Location

The Welland Canal is located in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada between two of North America's Great Lakes, Lake Ontario (74.98 meters above sea level) and Lake Erie (174.34 meters above sea level). The Welland Canal is a vital link in the St. Lawrence Seaway passage from the Atlantic Ocean to midwestern Canada and the United States. The canal is about 43.4 kilometers in length and includes seven lift locks and one guard lock that bring ocean and lake vessels up 99.36 meters from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. One can view portions of the Welland Canal from a number of vantage points in and around the following communities:

• St. Catharines
• Thorold
• Welland
• Port Colborne

You can get to the Welland Canal by the following highways and admire many of the man made bridges and tunnels that run over and under this fascinating structure:

• QEW to St. Catharines
• HWY 58 to Thorold, Welland and Port Colborne
• HWY 20 to Thorold
• HWY 3 to Port Colborne
• HWY 406 to St. Catharines, Thorold and Welland