River Canard, Ontario

River Canard is a hamlet of roughly 500 people in the northern part of Amherstburg, Ontario and the southern part of Lasalle, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Canard River and is approximately 12 miles south of Windsor, Ontario. It is home to St. Joseph's Church, an attractive French-Canadian church similar to St. Joachim Church in Lakeshore (now closed), and Ste. Anne's Church in Tecumseh. The town has a bowstring arch bridge that carries Essex County Road 8 over the Canard River, a tributary of the Detroit River.

Originally named Rivière-aux-Canards ("Duck River") after the river, the community residents include descendants of the French-speaking inhabitants who originally settled the Detroit River region; they came from France and Quebec in the 18th century. Later French-speaking migrants came in the 19th century from Quebec. St. Joseph's parish still celebrates the mass in French. Replacing earlier structures, St. Joseph Church was built in 1915; it was renovated in 2015 at a cost exceeding $1.6 million, raised in large part by its parishioners.^[1]

The main sub-division in River Canard is built on property formerly owned by Thomas J. Beneteau and his son, Bernard. Thomas and Bernard were farmers who grew corn and peas for the Green Giant label. The farm was sold to developer Carl Lamp. The main road through the subdivision is called Beneteau Drive after that family. Lamp named the side streets "David," "Lydia," and "Ryan," presumably for members of his own family. As part of the development agreement, a street called Alta B crescent was so named to honour the 5 children of Thomas and Pearl Beneteau: Agnes, Leona, Theresa, Annette, and Bernard (Bernie). The subdivision abuts the picturesque St. Joseph Church property with its companion St. Joseph elementary school.

On most maps, River Canard is shown at the junction of Essex County Roads 3 and 20 (Former Kings Highway 18), which were constructed much later.