Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site

What's New

Passage of a Boat Through
a Lock at Chambly Canal
© Parks Canada

Lockage Fees

Following extensive comments and ideas on the proposed canal lockage fee, Minister Kent announced on May 14 that Parks Canada will freeze recreational lockage fees along Canada's historic canals for three years at 2008 levels.

More information

A World-Unique Fish Ladder

A Parks Canada and community organizations initiative

A unique fish ladder is helping species at risk reclaim their habitat at the Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site.

The Vianney-Legendre fishway, located on the Richelieu River, in the Quebec Province, of Canada, is no ordinary fish ladder. Unlike the others; it shows that a historic site can be more than a site of Heritage significance. It can protect biodiversity and help recover species at risk.

The Vianney-Legendre fishway ladder
© Parks Canada / Jean Mercier / 2002

The Copper Redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi) is running up the Richelieu River again. This is a major victory for the unusual copper-coloured fish species, which is found only in south-western Quebec. A dam built in 1967 hindered this endangered species' migration to its most important spawning area upstream from the Canal-de-Saint-Ours National Historic Site of Canada. Now a fish ladder of unique design is brightening the future for the Copper Redhorse.

Such a successful environmental engineering project could create a tourist attraction and be useful in educating the public about this biodiversity restoration initiative. In fact, the fish ladder has even gained international attention. Although it has been designed uniquely for this site, other jurisdictions are interested in it as a model to follow.