Discovering Ontario · Drawing 25 of 32
The Sault Ste. Marie Canal
Sault Ste. Marie
At Sault Ste. Marie, a canal helps boats bypass rapids. Its walls, gates and buildings tell a long story of travel by water.
Did you know?
When it was finished in 1895, this canal’s lock was the largest in the world.
Look together
Where are the big gates that hold back the canal’s water?
An idea to try
Join two lakes with a river on paper, then add a canal beside some rapids.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Built between 1889 and 1895, the Canadian canal bypasses the St. Marys River rapids. The St. Marys River rapids were too strong and rocky for boats; the canal’s lock raises or lowers them gently. It used electricity to operate its works. Today, the historic site serves recreational boats. The scene combines a lock and heritage buildings; it does not depict the neighbouring American commercial locks.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified interpretation for colouring. Settings and people may be combined or imagined. Details, distances and proportions are not a measured record of the place.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Parks Canada: Sault Ste. Marie Canal HistoryPlace, history or natural feature described on this page.
Page prepared on October 3, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book My Ontario to Colour
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