Welland Ship Canal

Welland Ship Canal, 27.6 mi (44.4 km) long, SE Ont., Canada, connecting Lake Ontario with Lake Erie and bypassing Niagara Falls. Built between 1914 and 1932 by Canada to replace a canal opened in 1829, it can accommodate (minimum depth 27 ft/8 m) the largest lake ships. Its eight locks overcome a 326-ft (99-m) difference in level between the lakes. The Lake Ontario entrance is near Port Dalhousie; the Lake Erie entrance is at Port Colborne. It is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway system.