New all-electric boat sets sail on the Rideau Canal
Ottawa Boat Cruise is expanding its all-electric fleet along the Rideau Canal, and is committing to electrify its full fleet of boats and vessels over the next three years.
The company's first all-electric vessel, Queen Elizabeth Drive, has been operating along the Rideau Canal since 2016. The 95-passenger cruise ship, takes visitors from downtown Ottawa, at the National Arts Centre, for a 90-minute ride towards Dow’s Lake and back again.
And without the loud rumble of a typical boat’s diesel engine, the whisper quiet ride offers a relaxing and scenic views of historic landmarks, like the Pretoria Bridge, the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park and Dow's Lake.
On Thursday, Ottawa Boat Cruise, which offers tours along the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River, launched its second all-electric ship, Colonel By Drive. The vessel will operate in tandem with its sister vessel, which company director of operations Benoit Gatien says shows the increase of demand as the public turns to responsible tourism.
OBC has been running along the Ottawa and Gatineau waterways for more than 45 years. It also announced the creation of a new branch on Thursday called EKEAU, and will be fully greening its operations with the launch of three new locally designed and manufactured electric passenger vessels in the next three years.
"Our goal is to cut all emissions for our operations by 2026 and to make the national capital region a world leader in green tourism," Robert Taillefer, Ottawa Boat Cruise CEO said. "As one of the region’s most important tourism attractions, with hundreds of thousands of guests each year, we feel it is incumbent upon us to innovate and ensure our operations are not contributing to climate change."
Next summer, the company will unveil the world’s first fully electric ‘amphibus‘, an amphibious vehicle which takes tourists on land and water. The classic ‘Paula D’ cruise ship, which operates along the Ottawa River, will be replaced with a fully electric, 500-passenger catamaran in 2025.
"This comes at a very opportune time for the nation’s capital," says Tobi Nussbaum, National Capital Commission CEO. "The NCC is reimagining ways to reconnect to the historic river culture that once defined the capital, to allow visitors and residents greater access to shoreline amenities. Today’s announcement will complement those efforts and provide yet another option to explore the spectacular views from our most scenic waterways and shorelines."
Ottawa Boat Cruise offers a variety of tours, seven days a week, which can be booked in person and online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.