News and Views of One of The World’s Great Rivers.
Poker Run Polution Row: High Stakes for the Environment
Every year the anual 1000 Islands Poker Run draws large crowds to the waterfront between Kingston and Brockville. Some residents complain of
the high cost to the environment, while local businesses enjoy the influx of customers. The CO2 emissions for the event apparently equal that of a Boeing 747
flying from Toronto to Vancouver and back, which some say damages Kingston's reputation as the the environment friendly and sustainable city. Indeed there are a number of
trade-offs in this the poker run.
Archaeological Site a 5000-Year-Old Fishing Camp
After 5000 years of human habitation, Pointe-du-Buisson, along the
shores of the St. Lawrence southwest of Montreal, has
a lot of tales to tell. After 42 years of archaeological research and
the discovery of some 2 million artifacts, many of those stories
have come to light.
Read more
Benny Beattie's Tadoussac
If you ever visit Tadoussac, there’s a good chance a tall man with
an engaging smile will come up and introduce himself:
“Hi. I’m Benny Beattie.” Beattie has spent just about every summer of
his life in Tadoussac, knows the region where the Saguenay
River meets the St. Lawrence intimately, and loves to share his
knowledge.
Read more
Quebec City Planning for 400th Anniversary Celebrations
If you have been thinking of visiting Quebec City, then 2008 might
be the year to do it. To mark its 400th anniversary, the city will be
hosting a year of celebrations, including performances, multimedia
presentations, and giant picnics.
Read more
Marsh Monitoring Program Needs Help
Volunteer birdwatchers are needed to help scientists monitor bird and amphibian populations in marshes around the Great
Lakes drainage basin and along the St. Lawrence River.
Read more
Liquefied Natural Gas Terminals Proposed
Proposals to build two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals along the river have some people concerned about safety.
Read more
Snow Geese Are an Awesome Spectacle
Hundreds of thousands of migrating Greater Snow Geese stop at Baie-du-Febvre, along the flooded shores of
Lake Saint-Pierre, every spring. Read more
Documentary Explores Lost Villages
A new documentary explores the underwater remains of the Lost
Villages, the six villages and three hamlets that were flooded by the
construction
of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958. Read more
The Mystery of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians
An exhibit on St. Lawrence Iroquoians at the Pointe-à-Callière
Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History tells the story of the Corn
People, the aboriginal people that French explorer Jacques Cartier
encountered during his three trips to North America between 1534
and 1542. Read more
Exploring the South Shore of the Lower St. Lawrence
Many travelers speed along the main highway between central Canada
and the Maritime provinces without stopping to explore.
That’s a pity, because the gentle farmland, islands and historic
villages along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River below Quebec
City
have a lot to offer. Read more
Respecting the River
Every day, thousands of Montrealers cross the bridges that link this
island city to the surrounding suburbs without a second thought for
the river that flows beneath them. The St. Lawrence River is broad,
beautiful, and of great historical importance, yet many people know
little
about it. Read more
Port Symphony a Hoot!
Music lovers brave winter weather to attend the 13th annual Port
Symphony, held along the waterfront of Montreal's Old Port. Ships'
horns, locomotive whistles and church bells blend with more traditional
instruments in this unique acoustic event.
Read more
Inspiration and Dedication
It was the summer of 1963, and my father and I were passengers
aboard the ocean liner Franconia, traveling down the St. Lawrence River
on our way to England for a holiday. Read more
About the book:
The St. Lawrence River: History, Highway and Habitat
follows the third largest river in North America from its source as the
sole outlet of the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St Lawrence and the
Atlantic Ocean, describing its evolution from freshwater river to
broad, salt-water estuary.
The
St. Lawrence is the cradle of Canadian history, launching spot for the
exploration of North America
and site of landmark battles. Today, it is economically important as
the shortest shipping route between the industrial heartland of
North America and Europe. Its tributaries, tides and mixture of salt
and fresh water, as well as the combination of shallow lakes,
turbulent rapids and deep trenches, create diverse aquatic habitats for a
variety of plants and animals. Anyone who loves the
St. Lawrence River will treasure this book.
"This sweeping portrait of the St. Lawrence River and valley, its history, people and animals, is overdue. It is a pleasure to
browse its scores of archival and new
photographs, maps, paintings and
other illustrations – each smartly captioned and informative.”
The Gazette, June 30, 2006.
About this site:
The creator of this site, Janice Hamilton is a former journalist with The Canadian Press, and a freelance writer
for more than 20 years.
She is the author of The St. Lawrence River: History, Highway and
Habitat (Montreal: Redlader, 2006.) This site begins where the book
left off, exploring aspects of the river from tourism and science to
economic development and literature.
If you have any ideas for topics you’d like to see covered here, contact
info@stlawrenceriver.ca.
Janice Hamilton, 2007
Site last updated July 27, 2011
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