How has water been important to the Canadian economic development?

Answer 1

Water has been important to the economic development of Canada through many means. Transportation, tourism, and industry are dependent on Canada's abundant water resources. The Saint Lawrence seaway was instrumental in paving the way for economic development to the west. It opened up shipping lanes from the Atlantic Ocean right to Thunder Bay and enabled the blossoming steel industry to thrive in Hamilton and Sault ste Marie. Shipping was a very economical way for companies like Dofasco in Hamilton and Algoma steel in Sault ste Marie to get the necessary raw materials from the mines in the north. Much like the ore that was shipped to various steel mills, grain from the prairies was also shipped through the seaway and distributed throughout the east in both Canada and the United States. It was also shipped to countries overseas. Many Nuclear power plants are dependent on Water as a cooling mechanism for their reactors. All nuclear plants in Canada are located on major water bodies. Darlington and Pickering are located on Lake Ontario and Bruce Power is located on Lake Huron. In addition to Nuclear powers dependence on water resources, most of Canada's electricity is produced by hydro electric power. Niagara falls is home to one of the largest hydroelectric plants in Canada and provides a great deal of electricity for Ontario. Great lakes power in northern Ontario has dammed several rivers and uses controlled flow through turbines to produce hydroelectric power as well. Canada is home to the largest supply of fresh water lakes in the world and many smaller communities in Canada depend on tourism to survive. Fishing, hunting, boating and beaches are very popular to tourists and generate a great deal of income for these small communities through vacation packages and lodges and guided tours. Fishing is considered a national pass time and part of the Canadian heritage. Canada has a very large fishing industry, the grand banks off Newfoundland is perhaps the most well known. The economy of Newfoundland is largely dependent on the fishing industry. Cod, Atlantic salmon and lobsters are harvested and sold throughout North America and the world. The great lakes has a smaller but substantial fishing industry focusing on lake herring and whitefish, but also lake trout and walleye. Most of the large Canadian urban centres are located on major water bodies; Halifax, Saint John's, Saint John, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Sault Ste Marie, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria were all founded based on there relative location to water.