The Welland Canal first opened to ships in 1829.
The canal was built across the Niagara Peninsula to provide a navigable route between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Without it, vessels would have to contend with Niagara Falls and the steep elevation difference between the two lakes.
The first canal opened in 1829, but later enlargements and reconstructions produced the modern route. The current Welland Canal forms part of the St. Lawrence Seaway and uses a series of locks to raise and lower ships between the two Great Lakes. It remains a major route for bulk cargo such as grain, iron ore, coal, and construction materials.
The Welland Canal is often confused with the Niagara River. The river is the natural connection and contains Niagara Falls; the canal is the engineered bypass that allows commercial navigation around the falls.