PARKS CANADA AGENCY

Ottawa Boat Cruises will be offering a new, eco-friendly and unique cruising experience on the downtown Ottawa portion of the Rideau Canal National Historic Site. The tour boat was officially launched today by the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister responsible for Parks Canada and MP for Ottawa Centre.

Two new state-of-the-art, purpose-built, electric boats will host visitors and locals alike for day-time tours and other special events.

The first boat, The Queen Elizabeth, will commence operations in time for Canada Day 2016. The second boat, The Colonel By, will be launched in time for the 2017 season. The locally built boats are the largest certified fully-electric passenger boats in Canada.

This new service is the successful result of Parks Canada’s 2015 Request for Proposal for the downtown Ottawa portion of the Rideau Canal. Parks Canada is working with partners and communities to help the Rideau Canal be a premier tourism destination,  while fostering recreation and supporting economic development along the Canal's entire length from Ottawa to Kingston.

As we near the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, the Government invites all Canadians to experience Canada’s remarkable natural heritage and rich history at national parks and national historic sites this summer.

“I am very pleased that this new, innovative and eco-friendly service will provide visitors and residents with yet another way to experience and enjoy the history and beauty of the Rideau Canal Historic Site. This new boat cruise will also support local tourism, jobs and our economy” said Minister McKenna.

Minister McKenna recently announced over $57 million in additional funding for infrastructure work on the Rideau Canal National Historic Site. This investment, the largest of its kind in the 184-year history of the Rideau Canal, will be used to rehabilitate and repair bridges, dams, locks and historic masonry structures in communities along the Canal.

The Rideau Canal is one of the most visited national historic sites in Canada and one of Eastern Ontario’s top attractions. The Canal serves over 50,000 boats each year, and more than 80,000 cyclists use its pathways each month during the summer season.

Tourism is the single most important economic activity in the Canal corridor. More than one million visitors walk, cycle, paddle or boat along the Rideau Canal each year.