• contains the largest inland river system in southern Ontario
• has a total area of 6,800 square kilometers (2,600 square miles)
• has a population of close to 900,000 in 38 municipalities
• consists of the main Grand River and four major tributaries: the Speed, Eramosa, Nith and Conestogo Rivers
• crosses four climate zones. North to south they are the Dundalk Upland, Huron Slopes, South Slopes and Lake Erie Counties
• crosses two forest zones, the Alleghenian and Carolinian

The Grand River was declared a Canadian Heritage River in 1994 because of its outstanding river-related human heritage and recreational values of national significance. It was the first Heritage River flowing through a developed and urbanized area.

There are 82 species of fish in the Grand River watershed. That’s 50 per cent of all the fish species found in Canada.

The Grand River Conservation Authority, founded in 1938, was the first water management agency in Canada.

The Grand River has had many different names. The Mohawks called it “O:se Kenhionhata:tie”, which means “willow river.” Early French explorers named it “La Rapide” or “La Grande.” For a time in the late 1700s it was renamed The Ouse, after an English river, before it became, finally, the Grand River.

In the early 1800s the Grand was alive with ships after locks and canals were constructed to make the river passable as far as Brantford. Cargo and passenger ships made regular runs between Grand River communities and Buffalo.

Paris to Brantford - Exceptional Waters Program

Highlighted in recent years is the return of significant wildlife
species to the Grand River watershed. This includes eagles and osprey, as well as quickly improving fish populations, both of which are indicators of a healthy river system.

Notable among these successes is the stretch of the Grand between Paris and Brantford, which has been designated one of three Exceptional Waterways in Ontario. A community advisory committee works with local municipalities to continue improvement of the river. Their focus is on improving outdoor recreation (especially canoeing, fishing and hiking), environmental health and stewardship.

To find out more about this exciting stretch of the Grand River, and the Exceptional Waters Program, log on to www.grandriver.ca/exceptionalwaters