Leading European self-drive boating operator Le Boat has chosen Ontario’s Rideau Canal World Heritage Site as its first North American base.
Investing CAD$16 million, the company is bringing 16 Horizon cruisers to the Rideau Canal and aims to double that to 32 within five years.
The Canal celebrates the 10th anniversary of its UNESCO designation.
It was chosen in response to a Le Boat survey which found 91% of American customers and 88% from Europe would consider Ontario for a boating vacation.
"We are delighted to have chosen the historic Rideau Canal for Le Boat’s first operations outside of Europe. Already popular with locals lucky enough to have this idyllic waterway on their doorstep, we hope that our new base will open up its scenic potential to travelers of all ages from Europe as well as North America," said Cheryl Brown, Le Boat’s managing director.
"We expect our new Le Boat base on the Rideau Canal to bring important economic benefits to Ontario. We are also expecting extended stays in Ontario from visitors ‘book-ending’ their Rideau Canal excursion to enjoy the wonderfully diverse offerings of Ontario."
The annual boating season runs from May to October.
