canal
Trent-Severn WaterwayOntario386km (240miles)4484order=flipNaNorder=flipGeorgian Bay (Severn)Bay of Quinte (Trenton)1833
Welland CanalOntario43km (27miles)8740order=flipNaNorder=flipLake Ontario (St. Catharines)Lake Erie (Port Colborne)1829Later incorporated as a part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway

Abandoned

CanalProvinceLengthNumber of locksStart pointEnd pointYear openedYear closedNotes
Baillie-Grohman CanalBritish Columbia1.5km (00.9miles)Columbia RiverKootenay River18891902
Coteau-du-Lac canalQuebec100m (300feet)31781
Desjardins CanalOntarioCootes ParadiseHamilton Harbour18371895
Newmarket CanalOntario16km (10miles)3Lake SimcoeEast Holland River (Newmarket)The canal was cancelled during its construction.
Shubenacadie CanalNova Scotia114km (71miles)1Halifax Harbour (Dartmouth)Cobequid Bay (Maitland)18561871
Soulanges CanalQuebec518991958
Welland Recreational WaterwayOntarioWelland CanalWelland CanalThe waterway formed a part of the original alignment for the Welland Canal that passed Welland, prior to the completion of the Welland By-Pass in the 1970s. Motorboats are prohibited from the Welland Recreational Waterway.
Parts of the Rouge River in Markham, Ontario were being planned by William Berczy in the 1790s as a navigation route between Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario via Holland River but did not progress beyond clearing of 24 miles along the route.[1]

Other types of canals

CanalProvinceStart pointEnd pointNotes
Canal de l'AqueducQuebecCity of Montreal pumping station (Pointe-Saint-Charles)Open-air aqueduct canal used by the city of Montreal.
Kootenay CanalBritish ColumbiaKootenay RiverKootenay RiverDiversionary canal for the Kootenay Canal hydroelectric plant.
Seton CanalBritish ColumbiaSeton LakeFraser RiverDiversionary canal for the Seton Powerhouse.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History - Rouge Park - Featured Parks | City of Toronto . 2016-08-03 . 2016-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160827234057/http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=9ff0dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD . dead .