Ontario Parks’ Big Canoe is on tour this August!

Discovery staff from Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park are taking their Big Canoe on tour to six different parks this August 2025!

If you haven’t had an opportunity to paddle the Big Canoe, now might be your chance!

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Paddle back in time

The fur trade in these big ‘Montreal’ canoes occurred along the ‘Ottawa Route’ from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s. The travelling big canoe tour will take place at various locations along the waterways travelled as part of this route such as the Ottawa River, the French River, Georgian Bay, and Lake Superior.

You will get to experience paddling one of these unique 36 ft. ‘Montreal’ canoes while learning about the canoes, the people who paddled them, and the legacy of the fur trade while retracing the paths of these historic travelers.

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Tour information

The Big Canoe tour is free.

All ages welcome and no equipment or prior experience needed!

A minimum of four adult participants are needed for a tour to run, and a maximum of ten people can go in the canoe at a time.

We are eager to paddle through time with you, learn a bit about regionally relevant history, and have some fun doing so!

For tour lengths, departure times, and registration information (first-come-first-serve or pre-register) please see the relevant park’s social media page.

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We’ll see you on the water at a park near you!