About British Waterways Scotland
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Economic impact of Scotland's canals

The canals in Scotland have helped to generate a 3 fold return on investment for the Scottish Government over the past 10 years.

Through the strategic and inclusive regeneration and development of the canal corridors they have stimulated inward investment into local waterside communities through new commercial space and support for relocating and start-up businesses, created new jobs, driven the growth of national and regional tourism and delivered new homes.

Take a look through the gallery below to find out more.

  • Tyres in canal
  • Alex Salmond talking at The Falkirk Wheel
  • Edinburgh Quay on the Union Canal
  • Boarding the Jacobite Queen on Loch Ness
  • Speirs Wharf appartments on the Forth & Clyde Canal
  • Underwood Lockhouse at Lock 17 on the Forth & Clyde Canal
  • The Kelpies at The Falkirk Wheel
  • Tyres in canal
  • Alex Salmond talking at The Falkirk Wheel
  • Edinburgh Quay on the Union Canal
  • Boarding the Jacobite Queen on Loch Ness
  • Speirs Wharf appartments on the Forth & Clyde Canal
  • Underwood Lockhouse at Lock 17 on the Forth & Clyde Canal
  • The Kelpies at The Falkirk Wheel
  • No longer an eye soreThe Millennium Link funding helped make scenes like this a thing of the past and re-opened the canals in central Scotland...
    Supported by Government...the Government grant for the Scottish canals has totalled £109 million over the past 10 years...
    Attracting private investment...in that same period the canals have stimulated inward investment of £354 million through new commercial space and support for relocating and start-up businesses...
    Creating new jobs...almost 4,000 jobs have been created including employment through businesses such as Jocobite Queen on the Caledonian Canal...
    Creating new homes...there have been 2,000 new canalside homes created making a significant contribution to the annual housing shortfall estimated by the Scottish Government to be around 35,000...
    Creating new businesses...107,000 square metres of commercial space has been made available across Scotland and businesses such as Underwood Lockhouse at Lock 17 on the Forth & Clyde Canal have been located canalside...
    Continuing to deliver...it is projected that, with continued support, the canals can attract £1.84 billion of private investment, help create over 16,000 jobs and deliver almost 14,000 new homes for Scotland by 2020.
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