Welland Canal History Overview

Located in Southern Ontario, Canada, the Welland Canal system was built to connect two of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario for easier shipping routes. The Welland Canal system is nearly 200 years old and has undergone four iterations.

The first Welland Canal started construction in November 1824 and finished in November 1829. Initially a private enterprise, the first Welland Canal began construction under the Welland Canal Company until it came under the control of the Canadian Government in 1841. The second Canal began construction in 1840 and was declared open in 1850. The third version of the Canal was started in 1871 and was completed in 1881. The fourth Welland Canal is the one currently in use. It began construction in 1913 but was not opened until 1932. This lengthy construction time was due to the interruption of the First World War, limiting the men working on the canal, as well as the supplies for its construction. 

The Welland Canal is still a functioning trade and transportation route, as it is a part of the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway system. The Welland Canal itself stretches from Port Colbourne on the shores of Lake Erie to Port Weller in Lake Ontario. The total length of the Canal is 43.4 kilometres. Lock 8 is located on the southern end of the canal by Lake Erie, While Lock 1 is in the north by Lake Ontario. The canal is a sturdy example of 20th-century engineering and has been carefully maintained and upkept since its opening.