Beyond Water: Toward a sustainable future for Lachine Canal in Montreal

The Lachine Canal is a 14km long manmade waterway created to support Canada’s industrial expansion. Industrial and residential neighbourhoods grew around the canal as the City of Montreal densified. The Canal closed in 1970 when the design of modern ships allowed direct navigation through nearby rapids, leaving the canal with declining industries and contaminated waters. As the population of Montreal continues to grow, the pressure for housing and public space in the area is increasing. Through the ecological restoration of the waterway and the strategic development of the land at its edges, this thesis looks to reestablish the Lachine Canal as a vital place in the heart of Montreal.