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The St. Lawrence Seaway, often called one of North America’s greatest infrastructure achievements, was a joint venture between Canada and the United States completed in 1959. The waterway connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, allowing large ships to bypass natural obstacles like rapids and waterfalls, including Niagara Falls. Despite its shared benefits, Canada paid for about 75% of the project, largely because political opposition in the U.S. delayed American funding. Many U.S. interest groups, such as railroads and port cities, feared the canal would hurt their businesses, leaving Canada to shoulder the bulk of the financial burden to push the project forward. The Seaway includes 15 locks and stretches over 2,300 miles, revolutionizing trade by creating a direct maritime route to the industrial heartland of both countries. Today, the St. Lawrence Seaway is a critical artery for global trade, cementing its role as one of the most significant engineering marvels of the 20th century.
TRANSCRIPT
magine a Waterway so vast and intricate
that it connects the Atlantic Ocean to
the heart of North America facilitating
the passage of ships the size of
skyscrapers well that my friends is the
St Lawrence Seaway stretching over 2,300
Mi this body of water links US states to
two Canadian provinces and handles
millions of tons of cargo each year iron
ore grain and more forming the backbone
of tra for an entire continent but what
stories lie beneath its Waters how did
this engineering Marvel reshape North
America's economy and what sacrifices
were made to bring it to life stay tuned
to find out as today we uncover the
incredible history of the St Lawrence
Seaway I'm your host Ryan soash and
you're watching its
[Music]
history the St Lawrence River is one of
North America's most important waterways
shaping hist hisory long before the idea
of the Seaway even existed it connected
people powered trade and inspired
Innovation but to understand the rise of
the St Lawrence Seaway we first need to
dive into the river's early history the
St Lawrence River flows from Lake
Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean forming
part of the modern border between Canada
and the US this natural Highway has been
essential for centuries supporting the
livelihoods of both indigenous people
and early explorers alike long before
the con concept of engineered canals and
locks even existed the river sustained
communities in fact it was this waterway
that supplied the indigenous people with
resources as they relied on its water
for food and trade and according to some
sources these type of activities there
go back a thousand years when Europeans
arrived in the Americas the St Lawrence
became a Gateway for exploration French
explorer jock cardier explored the river
in 1534 giving it its name after a
arriving on St Lawrence feast day he
also became the first European to
venture Inland along the river naming
the region Canada a name inspired by an
indigenous word for settlement his fur
trading activities marked the beginnings
of Commerce that would define the area
for Generations the basks fishermen and
Whalers from Northern Spain and France
also utilized the river's resources
starting in the early 1520s they traded
with indigenous people showcasing how
the river fostered crosscultural exch
change well before formal colonies were
established by the 18th century the St
Lawrence River had become a crucial
artery for trade and conflicts during
the seven years war known as the French
and Indian War in the United States the
St Lawrence played a key role in
military strategy serving as a critical
route for British and French forces but
if we move forward another Century it
was this area that saw the introduction
of some of the first steamboats in 1809
which transported goods and passengers
between cubec and Montreal as
industrialization took hold Engineers
sought to overcome the river's natural
obstacles though some small canals
already existed and were built by the
British between 1779 and 1781 in fact
these were the first law Canales in
North America allowing small boats to
bypass Rapids as well as other dangerous
obstacles near Montreal for larger ships
however the wellend canal became a
GameChanger completed in 1829 it
connected Lake Ontario to Lake Erie
allowing ships to bypass Niagara Falls
over time successive versions of the
Welland canale were built culminating in
the modern wship canal built in 1932 now
an integral part of the St Lawrence
Seaway hence through centuries of trade
exploration and Innovation the St
Lawrence River evolves from a natural
Waterway into the foundation of one of
History's Greatest engineering projects
a project that would forever change nor
America's economy and Landscape by the
late 19th century the idea of creating a
formal waterway that connected the
Atlantic Ocean to the heart of North
America had gained traction however the
journey to making the St Lawrence Seaway
a reality was long complex and filled
with setbacks the concept of a fully
engineered passage of course wasn't
entirely new decades earlier projects
like New York's Eric Canal had
demonstrated how transformative such
infrastructure could be opened in 182 9
the Eerie Canal revolutionized trade by
linking the Great Lakes to the Hudson
River making it a Cornerstone of
Commerce for nearly a century however as
trade expanded and ship sizes grew it
became clear that a larger deeper
Waterway was needed one that could
accommodate modern vessels and connect
the Great Lakes directly to the ocean
and so it was in 1985 the Canadian Deep
Water waste commission was formed to
evaluate the potential for a new more
ambitious Seaway this effort gained
International attention and by 1909 the
international Joint Commission continued
the dialogue between the US and Canada
yet despite growing interest no formal
agreement emerged political concerns
economic priorities and competition from
railroads and other ports repeatedly
stalled progress the 1930s brought a
renewed push for the project though as
this was the time that finally Canada
and the US signed a treaty of intent but
opposition from the US and Ontario's
government halted its momentum critics
worried that a new Waterway would harm
railroad infrastructure Golf and
Atlantic ports as well as other
established trade routes the debate
intensified with even toll proposals
failing to win over Skeptics however as
time passed despite these obstacles
support for the Seaway grew driven by
the promise of economic growth and the
need for modern infrastructure by 1936
influential groups like The Great Lakes
Harbor Association and the the Great
Lakes Tidewater commission brought the
case for the Seaway directly to
President Franklin D Roosevelt Advocates
pointed out how it could boost trade
especially for Commodities like grain
talks resumed in 1940 but once again the
US Congress remained unconvinced fearing
economic disruption in other regions
which remained the case until World War
II which unexpectedly underscored the
Strategic importance of the St Lawrence
River you see during the Battle of St
Lawrence German submarines targeted
Allied ships disrupting both Military
and Commercial operations this wartime
vulnerability reminded leaders of the
need for a modernized and secure
Waterway after the war Canada decided to
move forward independently with their
prime minister championing the project
emphasizing the importance of
hydroelectric power and national pride
in 1951 the Canadian Parliament created
the St Lawrence Seaway authority to
oversee the Endeavor not long after
momentum shifted in the US as well
recognizing the potential for accessing
Canada's Rich iron resources president
Dwight D Eisenhower signed the Seaway
act in 1954 this act established the St
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
and committed the US to sharing the cost
of the construction Canada agreed to
fund the majority of the project
covering
$36.54
70.3 million total well the US
contributed
133.5 million with agreements in place
and funding secured construction began
the Seaway would soon become one of the
most ambitious engineering
collaborations between two Nations
ceremonies marked the groundbreaking
signaling a new era of cooperation
between Canada and the US years of
political debates and logistical
challenges gave way to the labor and
Ingenuity needed to bring the St
Lawrence Seaway to life it was a bold
undertaking that promised to reshape
North America and redefine the waterways
that long served as its Lifeline but the
path to progress wasn't without
sacrifices the construction of the St
Lawrence Seaway was a massive Endeavor
that required Cutting Edge engineering
thousands of workers and a vision to
connect the Great Lakes to the world
over 22,000 workers took part in the
project moving millions of cubic yards
of rock and concrete to shape one of the
most ambitious waterways in history the
Seaway can es of two main sections the
wellend canal which connects Lake
Ontario to Lake Erie and the newer
portion stretching from Montreal to Lake
Ontario together these two sections form
a 15 lock system that links the Atlantic
Ocean to the heart of North America
during construction Engineers faced a
unique challenge of ensuring the new
locks aligned with the existing
infrastructure of the Welland Canal
built decades earlier the Welland locks
had size constraints that the new locks
had to account for ensuring seamless
navigation for ships traveling Inland
but beyond altering the waterways the
project required reshaping the
surrounding land in Montreal Four
Bridges were modified in 1954 to allow
larger vessels to pass safely but it
wasn't easy and such achievements came
with many sacrifices one of the most
tragic outcomes of the construction
project was the flooding of the Lost
Villages 10 communities permanently
submerged to make way for the Moses
Saunders power Dam thousands of
residents were relocated to towns like
long salt and Engles side with
compensation offered for their losses
however disputes over property values
and emotional ties to their homes left a
lingering sense of loss on July the 1st
1958 the Coffer Dam holding back the
Waterway was destroyed and The Villages
disappeared beneath the rising water but
these challenges aside the Seaway was
completed with remarkable speed by 1959
the Great Lakes region was connected to
the world with a Waterway capable of
supporting global trade the grand
opening of the St Lawrence Seaway in
1959 marked the dawn of a new era for
trade and transportation the world
watched as the first ship traversed this
engineering Marvel Paving the way for
economic transformation the official
opening ceremonies on June the 26th 1959
were a spectacle of international
collaboration Queen Elizabeth II and
president Dwight de Eisenhower presided
over the event emphasizing the seaway's
importance as a joint achievement
between Canada and the US the following
day more ceremonies continued in New
York with vice president Richard Nixon
also in attendance the impact was
immediate trade boomed as iron ore
Limestone coal and grain flowed into the
Great Lakes region fueling Industries
expanding settlements and providing
economic opportunities for Millions
Farmers Factory workers and Mariners
alike benefited from The Surge and goods
reaching the interior of North America
but not every region thrived for example
the Erie Canal once a Cornerstone of us
commerce was rendered obsolete by the
seaway's efficiency and towns along that
Canal faced immediate economic decline
with commercial hauling seizing entirely
by 1994 well it has since been
repurposed for recreation the story of
that Canal is a good reminder of how
progress in one area can mean the
decline of another the St Lawrence
Seaway was an undoubtable Triumph during
its prime transforming the Great Lakes
into a global trade Hub but as you might
imagine no achievement lasts forever for
decades the St Lawrence Seaway was the
Cornerstone of North American Trade
anniversary has marked its achievements
and updates like the rehabilitation of
the wellend canal in the 1980s and the
establishment of nonprofit management in
Canada through the St Lawrence Seaway
Management Corporation 1998 aimed to
keep it competitive Additionally the
Water Resource development act further
bolstered us operations by transitioning
the Seaway to an appropriated agency
without sea tools yet as global trade
evolved into the 21st century the
seaway's importance still began to WAN
shifting priorities changing Industries
and new trade routes gradually eroded
its dominance in other words this
decline is tied to a broader shift in
international trade well it was once a
vital artery for trade between Europe
and North America the US now focuses
more heavily on trade with South America
Africa and Asia meaning ports on the
west coast and Southern United States
have gained prominence as they are
closer to these regions and better
suited for modern shipping demands
though the Seaway remains operational
its role has become more specialized
rather than Central to the flow of
global Commerce but the decline isn't
just about geography it's also about
changing Industries and Technology IES
one key factor is the shrinking of the
steel industry in the Great Lakes region
for decades iron ore was a Cornerstone
of shipments through the Seaway but the
rise of recycling and scrap metal has
significantly reduced the demand for
fresh iron so as the region steel
industry contracted so too did the need
for raw materials transported via this
passage furthermore the decline of coal
as a dominant energy source has brought
the same effect once a critical
commodity shipped through its locks Co
has been sidelined by the push for
renewable energy and natural gas this
shift represents not just a regional
Trend but a global one as environmental
priorities in particular Drive change
though it should be emphasized that the
Seaway still plays a role in North
American trade in 2022 for example 36.2
million tons of cargo moved through its
locks a notable figure but far below the
222 million tons moved in 2002 this is a
star contract
but it presents the challenges the
Seaway faces in maintaining its
relevance in a rapidly changing
World we'll leave it there for today but
a special thanks to our patreons for
supporting the channel I hope the rest
of you will consider joining us over
there sometime soon information is in
the description and the pinned comment
otherwise as always I thank you for
watching this is Ryan soash signing off
