Hey GREG HERE I AM. I live a few miles north of Perth which is the terminus of the Tay Branch, a six-mile spur off of Big Rideau Lake at Port Elmsley. I know Portland well, it's half an hours drive from Perth--why are you going to be there in particular?
In fact I've been angling for a job on the canal and had a week's work on the maintenance crew in spring. All the numerous locks (47) are interesting if you like 19th century engineering, but the season is over by then I think. (Also the personnel have been on a rotating strike the past six weeks). The dam at Jones Falls is said to be particularly amazing--it was the largest dam anywhere in the Commonwealth when it was built around 1830.
PM me, we'll set up a rendezvous, I'll make some time available.