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For the first time in 66 years, the familiar glass-topped boats of Paul’s Boat Lines won’t be plying the waters of the Rideau Canal this summer.

The company — a fixture of summer in Ottawa since 1949 — has been unable to reach a lease agreement with Parks Canada, which is pursuing a new vision for the Ottawa portion of the canal. And there appears to be little place in it for the canal tours offered by Paul’s Boat Lines.

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“It’s a terrible way for us to go out,” said company president Dan Duhamel, “but financially we couldn’t see down the road. It was very disappointing because we didn’t get the support from Parks Canada.

“It’s like expropriation without compensation,” Duhamel said. “I’ve got a lot of money invested in vessels and they’re going to be sitting on shore this year.”

Paul’s Boat Lines owns three tour boats — two capable of carrying 120 passengers each and the third with a capacity of 100.

The Ottawa company’s service appears to be a casualty of Parks Canada’s desire to create a more vibrant and varied experience along the canal’s urban Ottawa section.