The Ontario That Almost Was—The French River and the Georgian Bay Ship Canal
The Ontario That Almost Was—The French River and the Georgian Bay Ship Canal
This is an idea that needs to be revisited. A shorter marine route from the prairies to export markets.
It would open up the West to greater trade with Europe.
And Algonquin Park would never have existed, and or been completely developed over.
And exactly what did we do with the First Nations lands in Southern Ontario?
There is absolutely no doubt that the environment would be collateral damage. It always has, always will be. The trade-off will never go away. But the Rideau Canal system was done in an environmentally friendly manner, and so too could this venture.
The outlets of the French river on Georgian Bay are full of wonderful places to visit if you ever get the chance. Try splashing around in the water there and imagine a giant port with ocean-going freighters.
The linked article provides no support for the insane idea of "revisiting" this interesting but now-obsolete plan. It mentions that the St. Lawrence Seaway was built instead.
That is the problem with Canadians - we dismiss clear visionary projects too soon, just because there is 'something else' that vested interests want to protect their investment in. The Americans wanted the Seaway, and they did NOT want the Northern route because they would have no control over it. The Avro again and again and again. Canada does only what the Americans can control. I don't see anyone complaining that the super-port for ocean-going freighters at Thunder Bay spoiled the North. Still as picturesque as ever.