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TransCanadaHighway.com web site history

We’ve come a LONG WAY in 20 Years!

YOUR one-stop information source about travel by road along the Trans-Canada Highway
We launched in 1999, when we started building the sister FoundLocally.com local business directories. The site includes TONS of travel information about the provinces, and communities along the way. We also include lots of travel planning tips.
The site provides route itineraries of short (200-300 kilometre) segments between major communities, so you can combine them into one-day driving plans. Each itinerary has an overview of what to see and do and details of (literally) every street, highway, river, and lake you pass, with clickable exit maps, to show businesses and facilities around that exit. The itineraries go from Victoria on Vancouver Island, all the way to St John’s on Newfoundland.
The data on our community & our exit maps shows the local facilities, using the extensive data submitted by businesses to FoundLocally.com (there, we provide FREE LISTINGS for local businesses) in layers to reduce clutter: one layer for shopping & dining, one layer for travel & attractions (and hotels), one layer for sports & recreation, one layer for homes & neighbourhoods, and one layer for emergency responders (Fire, Police and Hospitals).

2023

Added 4300 Attractions

The directory has added over 4300 attractions across Canada. These newly added listings further enhance the website’s comprehensive coverage of Attractions, Shopping, Sports & Recreation, Performance, and Travel Services, offering a one-stop platform for travelers exploring the vast Canadian landscape. [MORE]

Category-Attractions-Historical

Added National Parks, Historical Sites, First Nations

Added 47 National Parks, 130 National Historical Sites, and 647 First Nations, to provide the most complete listings (and links) to the national treasures our visitors are most interested in discovering and exploring.

Category-Attractions-First Nations

Added PEI Highway Details and Towns

We added several smaller communities along the Trans-Canada Highway #1 through PEI and updated the attractions listings for the communities already in our website’s editorial. We give you more reasons to stay longer and more things to do while visiting PEI.

PEI-Farmer Ploughing Field-Sliver

2022

Radium Detour During Kicking Horse Construction

Continuing coverage of the Kicking Horse Construction Project and the Castle Junction-Radium-Golden detour  in the shoulder seasons to accommodate a major construction project between Lake Louise and Golden. 

Kicking Horse Canyon Straightening

Expanding Coverage to Other Trans-Canada Routes

We have added overviews to the other Trans-Canada routes, including Ontario’s #7 Southern Route, #11 northern route, and in the west the #3 Crowsnest Route (with FULL detailed itineraries), and the #16 Yellowhead Route. As well as routes to the North: the  Alaska Highway , the Dempster Highway and Inuvik-to-Tuk Highway and the Trans-Labrador Highway Route.

All-in with Canadian Highways

Added Crowsnest Highway (#3) Details

We have added Route Overviews and Itinerary details about the Crowsnest Highway #3 through southern BC and Alberta. We also added the towns along the route to the Towns & Cities info for their respectives provinces (and added communities up and down the Okanagan Valley between the TCH #1 and the Crowsnest#3.

Crowsnest Highway #3

2021

Radium Detour During Kicking Horse Construction

We are adding the Castle Junction-Radium-Golden detour to accommodate a major construction project between Lake Louise and Golden. We will also be including other major routes (Ontario’s 401)) and other Trans-Canada routes, including Ontario’s #7 southern route, #11 northern route, and in the west the #3 Crowsnest Route, and the #16 Yellowhead Route.

Kicking Horse Canyon Straightening

BC Floods Coverage

TransCanadaHighway.com has been providing travellers updates on the website and on social media about travel options and alternative routes, given the shutdown of the TCH#1 and Coquihalla #5 (as well as the #7, #3 and #99) due to flood damage and landslides across  southwest BC in November.

Highway 1 - Aerial perspective of flooding between Whatcom and No 3 Road

Updated our Social Media Strategy

We redesigned out visual standards for self-promotional posts and links,and expanded news from just Facebook, to Twitter and LinkedIn. Added link-back posts for provinces, cities, and itineraries to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Visit Winnipeg, Manitoba

2020

COVID Travel Restrictions

When the COVID pandemic hit, we added COVID and the related Travel Restrictions info to the TransCanadaHighway.com website. Posted updates in any provincial travel restrictions to website and to our social media channels.

COVID-19 travel updates

TransCanadaHighway.com on WordPress

After 20 years using Microsoft SQL Server technology, we used the first few months of COVID to move the website to WordPress technology, to improve functionality, improve the graphics, and enhance the Google Maps.

Merged FoundLocally Content into TransCanadaHighway.com

‘We merged in key content from our thirty sister FoundLocally.com community directory websites, and shifted the brand focus from the #1 national highway to all about travel in and across Canada. We have already added and enhanced significant local content.

Trans-Canada Highway to cover ALL Canada

For 20 years we were focused on the main #1 Highway coast to coast, and looking at a post-COVID travel boom inside Canada and from global visitors, we wanted to expand our coverage to other routes (the Yellowhead #16 Route, the Crowsnest #3 Route, the #11 Northern Ontario Route.  And we also better serve travellers to Canada’s Arctic: Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon.

2018

Toronto Detour from Main Trans-Canada Route

Added itineraries for the Montreal-Toronto-Sudbury detour off main highway, to include the east-west Highway 401 (the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway, NOT the Trans-Canada) and the north-south Highway 400

Updated Responsive Design

We rebuilt all three websites: MovingInCanada,, TransCanadaHighway, and FoundLocally to use “megamenus” and streamline the look and navigation, and improve cross-platform consistency,at the same time speeding up the web page loading.

Added Shortcuts for Popular Features

Added keyboard shortcuts for most popular content, in the format transcanadahighway.com/#### (shortcuts are entered lower-case):
  • Access provinces with their 2 letter code (/bc, /ab, /sk) and/or 3 for /pei and /nwt
  • Access major cities by name (/calgary, /vancouver, /saskatoon ) to jump to that page directly (no need to type province name in URL)
  • Access major features /history, /weather, /roads, /wine, /beer, /movies,

Rebuilt our Marketing Website

We realized we are not “a company with three websites + marketing services”, but we are “a marketing company, with three websites that PROVE (and support) our marketing services!”. We reviewed our service offerings, and provided more detail about the many great services we have provided clients over our 19 years in business.

Toronto-Downtown and Island aerial view-sliver

2017

SSL – Secure Server

In April, we implemented SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)  to provide secure forms, encrypted communication, as well as better integration with Google maps for our Localmap feature, across FoundLocally.com, MovingInCanada.com, and TransCanadaHighway.com

Canada 150

To help celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday, and the people visiting many parts  of the country to share in that, we have added, updated, and upgraded lots of information around our site  and in our business listings.

Trans-Canada Highway history published

We have published the history of the Trans-Canada Highway, as part of the extensive content of its popular travel-planning site, TransCanadaHighway.com. This was done to help people plan and enjoy their cross-Canada road trips to celebrate Canada 150.

2016

Enhanced Login Security

Updated security on Registered Contacts to improve database security

Launched Marketing Website

New WordPress site combines content form Blog, Media Kit and Website Audit domains… using Responsive Design.

Enhanced Masonry Layout (Pinterest-style)

We have expanded our masonry layout (Pinterest-style interface) to a broad range of site sections, with visual links to a wide range of content and [random] featured businesses in our directory

We’re now TransCanada FoundLocally Inc

re-branding to reflect (a) national scope and (b) our two strongest online brands

2015

Site now Responsive Design for tablets & mobile users

After 5 years of dual sites (desktop & mobile) converted all sites, content (over 1,000 pages ), and listings to Responsive Design

Hotel Reservations link direct to Hotel’s website

Now link directly to hotel’s, motel’s, B&B’s reservations info & pricing for BEST RATES and latest info

Began Adding “Pinterest” style content to all major pages

Included logos for listings, and photos for website content to create greater interest. Added showcase of featured business.

2014

Added LocalMap feature

Showed listings on FoundLocally in Google map layout, with different feature layers. What’s around YOU?

Facebook Pages and Twitter Feeds for each community

Helped to expand local-focused Facebook, Twitter & social media interest

Google AdSense for Interactive Ads

FoundLocally ended a five year relationship with Casale Media (now called Index Exchange) when they converted to “programmatic advertising” technology which adversely affected ad targeting and publisher rates.

2013

Direct Link to Local Accommodations

Now link directly to hotel’s, motel’s, B&B’s, and campground’s reservations pages, info & pricing for BEST RATES and latest info (no longer through a third party hotel booking website, which forced users to pay a booking fee and hotels to pay a 20% reservation commission)

Coverage of Cougar Creek Washout in Canmore

The Trans-Canada Highway was closed at Canmore when the flash floods affected several rivers and creeks in the Calgary and Kananaskis area, we provided coverage for travellers and truckers on the website and on our social media of alternative routes.

2012

Added Translation to 57 languages to all FoundLocally sites

Integrated Google Translate so users from other countries and cultures can read FoundLocally in their native language.

2011

Business Listing Logo Upload Added

Automatically crop and resize uploaded images used for Business Listing, and their events news, jobs, coupons. This speeds up webpages because images are re-sized to 250 pixels square, regardless of original image size or file format. Replaces links to images on advertiser website (the file URLs can change over time, or create broken links)

Mobile/Smart phone version launched

This new version provides FULL access to the extensive informational content and the business directory on all  brands of mobile smartphones without an “App”.

SK-Itinerary - Medicine Hat-Swift Current

2010

Added Social Bookmarking & Sharing Making

Now easier for visitors to share our content on THEIR feeds and pages, using AddThis plugin

TCH Washout between Swift Current & Medicine Hat

Trans-Canada Highway washed out between Medicine Hat, AB and Swift Current Saskatchewan, forcing 100 km detour north to Highway 7, we added coverage of detour routes, and helped a dozen cross-Canada cycle tours  navigate.

2009

Added details itineraries to TransCanadaHighway.com

Added mile-by-mile details including corr-roads, natural features, attractions, accommodation, towns

Added Environmental Editorial Content

Environmental Travel content added to the web  site.

FoundLocally adds RSS Feeds for key info

Enabled dissemination of key posts (listings, news, events, etc) to other blogs and site

Launched new Web MarketingBlog

Includes new features, news, SEO tips, and insdutry tip sheets

2008

Toronto-Island Ferry And City-sliver

Added TCH Itinerary Details

Added details itineraries to TransCanadaHighway.com with mile-by-mile (kilometre-by kilometre)  details including cross-roads, natural features, attractions, accommodation, towns

Launched 5 Greater Toronto (“GTA”) Community Sites

Launched Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, and York Region community information for TransCanadaHighway.com, even though its not on the Trans-Canada Route

Integrated Facebook, Twitter & Social Media with FoundLocally

Used Social media to enhance conversations & interactions with our followers for each of our 3 sites

2007

Full Google Maps integration in TransCanadaHighway.com

Itineraries show details around exits, interchanges, and for communities along the highway

Launched Kitchener-Waterloo content for Trans-Canada

Start of expansion west of GTA along the Highway 401 corridor

2006

Hamilton-Burlington Skyway-sliver

Content launched for Mississauga & Oakville-Burlington

Start of expansion of content  into the Greater Toronto Area (“GTA”)

Launched Hamilton Content

Began expansion into Greater Toronto Area (GTA) & Golden Horseshoe Region, even though not on the main Trans-Canada Route.

2005

Launched Niagara Falls & Barrie-Muskoka Sites

Sites for Southern Ontario, with most-popular travel destinations for Toronto residents

Calgary 2005 Flood Coverage

Add photos and content about Calgary’s 2005 Flood

2004

Maritimes-Peggy's Cove Lighthouse

Launched 4 Maritimes Community Sites

Added directories and information for St John’s, Halifax, Charlottetown, and Fredericton. We’re now Coast to Coast!

Added online hotel reservations

Linked with BookDirect for online hotel bookings, integrated with directory and hotel search

2002

Launched Thunder Bay, Ottawa-Gatineau Content for Trans-Canada

After completing local research and photography, launched more sites along Trans-Canada Highway

Okanagan-Vernon-Gray Monk Winery Patio and Balcony-sliver

2000

Added new Virtual Tours for many cities

st. Added new Virtual Tours for many cities using QuickTime Virtual Tours added for cities across West. Since iPhones, iPads, Blackberry, and Android devices did not support QuickTime, we are working on an HTML5 version (to be released in 2021)

Launched local information in Okanagan-Shuswap

Expanded features and geographic scope with content and photography for interior of British Columbia

Launched FoundLocally.com in Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie

Added more communities along Trans-Canada Highway, to strengthen national traavel information.

1999

Alberta Prairie Sky-sliver

Launched TransCanadaHighway.com

Launched TransCanadaHighway.com, with travel information about provinces and cities along  the #1 national highway coast to coast, as well as descriptions of each of the major segments along the way.

Added local content for 6 cities across Prairies

TransCanadaHighway.com  was launched across Canada,with detailed local content and photography added for six communities from Victoria to Winnipeg.