The Canal at the Heart of a Major Waterway Network

During the 19th century, the increasing volume of maritime transport and fierce competition with the Erie Canal and the Port of New York forced Canadian authorities to modernize and standardize the canal network linking Montreal to the Great Lakes.

By 1903, all construction was completed, providing the country with an immense 3,800-kilometer-long waterway, including 114 kilometers of canals—among them, the 23.4-kilometer Soulanges Canal.

The new infrastructure could accommodate ships measuring up to 77.7 meters in length and 13.38 meters in width.