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The Government of Canada Celebrates the 300th Anniversary of the Stone Fort at the Fort Chambly National Historic Site

The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today celebrates the 300th anniversary of the completion of the stone fort at Chambly and salutes Canada's historical forts as well as all of the country's heritage sites.

"The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of commemorating the country's rich historic heritage to ensure present and future generations can enjoy it," said Minister Kent. "As time went by, historic forts have become trading crossroads, centres of community life and often forerunners of our great cities today - and all helped build the magnificent country that we know today."

It is a tradition at Fort Chambly to celebrate the anniversary of this historic site on St. Louis Day. This year, St. Louis Day is being celebrated on Sunday, August 21. This will be the climax of Parks Canada's centennial celebrations, with a 100-gun salute to be fired at 2:30 p.m. in 20 forts across the country.

"Under the French Regime, St. Louis Day was a statutory holiday. Today, it is an opportunity to highlight the 300th anniversary of the completion of the stone fort at the Fort Chambly National Historic Site. I am pleased to be taking part in these family festivities, especially since this year we are celebrating Parks Canada's centennial," said Alan Latourelle, Parks Canada's Chief Executive Officer at the event.

Parks Canada manages a nation-wide network of national historic sites that commemorate people, places and events that shaped Canada's history and that provide visitors with an opportunity to discover this inspiring part of our past. Parks Canada works to ensure that Canada's historic and natural heritage is protected and presented as places that all Canadians, today and in the future, can discover, enjoy, learn about and appreciate.