The Rideau Waterway

The Rideau Waterway stretches 202 kilometres through a chain of lakes, rivers and canals, linking Ottawa to Kingston on Lake Ontario. At its heart, the Rideau Canal National Historic Site was built between 1826 and 1832 and remains the oldest continuously operated canal in North America. Originally conceived as a key part of a military defence system for Upper Canada, now Ontario, it soon became a route for local trade and luxury steamers. Regarded as one of the great engineering feats of the 19th century, its 19 kilometres of canals and 45 locks raise vessels 83 metres from the Ottawa River to the height of land at Newboro and lower them to Lake Ontario. Today pleasure craft have replaced the log rafts and steamers of the 19th century, but the tradition of hand-operating the locks and swing bridges continues. Along the waterway, wildlife, city life and country life, past and present, nature and culture come together in a distinctive landscape, and its designation as a Canadian Heritage River reflects its national significance and supports the stewardship and protection of its resources.

Ontario · Canada