PHOTO COURTESY OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA (CNW GROUP/PARKS CANADA)
Ontario’s Burlington Canal Main Lighthouse was officially designated under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act earlier this month, guaranteeing the site’s continuation as a historic centerpiece of the area’s past.
The lighthouse, built in 1857, marks the entrance to Burlington Canal and long supported water traffic traveling between Lake Ontario and Burlington Bay, now Hamilton Harbour. Its designation as a heritage site marks 106 lighthouses over eight provinces now protected under the act, which aims to protect, preserve and share Canada’s rich history by connecting people to places that helped shape the past.
“I am proud to recognize Canada’s heritage lighthouses as iconic symbols of our communities and for the crucial role they have played in protecting mariners. They are also important tourism attractions that contribute to local economies. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting these special places and I encourage all Canadians to take the opportunity to learn more about our rich and diverse history, including our freshwater heritage lighthouses,” said the Minister of Environment and Climate Change responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, shares Parks Canada.
The Burlington Canal Main Lighthouse stands 55 feet tall, and is a circular, tapered limestone tower with an iron lantern and catwalk. To learn more, visit pc.gc.ca.
