Benny Beattie's Tadoussac
If you ever visit Tadoussac, there’s a good chance a tall man with an engaging smile will come up and introduce himself: “Hi. I’m Benny Beattie.” Beattie has spent just about every summer of his life in Tadoussac, knows the region where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence intimately, and loves to share his knowledge. Read more

Quebec City Planning for 400th Anniversary Celebrations
If you have been thinking of visiting Quebec City, then 2008 might be the year to do it. To mark its 400th anniversary, the city will be hosting a year of celebrations, including performances, multimedia presentations, and giant picnics. Read more

Marsh Monitoring Program Needs Help
Volunteer birdwatchers are needed to help scientists monitor bird and amphibian populations in marshes around the Great Lakes drainage basin and along the St. Lawrence River. Read more

Liquefied Natural Gas Terminals Proposed
Proposals to build two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals along the river have some people concerned about safety. Read more

Snow Geese Are an Awesome Spectacle
Hundreds of thousands of migrating Greater Snow Geese stop at Baie-du-Febvre, along the flooded shores of Lake Saint-Pierre, every spring. Read more

Documentary Explores Lost Villages
A new documentary explores the underwater remains of the Lost Villages, the six villages and three hamlets that were flooded by the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958. Read more

The Mystery of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians
An exhibit on St. Lawrence Iroquoians at the Pointe-à-Callière Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History tells the story of the Corn People, the aboriginal people that French explorer Jacques Cartier encountered during his three trips to North America between 1534 and 1542. Read more

Exploring the South Shore of the Lower St. Lawrence
Many travelers speed along the main highway between central Canada and the Maritime provinces without stopping to explore. That’s a pity, because the gentle farmland, islands and historic villages along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River below Quebec City have a lot to offer. Read more

Respecting the River
Every day, thousands of Montrealers cross the bridges that link this island city to the surrounding suburbs without a second thought for the river that flows beneath them. The St. Lawrence River is broad, beautiful, and of great historical importance, yet many people know little about it. Read more

Port Symphony a Hoot!
Music lovers brave winter weather to attend the 13th annual Port Symphony, held along the waterfront of Montreal's Old Port. Ships' horns, locomotive whistles and church bells blend with more traditional instruments in this unique acoustic event. Read more

Inspiration and Dedication
It was the summer of 1963, and my father and I were passengers aboard the ocean liner Franconia, traveling down the St. Lawrence River on our way to England for a holiday. Read more

About the book:

The St. Lawrence River: History, Highway and Habitat follows the third largest river in North America from its source as the sole outlet of the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, describing its evolution from freshwater river to broad, salt-water estuary.

To order

The St. Lawrence is the cradle of Canadian history, launching spot for the exploration of North America and site of landmark battles. Today, it is economically important as the shortest shipping route between the industrial heartland of North America and Europe. Its tributaries, tides and mixture of salt and fresh water, as well as the combination of shallow lakes, turbulent rapids and deep trenches, create diverse aquatic habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Anyone who loves the St. Lawrence River will treasure this book.

"This sweeping portrait of the St. Lawrence River and valley, its history, people and animals, is overdue. It is a pleasure to browse its scores of archival and new
photographs, maps, paintings and other illustrations – each smartly captioned and informative.”
The Gazette, June 30, 2006.