In 1855, Brockville was chosen as a divisional point of the new Grand Trunk Railway between Montreal and Toronto. This contributed to its growth, as it could offer jobs in railway maintenance and related fields. At the same time, the north-south line of the Brockville and Ottawa Railway was built to join the timber trade of the Ottawa Valley with the Saint Lawrence River ship route. A well-engineered tunnel for this railway was dug and blasted underneath the middle of Brockville. Completed in December 1860, the Brockville Tunnel was the first railway tunnel built in Canada.
In 1855 Brockville was chosen as a divisional point of the new Grand Trunk Railway between Montreal and Toronto This contributed to its growth as it could offer jobs in railway maintenance and related fields At the same time the north-south line of the Brockville and Ottawa Railway was built to join the timber trade of the Ottawa Valley with the Saint Lawrence River ship route A well-engineered tunnel for this railway was dug and blasted underneath the middle of Brockville Completed in December 1860 the Brockville Tunnel was the first railway tunnel built in Canada