Government of Canada announces $7.4M for the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site

The historic Powerhouse building to undergo significant structural stabilization.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, Jan. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - Parks Canada is responsible for protecting nationally significant examples of natural and cultural heritage and sharing the stories of these treasured places, including the histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. As cornerstones of Canada's tourism industry, Parks Canada administered places are committed to providing visitors with high-quality and meaningful visitor experiences and supporting tourism in communities across the country.

Today, Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors and Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced $7.4 million in federal funding for critical infrastructure improvements to stabilize and conserve the historic Powerhouse building.

Funded through the $557 million in funding announced by the Government of Canada in late 2022, work to the Powerhouse building has begun to improve the long-term sustainability and function of the historic asset. The Powerhouse building allowed the Sault Ste. Marie Canal to be the first electrically operated lock in the world and is the reason for the designation as a national historic site. This heritage building is undergoing significant structural stabilization work to remediate its deterioration, largely through groundwater mitigation efforts and other improvements including conservation, rehabilitation, and construction initiatives. Work at the Powerhouse began in late December 2023 and is expected to continue for approximately two years.

Phase one of the Powerhouse project began in 2019, with $6.3 million in federal funding to begin investigative work, which included removing some existing infrastructure to thoroughly explore and understand the water infiltration issues, and to assess future needs to remediate this heritage building. With today's announcement, the total federal investment for the Powerhouse building is approximately $13.8 million.

Other significant infrastructure investments have been completed at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site over the past eight years. Federal funding has been provided for numerous projects at the site, including the restoration and protection of the site's Powerhouse building, Stores building and associated structures, repairs to the Superintendent's Residence, the design and repaving of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site's entry road and the creation and opening of a new Visitor Centre and exhibit space.

Parks Canada's wide-ranging infrastructure portfolio includes approximately 18,000 built assets such as highways, bridges, dams and other marine infrastructure, historic buildings and fortifications, water and wastewater treatment facilities, campgrounds, visitor centres and operational buildings. Since 2015, the federal infrastructure investment program has enabled Parks Canada to improve the condition of approximately 5,000 assets across the country. These upgrades help ensure public safety, quality and reliability in visitor offers, incorporate green technologies and climate resiliency, while connecting Canadians with nature and history.

"The Government of Canada is committed to investing in the conservation of Canada's built heritage and supporting local economies and growth in the tourism sector. The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site is undertaking a large revitalization project on the historic Powerhouse building to ensure its sustainability and longevity for future generations. By ensuring the sustainability of Parks Canada administered places, the government is supporting local economies, contributing to the growth of sustainable tourism, and strengthening their appeal as destinations to celebrate our country."

Terry Sheehan
Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors

• The Sault Ste. Marie Canal was the longest and first electrically operated lock in the world when it opened in 1895. It was the last link in a 3,500 km all-Canadian waterway stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the western tip of Lake Superior. It was designated a national historic site in 1987.
• The Government of Canada has now invested over $18.5 million to rejuvenate the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, as part of the largest federal infrastructure plan in the history of Parks Canada.
• The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site is undertaking a large revitalization project of its Historic Core. This area refers to a cluster of heritage buildings made up of the Carpentry Shop, Stores Building and Blacksmith's Shop, as well as the Powerhouse and surrounding landscape. These changes represent significant improvements to the site's visitor experience offer.
• In June 2022, a new Visitor Centre and exhibit space was opened featuring interpretive elements that outline the impact that construction of the canal had on the First Nation and Métis Nation communities. These include interactive exhibits, interpretive panels, historic photographs, impressive artifacts, and a hand-built birch bark canoe on loan from Batchewana First Nation. A new interactive touch-screen map supports visitors in planning their visit at the canal, providing them with information on points of interest, walking trails and a self-guided visit of the many historic structures on site. The technical innovations of the canal are demonstrated through a newly designed interactive lock model.
• Parks Canada welcomes approximately 100,000 land-based and 55,000 water-based visitors to the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site each year. Parks Canada asks visitors to continue to respect public health guidelines while visiting our facilities. Visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

• News Release: Government of Canada investing $557 million in infrastructure funding for Parks Canada

• Parks Canada website
• Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site

SOURCE Parks Canada