Series consists of records created by the Canal Branch of the Department of Railways and Canals from its establishment in 1879 until the organization of the Department of Transport in 1936. These records document the history and development of canals in Canada from the great canal age of the early nineteenth century, the period of enlargement and expansion, and the ultimate demise of certain systems as commercial waterways.
The cartographic material in this series relates to the following Canals : Soulanges and Beauharnois; Lachine; Farrans Point; Welland; Rapide Plat and Gallops; Carillon; Grenville; Sault St. Marie; Chambly; St. Peters and Trent.
Canada. Canal Branch : When the Department of Railways and Canals was created in 1879, it assumed responsibility for Canada's canal systems. The Canal Branch of the new department was organized to supervise the operation, maintenance and enlargement of the various canals in Canada, and to arrange for the construction of new ones if required. In 1879, the canal systems in Canada consisted of: St. Peter's Canal in Cape Breton, the St. Lawrence Great Lakes, the Ottawa River, the Rideau Canal, the Trent Canal and the Richelieu River to Lake Champlain.
In the 1880s and 1890s, an ambitious program of enlarging the existing canals was undertaken, even though it was evident that canals were no longer a major means of transportation and communication. With the exception of the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes route, the rapid expansion of railways severely undermined their commercial viability. However, the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes System continued to be a vital transportation link between the Atlantic Ocean and the heart of the continent on the Great Lakes. A new canal was constructed at Sault Ste. Marie between 1887 and 1895, and the Welland Canal underwent a series of enlargements not completed until the 1930s. In 1951, the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority was established, becoming responsible for the navigation facilities between Montreal and Lake Erie, and for construction of the Seaway, which was completed in 1959. This development resulted in the eventual closing of the old St. Lawrence canals. Only the Welland continues to play a vital role in Canada's transportation network. Other systems, particularly the Rideau and Trent, are now maintained for recreational purposes. RG43 General Inventory
