km 4

Recognizable by its wheelhouse located on the foredeck and its long, round smokestack emitting dense black smoke from the coal-powered steam boiler, this 'canaller' approaches Lock No. 4.

At the beginning of the 20th century, following the standardization of the canal system connecting the Great Lakes to the Port of Montreal, more than 200 of these new boats, known as 'canallers,' were built in Canada. Their design was specifically intended for this canal system: they measured 68.5 meters in length and 12.5 meters in width, with the capacity to carry up to 2,800 tons of various bulk materials and goods.

This image also features the canal's streetlamps, which were installed in 1900 after the commissioning of the canal's small hydroelectric power station (Petit Pouvoir). This station powered the lamps as well as some of the lock mechanisms, ensuring the safe passage of boats at night and allowing the canal to operate around the clock.