Great Canadian Lakes

Great Canadian LAKES
History
Ecosystem
First Nations
Recreation

Lake Ontario/Ontario

Lake Ontario


Lake Ontario Video Index
Beautiful Waters York Water Wars	Boat Building Locks Shipwrecks

Ontario

With the smallest surface area of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario, the 14th largest lake in the world, averages 311 kilometres in length and 85 kilometres in breadth, with an average depth of 86 metres. Both the Niagara River and Welland Canal flow into Lake Ontario from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario flows out the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. The lake faces ecological threats from invasive species, but the effects of past neglect and pollution are being addressed as all levels of government step up efforts to revitalize the shores.

Lake Ontario supported the growth of the Canadian nation as a transportation corridor and fresh water source. Young wilderness scout Etienne Brûlé worked closely with the native Hurons to guide Champlain through the region in the early 1600's, La Salle developed ship-building on the north shores in the mid-1600's, and the lake bottom is littered with shipwrecks from the last 4 centuries.

Lake Ontario attracts tourists and locals alike to enjoy a variety of attractions and recreational activities including Canada's biggest city, Toronto and numerous lake-side towns, parks, trails and beaches.

History	Ecosystem
The Early Immersion of Etienne Brûlé Skilled woodsman, indefatigable pathfinder, sailor, multi-linguist and accused traitor - Etienne Brûlé lived a life of extraordinary exploits and larger-than-life adventures.Learn more here.	Great Lake Genesis To the sailor scanning the limitless horizons of Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie or Ontario, it may seem impossible to believe that North America's vast freshwater seas have not always existed. Learn more here.
First Nations	Recreation
Ten Thousand Years of First Nations Culture Reduced to the most general of terms, the history of the First Nations in the Lake Ontario region is the history of the Iroquoian culture.Learn more here.	Town and Country Sea Kayaking For all but the most advanced and experienced sea kayakers, the open waters of Lake Ontario are out of bounds. Learn more here.