by its very nature, the st. lawrence seaway project, completed in 1959, can be seen as the last of the great canadian mega-projects. an international venture, involving the expense of millions of dollars and employment of thousands of canadians and americans, it effectively changed the course of the st lawrence river: sections of the river were deepened, others by-passed, while still others flooded, all the name of making this river, connecting the great lakes with the ocean, navigable to ocean-going vessels. for the canadian government, the primary motivation in the seaway's improvement was the country's continued economic growth.