Over two centuries, the Lachine Canal has been transformed from an industrial thoroughfare to a neglected backwater to a prime example of urban gentrification.
The 14-kilometre Lachine Canal opened in 1825. The canal was the first link in a series of canals built along the St. Lawrence River that would allow ships to navigate between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.
The canal permanently closed to shipping in 1970. In 1978, Parks Canada took over the site.
The Lachine Canal was designated a national historic site in 1996, and Parks Canada launched a major revitalization project the following year. The canal reopened to pleasure boating in 2002, and visitors can now rent kayaks or swan-shaped pedal boats to travel its waters.
Photographer Christinne Muschi captured some recent scenes of what the canal has become.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
The Canadian Press
