Revitalizing a Heritage Gem
The Soulanges Canal is a historically significant site, both for the local population and for Quebec and Canada as a whole, due to its crucial role in the development of navigation and maritime trade in the country.
Deeply embedded in the region’s identity and collective memory, the canal remained abandoned for years before a first revitalization project emerged in 1979 in Pointe-des-Cascades. This initiative, a partnership between the Société de recherches historiques de Pointe-des-Cascades, the municipality of Pointe-des-Cascades, and the Government of Quebec, led to the creation of the Parc des Ancres, an outdoors museum located near Lock No. 3, commemorating a part of the canal’s history.
In 1992, a regional bike path was inaugurated. Initially built with gravel on the south side of the canal, between Saint-Pierre Park in Pointe-des-Cascades and Montée Saint-Antoine in Les Cèdres.
In 1996, it was extended and paved. Today, it runs along the canal for 23.4 kilometers, from Pointe-des-Cascades to Les Coteaux, and continues through the municipalities of Saint-Zotique and Rivière-Beaudette for a total of 35 kilometers.
Today, the Soulanges Canal Regional Park is dedicated to preserving and promoting its natural environment, history, and the remnants of infrastructure that line its route. An iconic site, the Soulanges Canal is a unique heritage treasure to be discovered and protected.
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