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About the Canals
The New York State Canal Corporation is responsible for operating, maintaining, improving, and promoting New York State Canal System’s 524-mile network of four Canals—the Erie, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca and Oswego canals, and related waterways—and includes more than 150 miles of trails. It is the largest state-run inland waterway system in the United States and has been in continuous operation for nearly 200 years. The Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority.
Following much of the original towpaths, used by mules pulling boats along the Canal waterways, the Canal Corporation-owned trails include portions of the 365-mile Canalway Trail along the Erie and Champlain Canals. The Canalway Trail runs from Albany to Buffalo and from Albany to Whitehall, and is all part of the 750-mile Empire State Trail—the nation's longest multiuse in-state recreational trail network.
Vision
Revitalize the New York State Canal System
Mission
Operate and maintain a premier waterway and trail system that honors the historic legacy of the Erie Canal and offers unique recreational and tourism opportunities, while also promoting sustainable economic development throughout the canal corridor.
National Recognitions
The National Park Service announced that it has listed the New York State
Barge Canal on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognizes the New York State
Canal System as a nationally significant work of early twentieth century engineering and construction that
affected transportation and maritime commerce for nearly half a century.
Leadership
Learn about our leadership at the Canal Corporation by reading bios for our Board of Directors and Executive Management team. Also, see the members of our Board as well as the members of our Audit, Governance, Finance, and Risk and Resiliency Committees.
CANAL RECREATIONWAY COMMISSION
The New York State Canal Recreationway Commission was created by the New York State Legislature in 1992 under Article XIII-A, Section 138-a of the Canal Law, to advise the NYS Thruway Authority and NYS Canal Corporation on canal-related activities. The NY Power Authority assumed responsibility for the Canal Corporation from the Thruway Authority in 2017.
