The Alexander Mackenzie Voyageur Route: A Community Perspective on Waterways and the Development of a Trans-Canada Heritage Route
Are community stakeholders supportive of the development of the Alexander Mackenzie Voyageur Route?

The majority of community stakeholders, as identified in the study, support the concept of the Alexander Mackenzie Route, and see the development and promotion of the Route as a positive force for increasing historical appreciation, recreation use and tourism use, while strengthening economic development. A low level of response to the questionnaire, especially by Native communities, may be indicative of a lack of interest or even a refusal to participate in the AMVR. There is, however, a distinct basis of support, as evidenced by the positive community response, for the development of the Route in all regions between Montreal, Quebec and Bella Coola, British Columbia.

Uncertainty about the degree and form of community participation in the Route reflects a need for co-ordinated promotion of the Route and leadership outside the community. The Alexander Mackenzie Voyageur Association, with an increased national membership and national partnership strategy is best positioned to provide such leadership, with the support of organizations like Parks Canada and Heritage Canada. The key to successful development or preservation of the Route, however, lies with the communities. While the Route provides a common thread through which the individual communities can find reasons to share a common history, each community is tied to the Route by its own heritage, and must identify, protect and promote that heritage in the most appropriate manner.