In 1812, upper Canada, an entity of the British Crown,  hurried to put up the best available defense against invasion from their southern neighbors, a motley confederation of northeastern states so named, United States of America.  Communication to the British naval base in Kingston would be more efficient, in case of a war emergency, with a way to travel and deliver supplies faster. The Canadians ingenious solution for protection was a riff on an old idea, a canal.  It took twenty years for the Royal Sappers & Miners to make the Rideau Canal flow forth.  It is continuing to work in fine form today, earning the rare approbation of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site 175 years later.

Festivalgoers arrived riding bicycles or public transit and toting reusable food and drink containers. A special calculator will be used to find out how much emissions there were as a result of the festival, and carbon credits will be used to help offset the impact.

“We’re aiming for zero, but we could end up in the positive,” said Gauthier.

In the year since achieving premier status, Rideau Canal, located in a much colder clime in Ottawa is ecstatic over a rise in tourism while spots like Hawaii are horrified at this season's high hotel vacancy rates. The flotilla is a Canadian and tourist crowd favorite but came with an environmental fair this year.  During the winter it turns into one of the world's ongoing ice rinks.Making the canal truly a community endeavor, an Adopt-A-Meter of the longest operating canal in North America garnered avid interest and participation in purchasing carbon offsets for $20 Canadian dollars per meter.  Food aficionados found delights up and down the walks alongside the beautiful canal as the reenactment took place above the canal's locks.   (Ottawa Citizen)

"Without the Rideau Canal, we would not be the capital of this country. It used to be the economic motor of this city. And if you've had a chance to cycle, walk or canoe along it, you know the active living side of it," he said. 

For its part, Ottawa Tourism has been using the UNESCO designation "front and centre" in its marketing ventures, said spokeswoman Jantine Van Kregten.

"It's the crème de la crème of tourism. The most important and most significant social, cultural and educational places to visit. We're now on that very exclusive list," she said.

In anticipation of more international visitors, the Bytown Museum, located at the bottom of the locks where the canal meets the Ottawa River, has invested in an audio tour in six languages -- English, French, Spanish, German, Mandarin and Japanese.

Making the canal live and integral to the community goes a long way towards keeping the prestigious honor. It wasn't that long ago that some Canadian politician had the idea of turning it into a thoroughfare for cars spewing exhaust everywhere.  Quebec has a couple of WHS, but this is Ontario's first foray and they are justifiably proud and anxious to make it last another two centuries. Economic vitality is great as long as the merits of being environmentally friendly coexists with an influx of tourists.

So far, they have it exactly right.