George W.

Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa Regional Fair

Was the Rideau Canal worth the cost?

My project is about the Rideau Canal's cost. It gives background about the Canal and the key figures involved in the construction.  It also examines whether it's benefits were worth its cost.

 

 

 

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

The most interesting thing I have learned about my project is the cost. I did the calculations and the Canal was worth the cost of 13 HMS Victory's. Also, the amount needed to construct the Canal in 1826 was £800 000, equivalent to over 4 billion dollars today.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I have learned that the Canal has played a huge factor in the development of Canada. It provided a route for warships to quickly access the great lakes without possibility of ambush along the St. Lawrence River. it provided a quick route of transportation up until the 1950s, when the rapids along the St. Lawrence River were tamed by a series of locks.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

Compared to the men and women that worked on the Canal in 1826, I would say my life is amazing. I have a roof over my head that isn't a shanty, I have central air and heating that isn't a fireplace, and the ability to know that a mosquito bite isn't fatal. My life is outstanding compared to those of the 1800s.