Why was the Rideau Canal built?

Grab your pickaxes and lace up your ice skates! Have you ever wondered why someone would dig a 202-kilometre ditch straight through solid rock, thick wild forests, and bug-filled swamps? We are traveling back to the early 1800s to uncover the wild history behind the Rideau Canal! After the War of 1812, the British military was terrified the Americans might invade Canada again. Their solution? Build a massive secret water highway for their supply ships! Join Mira and Finn as they explore how thousands of brave Irish and French-Canadian labourers dug this gigantic canal entirely by hand without any bulldozers or modern machines. You will meet Lieutenant-Colonel John By, the clever military engineer who led the incredible project. Plus, discover how a rough, muddy, and noisy lumberjack camp called Bytown eventually grew into the beautiful city of Ottawa! Find out why Queen Victoria chose it to be the capital of Canada, and learn all about the famous Rideau Canal Skateway—the largest naturally frozen ice skating rink in the entire world!