New St Peters Canal swing bridge opens

June 20, 2017

Parks Canada working with Public Services and Procurement Canada, the federal contracting agency, has replaced the St. Peters Canal swing bridge located on Route 4 on Cape Breton Island.

The previous one-lane swing bridge was constructed in 1936, and was nearing the end of its life cycle. Construction for the new St. Peters Canal swing bridge began in the winter of 2016.

This project is part of the Government of Canada’s investment of $85 million in infrastructure improvements for Parks Canada places on Cape Breton Island. Parks Canada is committed to public safety and enhancing visitors’ experience to our national parks and national historic sites on Cape Breton Island, all while contributing to Canada’s National Conservation Plan.

The St. Peters Canal is a small shipping canal located in eastern Canada on Cape Breton Island. It crosses an isthmus in the village of St. Peter’s, Nova Scotia which connects St. Peters Inlet of Bras d’Or Lake to the north with St. Peters Bay of the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The Canal saw relatively heavy use by commercial shipping in the 19th century and early 20th century, during an era of industrial expansion on Cape Breton Island.

Photo credit: Gerry Gibson

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