Bay of Quinte and St. Lawrence Navigation Company

Bay of Quinte and St. Lawrence Navigation Company

• Founded: Early 1870s
• Location: Picton, Ontario
• Industry: Great Lakes & St. Lawrence River Steamship Transport
• Primary Operations: Passenger and freight transport between ports on the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River

Company Overview

The Bay of Quinte and St. Lawrence Navigation Company was a Canadian steamship line based in Picton, Ontario, specializing in passenger and cargo transport. The company primarily operated sidewheel steamers, which were the dominant vessels for inland waterways during the mid-to-late 19th century.

It played a significant role in connecting communities along the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River, serving as a critical link between small towns and major trade centers like Kingston, Belleville, and Montreal.

Notable Vessels Operated

The company owned and operated several wooden sidewheel steamers, including the steamer Picton, which was built in 1870 and later wrecked in 1882 near Rondeau, Ontario.

• Steamer Picton (1870)  Built at Mill Point (Deseronto), Ontario by William Yeoman  Originally used for Montreal-Lake Ontario service Rebuilt in 1877 with upper deck cabins Intended for Georgian Bay service in 1882 but wrecked at Rondeau before entering operation
• The Trenton was a wooden steamer built in Montreal in 1854 by A. Cantin. Some sources list her as a propeller-driven vessel, while others indicate she may have been a sidewheel steamer. She was operated by the Bay of Quinte & St. Lawrence Navigation Line (McQuaig’s Line), a company that ran passenger and freight steamers between Kingston, Picton, Belleville, and Montreal.

Other vessels associated with the company are less well-documented, but it likely operated multiple sidewheel and propeller-driven steamers that carried passengers, goods, and mail between Ontario ports.

Decline & Disbandment

Like many regional steamship companies, the Bay of Quinte and St. Lawrence Navigation Company faced increasing competition from railways, which were expanding in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As rail transport became more efficient and widely available, steamboat routes became less profitable.

By the early 20th century, the company either ceased operations or was absorbed into larger navigation companies as the Great Lakes shipping industry modernized.

Conclusion

The Bay of Quinte and St. Lawrence Navigation Company was an essential player in 19th-century Canadian steamship transport, facilitating commerce and travel along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Although its vessels, such as the Picton, are now part of maritime history, the company’s impact on regional trade and transportation remains a significant part of Ontario’s shipping legacy.