The famous Cirque de Soleil was created in Montreal, Quebec! It is the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Since its founding, the contemporary circus has performed for more than 180 million people in 450 cities on every continent but Antarctica.
It was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 June 1984 by former street performers Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix. Phew, that’s a long list of fun and interesting facts about Canada, we sure learned a lot!
The World's Smallest Jail
Canada has the world's smallest jail; this absolute distinction belongs to the jailhouse in Rodney, Ontario, which measures just 4.5 m by 5.4 m. The jails in Providence Bay, Port Dalhousie, and Berens River are also pretty small. The Coby Jail has 2-foot-thick limestone walls mined from the local quarry.
These, along with the iron bars, remain unchanged since the construction of the jail in 1884. Inside the jail were two cells, in addition to the warden's office, now isn't that quaint for a jail!
So Who is Ogopogo?
Forget the Loch Ness Monster: Canada has its own mysterious lake creature, Ogopogo, who reportedly lives in Lake Okanagan, British Columbia. This fierce lake monster resides at Squally Point and has inconclusively been spotted throughout the lake for centuries.
Descriptions vary, but certain characteristics have been repeated throughout the years: Ogopogo is green with a serpentlike body about 25 meters long. Many say its head looks like a horse, while others say that it’s reptilian or goat-like.
Canada Contribution to Space
Canada’s most famous space contribution is the Canadarm, a remote-controlled mechanical arm known as the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System. During its 30-year career with NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, the robotic arm was deployed, captured and repaired satellites, positioned astronauts, maintained equipment, and moved cargo.
Now retired, the Canadarm is on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.
Canada's Rich Natural History
There are currently 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada. Each UNESCO site was chosen because it contributes to Canada’s rich natural and cultural history.
Wood Buffalo National Park is the second-largest national park on earth as well as the largest in Canada, it's located between Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and was established to allow the Wood Bison to roam freely.