Our Villages, Towns & Cities
The Rideau Canal has been connecting communities along the Rideau Heritage Route for almost two centuries. Today, running over 202km (126mi), the canal is considered an engineering masterpiece. The chain of lakes and rivers is joined by manmade canals and locks and winds its way through diverse Canadian terrain including the solid rock of the Canadian Shield, marshland, and pastoral landscapes. It did become an important trade route with communities along its shore thriving due to its existence. In the 1850s, the advent of the railway reduced the amount of commerce on the canal, but steamboats and pleasure craft began to discover its beauty
Kingston
The "Limestone City" is strategically located at the junction of 3 significant bodies of water: the Rideau Canal, the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. Canada's first capital, it was once the centre of a vital supply route and ship building industry. More...
Seeley's Bay
Seeley's Bay was created around 1832 with the flooding of the Cranberry Marsh during the building of the Rideau Canal. More...
Lyndhurst Lyndhurst had its beginnings as the village of Furnace Falls in the 1800's after a vein of iron ore was discovered in the area. More...
Elgin
Elgin is located in the heart of corn country just off of Highway 15, the Rideau Heritage Route. More...
Delta
Located between Upper and Lower Beverly Lakes, Delta is home to the Delta Fair in July and the Delta Maple Syrup festival in April. More...
Newboro
Situated on an isthmus between Newboro and Upper Rideau Lakes, Newboro played an important role in the construction of the Rideau Canal. More...
Westport
Westport is nestled in the heartlands of the Rideau Lakes, about 45 minutes north of Kingston at the foot of Foley Mountain. More...
Portland
Portland's location on the shores of Big Rideau Lake, the largest lake in the Rideau Waterway, led to it becoming a major boating centre. More...
Perth
Perth's historic downtown core is packed with over 70 thriving shops and boutiques - including artisan studios, antique shops and flea markets. More...
Rideau Ferry
Rideau Ferry was first called Oliver's Ferry after John Oliver, a Scottish settler in South Elmsley. He operated the first ferry across the Rideau Lake at this point where the Rideau narrows. More...
Smiths Falls
Smiths Falls is the largest community between Kingston and Ottawa along the Rideau waterway, which runs right through the heart of this bustling town. More...
Merrickville
Merrickville, the Jewel of the Rideau, prides itself in its artistic community. The village boasts over thirty local artist and artisans. More...
Navigate your boat along the Rideau Heritage Route on the historic Rideau Canal - a UNESCO World Heritage Site or travel by road along the River Road for a scenic tour into North Grenville. More...
Tay Valley
Set in the southwest corner of Lanark County due west of Perth, Tay Valley Township comprises a community of communities joined by a shared heritage and a love for the rural lifestyle. More...
Manotick
The history of this village, built by the dam along the Rideau River, goes back nearly 150 years. More...
Ottawa
Nestled at the junction of three picturesque rivers, Ottawa is considered one of the world's most beautiful capitals. More...
