Allanburg, Ontario

Allanburg is a small community in the City of Thorold in the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario, located on the Welland Canal. It is principally known for the canal crossing at the settlement and the lift bridge that marks the crossing point.

The canal corridor is the principal feature for visitors, who come to watch commercial vessels use the Welland Canal and to view the lift bridge that spans the waterway. The settlement itself is compact and does not contain large tourist facilities.

The canal and its crossings at Allanburg developed as part of the Welland Canal transportation corridor; the bridge serves both road traffic and the canal by lifting to permit ship passage. The area evolved alongside canal construction and ongoing use for Great Lakes shipping.

Allanburg sits on the Welland Canal within the Niagara Peninsula, between St. Catharines and Port Colborne, and forms part of the municipal area of Thorold. The surrounding landscape is lake-margin and industrial-transport corridor rather than wilderness.

• Ship watching: A popular informal viewing spot for ships transiting the Welland Canal; people often watch bulk carriers and lake vessels pass through from the canal bank.
• Access: Easy to reach by local roads and suitable for short roadside stops and photography of canal operations and the lift bridge.

What to See #

• Allanburg Bridge: Spans the Welland Canal at Allanburg and lifts to allow commercial shipping to pass; commonly referred to locally as the Allanburg Lift Bridge and visible from canal banks on either side.