It was a true engineering wonder of its time. Nearly 3,700
kilometres of steel pipe — pushed through some of the toughest
terrain in Canada. Up to 5,000 workers persevered through a
multitude of obstacles, often under extremely adverse
conditions, to build what would be the world's longest pipeline.
In 2008, TransCanada's Canadian Mainline celebrated 50 years of
history — recognizing a milestone anniversary of the final weld
on the first pipeline system designed to deliver Alberta natural
gas to markets in Ontario and Quebec. Construction of the
Mainline's western leg began on June 17, 1956 at Burstall,
Saskatchewan. Natural gas reached the cities of Winnipeg,
Manitoba and Regina, Saskatchewan on the Canadian Prairies in
September 1957. Workers pushed on, challenged by the terrain and
the remoteness of the land — moving about one kilometre a day
across Ontario and, finally into Quebec. The final weld on the
pipeline took place in Kapuskasing, Ontario on October 10, 1958.
To commemorate the event, Canada Post