Guyana pursuing “Canal City” waterway development at LBI – Pres Ali

The Guyana Government, through support from The King’s Foundation, is pursuing a massive urban waterway development, Canal City, that will combine housing, recreation and commercial activities.
Canal City is a new development on the outskirts of Georgetown at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara.
According to President Dr Irfaan Ali, this initiative is part of a much larger urbanisation plan and looks at utilising the irrigation and drainage canal in a more dynamic way.
“We have a development that we’re calling Canal City that you will actually see, just like you have the oceanfront, the canal being utilised as a waterfront for commerce, for development, recreation, housing, and have a more intense feel when you live through Canal City, more connection with nature, connection with waterways,” the Head of State noted.

In fact, the President disclosed that the works have already commenced on the Canal City development.
This project is one of the initiatives that the Guyana Government is partnering with The King’s Foundation out of the United Kingdom (UK) on to blend modern urban living with nature, heritage, and wellness.
Already, Guyana is benefitting from technical expertise from The King’s Foundation on the Georgetown Urbanisation Plan that is seeing the transformation of the capital city.
“So, we have, for example, the walking circuit of Georgetown that we’re doing… We have the wellness avenue that is in Thomas Street that we are maintaining – [upgrading] the earthen drains and pavements…with greenery, lots of greenery.”
“[Under] the city revitalisation plan, we have a major plan for the Kingston area, where we want to rebuild that waterfront look in a more modern way, whilst keeping and safeguarding the historical value of that area. So, when you walk…down Georgetown, you’ll be walking through the history, the commerce, the culture, the architectural beauty, the nature, and everything will be so interlinked and integrated in a safe way that you will be enjoying walking through the city and enjoying all these attributes of the city,” Ali stated.
The Guyanese leader posited that all these initiatives will bolster and help to expand the country’s already rich biodiversity, creating more spaces for birds as well as flora and fauna to flourish in the capital city.

“It rekindles also a culture that promotes healthy living with nature, healthy living with the environment, healthy living with plants, healthy living with the natural beauty that you will see… Imagine walking down the street, and you’re able to see and experience the butterflies in the trees, the kiskadees back in all of the avenues, and the heritage that it showcases. So that is one of the programmes that we’re working on [with The King’s Foundation],” the President stated.
These collaborations with The King’s Foundation will be further fortified next week when His Majesty King Charles III will embark on a state visit to Georgetown from October 29 to 30.
His Majesty’s visit will coincide with celebrations to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between Guyana and the UK.
King Charles first visited Guyana in 2000 as then Prince of Wales, during which he became the patron of the Iwokrama International Centre, supporting its mission of sustainable forest management and research.
In fact, His Majesty has been an active participant and supporter of Guyana’s work in climate, environment, forestry, and more recently, biodiversity.
Only in January of this year, President Ali had met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace, where they engaged in discussions on ongoing collaborations in the areas of environmental protection, biodiversity, and climate action.
Through The King’s Foundation, the British Monarch is also supporting the advancement of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, including a major urban planning and sustainability initiative for Georgetown.
Developed in collaboration with national and local stakeholders, the landmark Georgetown Urban Framework Plan sets out a long-term vision to transform the capital city into a resilient, connected and inclusive capital city that balances heritage protection with modern, low-carbon growth.
Under this plan, some of the city’s most pressing challenges, including drainage and flood resilience, transport and mobility, urban expansion, and the protection of historic buildings, will be addressed.
Working alongside the Office of the President and other key national stakeholders, The King’s Foundation said back in May that it has helped shape a strategy that reimagines Georgetown as a garden city, supporting walkable neighbourhoods and revitalising its historic waterfront via seven major projects.
These include plans for a new sustainable Demonstration Town Canal City to structure future urban growth, a heritage-led revitalisation of the Transport and Harbours Building, improvements to Georgetown’s historic Stabroek Market and the surrounding district, and a strategy to regenerate the Water Street riverfront corridor.