The Rideau Canal is an operating historic site. This seems simple enough until you realize that it has been operating as a canal in basically the same manner for over 160 years. The 19th century engineering structures have been protected in an historic and natural setting. Today this operating tradition is carried on in a rapidly changing world. Issues, such as development pressures and declining budgets, are not unique to the Rideau Canal but they are very real. A new management plan for the Canada is currently being drafted which will help guide it into the next century. When completed it will identify the priorities of the Canal and define both its role in coming years and the context in which it should operate.
The Canal was built between 1826 and 1832 by the British Royal Engineers under the command of Colonel John By. His orders were to build a secure alternate route between Montreal and Kingston following the War of 1812. The Canal never saw any military action and it soon took on the role of an important commercial transportation link. This resulted in settlement and development along its route in the early years. By the late 1800s the Canal evolved into a recreation waterway and tourist area, a tradition that has continued to this day. The Canal is now a National Historic Site commemorated in 1926, 1967, and again in 1987. It is operated by Parks Canada of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The Canal itself is 202 km long and is made up of a series of lakes and improved river channels. There are 47 locks and many dams, bridges, walls, blockhouses, buildings and 19 km of canal. The engineering structures themselves are basically intact and still operating much as they did when the Canal opened. The asset value is estimated at over $400 million. The Canal has a watershed of approximately 47002 km. comprising one regional municipality, four cities, three towns, three villages, seven hamlets, twenty-four townships and four counties. It is a combination of historic villages, picturesque landscapes, and urban settings. Over 80,000 boats are locked in an average year, while there are over 1 million visitors in the summer and 1.4 million who skate on the Canal in Ottawa during the winter. It is also home to more than 1 million residents.
The Canal has long played a role in tourism. When the early steamboats sailed the Canal, the many resorts and lodges that were built along the canal route became very popular tourist destination points. Pursuits, such as boating and fishing, have always been favourite activities. Traditional guides still take out fishing parties in some of the resort areas. Another common activity for non-boaters is watching boats, and picnicking.
The Canal has a rich diversity of both natural and cultural landscapes. Approximately 16% of the shoreline is wetlands while 50% of the shore is undeveloped. There are historic villages and towns with many heritage buildings. It is estimated that there are over 4800 buildings of pre-1880 construction. All of these elements add to the rich and diverse heritage of the Rideau Canal corridor.
Sharing the Management Responsibility The Canal's management is a shared responsibility. Parks Canada does not have complete jurisdiction over all activities of the Canal. The three levels of government federal, provincial, and municipal all have some jurisdiction or authority throughout the Canal corridor. In this type of situation the key to managing the Canal has been, and continues to be, cooperation. This is reflected in Canal's Management Plan title, Working Towards A Shared Future. The Rideau Canal has a long and successful tradition of working with many groups and agencies. It was a natural step, therefore, to take into account the roles, responsibilities and interests of all these key players in the development of the new plan. The objective is to continue working together to ensure that the cultural and natural heritage is preserved while encouraging sustainable development and tourism.
The Rideau Canal Management Plan recognizes first and foremost the need to protect, not only the cultural resources, but also the natural resources along the Canal. Water quality, fish habitat,shoreline protection, are some of the natural resource issues that impact directly on the future of the Canal. The heritage resources are paramount to the survival of the Canal for another 160 years. Our responsibility is to protect them for future generations of Canadians.
Finally, the Plan helps to define and outline the role that the Canal should play in tourism. It recognizes the importance of tourism and its economic impact:
"The Rideau Canal is regarded as a valuable tourism and recreational resource contributing substantially to the economy of eastern Ontario.
The Rideau Canal is recognized and promoted as a component of the national and international cultural tourism market."
Education is the key to protecting heritage resources of the Rideau Corridor. Every resident and each visitor to the area is encourage to act as stewards of the canal. This message is delivered in many different forms and by many different people. The staff who operate the locks, interpretive staff and programs of Parks Canada, the volunteers at the site museum run by the local historical society, or a guide with a bus tour all play a part in getting this message across to the public.
Currently, tourists to the Rideau Canal contribute approximately $19.8 million to the Gross Domestic Product of Ontario. This represents about a $2.00 expenditure by visitors for every $1.00 spent by Parks Canada and this only includes the expenditures of visitors actually at a lock station. It does not include visitors to other locations along the Canal corridor who may not have visited a lockstation.
As the Canal moves more towards greater national and international tourism, it is important to participate with others in attracting boaters and visitors not only to the Canal but also to other features and highlights in the area. The Canal is very much a part of the communities through which it travels. Those communities and businesses identify with and depend on the Canal. There are many opportunities to be pursued. Canals are enjoying a revival in interest in many parts of the world. Parks Canada has recognized that the Rideau Canal is part of a network of navigable canals in the northeastern part of North America. This link is important because it broadens the area which is available to boaters and visitors, making Canals as a whole, a significant destination, not only nationally, but also internationally.
The Rideau Canal was twinned in 1993 with the Caledonia Canal in Scotland. The two canals are very similar in a number of ways, and the twinning provides significant opportunities for future development. First, we can both learn from each other. Second, this undertaking opens up a window onto to potential tourist markets in Britain and Europe. As a result of the canal twinning, communities and businesses along the Rideau Canal have already shown an interest in becoming involved in promotions and opportunities in Britain.
The other canals operated by Parks Canada in Ontario and Quebec are also working on the possibility of doing joint promotions at the Montreal, Toronto, and New York boat shows with the canals in New York State. One canal can do this on its own, but why not look at a bigger and better package of canals to market? The product is more attractive to a prospective boater or visitor, and marketing costs are reduced. These are very important ideas in the days of diminishing resources and higher expectations.
In summary, three principles influence the management of the Canal:
The Canal has been a popular tourist destination for over 100 years. This tradition is a part of the Canal's past and future. But development cannot take place at the expense of our cultural and natural heritage resources. It is most important to maintain the balance. Eco-tourism and cultural tourism are the way of the future and Parks Canada, and its partners throughout the Rideau Canal Corridor, appreciate and understand this direction. The greatest challenge is to ensure it happens!
D.J.Ballinger is Associate Superintendent and Director of Operations for the Rideau Canal of Parks Canada in Smith Falls, Ontario.