The Canoe, Ontario

My paddle clean and bright,
Flashing with silver.
Follow the wild goose flight,
Dip, dip and swing.

This is the familiar refrain of an old canoeing song, and what better than the canoe to stand for everything Canadian? The canoe has slipped quietly into the stream of the nation’s common parlance. Whether you’re practicing your J-Stroke out on the lake, rooting for your favourite professional soccer team in the national Voyageurs Cup, or simply standing at the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, you are reflecting a bit of Canadian canoeing history. Canoes take many forms: from the slick lines of a racing canoe, to the ruggedness of a seagoing cedar canoe, from cleverly assembled birch bark, to the shiny fiberglass, or the comfy inflatable. Early explorers and voyageurs took their cue from the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, utilizing the canoe as the most versatile and reliable mode of transportation. We received many nominations making this important historical link between the establishment of European culture and industry in Canada, and the canoe. Furthermore, if it weren’t for the humble canoe, half the wonders on this list would be inaccessible!

Niagara Falls, Ontario

NIAGARA FALLS! Stupendous, beautiful,
Enduring monument of the Power Divine!
Thy white-foam pillars ever moving stand,
And ever standing move harmoniously
To the rough music of the dashing spray,
And roaring tumult of thy boiling base.

- From “Niagara Falls: A Poem in Three Cantos’ by James K. Liston, 1843.

Born around 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River, on the border between Canada and the United States.

The Falls are comprised of three separate waterfalls: the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and the smaller, adjacent Bridal Veil Falls. The crescent-shaped Horseshoe Falls is also known as the Canadian Falls as it is located mostly on the Canadian side of the border.

The residents of Niagara Falls were among the most passionate and vocal participants in the 7 Wonders of Canada project. After appearing on Sounds Like Canada and The National, Westlane Secondary student Becky Puddicombe became a local celebrity, receiving a job offer from the Niagara Parks Commission and the Key to the City from the mayor. One opinion piece in the Niagara Falls Review newspaper compared the CBC’s selection process to the 2004 presidential election in Florida.

Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia

From the late twenties to the early seventies, Pier 21 was Canada’s ‘front door’ to over a million immigrants, refugees, troops, wartime evacuees, war brides and their children. It has been compared to New York’s Ellis Island, and is intrinsically linked to Canada’s multicultural national identity. In 1999 the building at Pier 21was refurbished and reopened, to pay tribute to those who had passed through its doors, enriching our cultural landscape immeasurably. Now Canada’s last surviving ocean immigration shed, Pier 21 explores a key part of our heritage through interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations and activities for all ages. Pier 21 hopes to officially become a National Museum, telling the story of immigration and nation-building to all Canadians.

The Rockies, British Columbia / Alberta

This Wonder of Canada almost speaks for itself. From the brilliant blue of Lake Louise, the Valley of the Ten Peaks, towering Mount Robson, Moraine Lake, not to mention the gorgeous Banff Springs Hotel… all these magnificent jewels set brilliantly in one, whopping “wonder.” The Canadian Rockies are distinct from the American Rockies as they have been been very heavily glaciated, resulting in sharply pointed mountains separated by wide, U-shaped valleys gouged by glaciers, whereas the American Rockies are more rounded. That’s why, even though the Rocky Mountain Range runs from Northern British Columbia to New Mexico, we can claim our very own “Rockies” as a distinct wonder of Canada.

The Igloo, Northern Canada

Photo Courtesy Nunavut Tourism

The igloo is an iconic structure recognized around the world. At once beautiful and strong, simple yet complex, the architecture of an igloo represents an ingenious use of nature’s materials to suit human needs.

An igloo (Inuit language: iglu) or "snow house" is a shelter constructed from blocks of snow, generally in the form of a dome. Although igloos are mainly associated with the Inuit people of Canada’s Arctic (as well as being found in Greenland), they are also part of the common Canadian identity. After all - even putting aside the occasional jokes about Canadians living in igloos – many children around the country have at some point tried making their own igloo-like structure in the winter.

It’s been decades since igloos were a common form of housing for the Inuit, but traditionally, they ranged in size from small, one-person overnight shelters to large ceremonial complexes linked by smaller igloos.

The igloo is renowned for its spiral dome and ability to protect those inside from the cold. The dome’s blocks are cut diagonally with a snow knife or rip saw, and gently slope inward toward the top of the roof. As for warmth, a well-built igloo with a soapstone lamp could bring the temperature up to around 0° C when it’s –40° C outside. Add a little body heat to the equation, and you’re perfectly comfortable.

Old Quebec City, Quebec

Quebec City is the capital of Quebec and, after Montreal, the second largest city in the province. Quebec's Old Town (Vieux-Québec) is the only North American fortified city north of Mexico whose walls still exist. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, as the "Historic District of Old Quebec". Founded in the early 17th century by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, la vielle capitale celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2008, and its history shows. In Quebec’s Upper and Lower Towns, above and below the cliff, you can find at least 11 architectural styles, ranging from Classical Revival (1790-1820) to International Style (1930-1965). The area is also home to the Plains of Abraham, where a pivotal battle between the French and English in 1759 shaped the future of North America.

Prairie Sky, Canadian Prairies

Vast, brooding, or uncannily blue, the “Big Sky” of the Canadian prairies has been nominated over and over again, in different ways, as one of the true wonders of Canada.