The Lachine Canal was once the industrial centre and lifeline of Montreal. The canal was in service from 1825 until the late 1950s, when it was replaced by the St. Lawrence Seaway. As industries left, the canal and the surrounding neighbourhoods suffered. Today the canal is a National Historic Site and it is lined with bicycle paths and greenspaces, having become Montreal's favourite fair-weather park. It is not until recently, however, that the canal has begun a real turnaround and now is being rapidly developed as a prime residential location. From Montreal Plus:"In the 17th century, a farm owned by the Messieurs de
Saint-Sulpice, then seigneurs of the island of Montréal,
occupied the entire northern part of Pointe-Saint-Charles. In
1689, the Sulpicians, anxious to develop their island, began
digging a canal next to Rivière Saint-Pierre, which bordered
their property. Their goal was to bypass the famous Lachine
rapids, a hindrance to navigation on the St. Lawrence upriver
from Montréal. These visionary priests, perhaps too ambitious
for their time, launched the project before even asking
permission from their order or obtaining funds from the king,
both of which they were later denied. The enterprise was thus
suspended until 1821, when work was begun on the present
canal. Enlarged twice afterward, it was used until the opening of
the seaway in 1959. The Canadian Parks Service purchased
the canal and its banks in 1979. - Extract from The Ulysse Travel
Guide"To learn more about the Lachine Canal (good news and bad), follow these links...
Toxic Soup: The PCB problem
City of Montreal: Canal de Lachine Redevelopment
The Project: Description Plans Elevations Exterior Views Interior Views