Lake Ontario’s mysterious depths have been attracting attention for years. In 2017, a group of researchers, funded by the OEX Recovery Group Incorporated, set out to recover a unique piece of history that had been rumored to be sitting at the bottom of the lake.

Scientists estimate that 65% of the planet remains unexplored. For explorers, this is an irresistible call to adventure. Humans have an innate desire to explore the unknown and discover new treasures, and Lake Ontario is just one of the many mysteries waiting to be uncovered. As such, the researchers behind the “Raise The Arrow” mission were motivated to uncover hidden treasures.

OEX Recovery Group Incorporated, supported by Canadian mining companies and financial institutions, funded the “Raise The Arrow” mission. Their goal was to retrieve lost and forgotten objects from the bottom of the lake. The team was eager to dive in and explore the uncharted waters in search of underwater treasures.

The search and recovery project is a Canada 150 collaborative effort involving several other financial partners, such as Bank of Montreal, Maxit Capital, Canaccord Genuity, National Bank, Eight Capital, and Northfield Capital. Some other vital forces contributing to this recovery effort include Canadian Conservation Institute, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM), and Bennett Jones LLP. 

Underwater missions can be expensive and time-consuming, with no guarantee of success. Although there was a chance of finding hidden treasures, there was also a chance that the team would come up empty-handed. The team was under pressure to deliver, and everyone involved was waiting in anticipation to see what they discovered.

The first sighting of an object at the bottom of Lake Ontario was reported in 1950. Over half a century has passed since then, and few details about the object have been revealed. Locals who claimed to have seen it described it as something that vanished as quickly as it appeared. The team on the “Raise The Arrow” mission had little to go on, but they were eager to uncover the lake’s secrets.

Lake Ontario was formed during the last Ice Age by the Wisconsin ice sheet. It was once considered a bay on the Atlantic Ocean until it expanded to its current size. Today, the lake continues to expand due to climate change, causing glaciers to melt and water levels to rise.

Lake Ontario has a surface area of 18,960 km2 (10,000 km2 in Canada) and features a drainage area spanning 60,030 km2. Lake Ontario, stretching 311 km in length and spanning 85 km in width, is also the smallest by surface area among the Great Lakes and ranks eighth in North America for freshwater bodies. 

The name “Ontario” is believed to have Iroquoian roots. It translates to “beautiful lake” or “sparkling water.” It is also said to have a Huron meaning which translates to “great lake.” 

The ThunderFish is an underwater drone used to explore the depths of Lake Ontario. With a sonar-powered camera, it can take high-resolution images of its surroundings. The ThunderFish was used to explore Lake Ontario’s banks, which contain 400 cubic miles of unexplored waters.

The team discovered an aircraft hidden deep beneath the lake’s surface. This aircraft turned out to be the Avro CF-100 Canuck, a one-of-a-kind jet fighter built in the 1950s.

The Cold War (which started in 1947) was a time of high tensions between the West and the East. Both sides prepared for a big battle, but it never happened. With democracy ruling the West and Communism ruling the East, third-world countries did their best to stay neutral.

Many countries felt that possessing superior weapons was the only way to remain safe. During this time, the USSR built an aircraft large enough to transport their weapons to the United States and Canada, flying over the Arctic.

The Avro CF-100 Canuck was the result of this search for a superior aircraft. It was built in the 1950s and remained active in the Canadian military until the 1980s.

Meet the Avro Arrow, Canada’s incredible answer to the Soviet Union’s aircraft. In the 1950s, the Canadian government launched A.V. Roe Canada Limited to develop better planes than the Soviets. The company developed the Avro CF-100 Canuck, nicknamed “The Clunk.” But this aircraft was no piece of junk; it remained active in the Canadian military until the 1980s.

The Avro Arrow was unlike any other aircraft in that period, with delta wings and a spearhead configuration that allowed it to fly faster than any plane. The production of the Avro Arrow led to the discovery of how to overcome the sound barrier.

During testing, each Avro Arrow prototype had a wingspan of 6.5 feet and was launched from Point Petre in Ontario. They were mounted on rocket boosters to test better the stability and the drag of the new delta wings. The mini Avro Arrows used for testing reached Mach 1.7 speeds before landing in the lake.

The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow is Canada’s only supersonic interceptor which was created and completed between 1953 and 1959. The Avro was fitted with pioneering technology, which included a fly-by-wire control system as well as a computerized control system that allowed the pilot to electronically control the aircraft. 

A Canadian mining company, Osisko Mining, played a vital role in the “Raise The Arrow” expedition, aiming to recover the lost Canadian history of the Avro Arrow prototypes from Lake Ontario. The company’s CEO, John Burzynski, explained in an interview that the program aimed to bring back forgotten Canadian history to the Canadian public.

After the team began the mission, Burzynski’s confidence paid off. He told the media that they would find something within days, and only 12 days later, the team discovered the first Avro Arrow prototype.

The Avro Arrow was a significant part of Canadian aviation history, as delta wings are still used on most fighter jets today. Erin Gregory of the Canada Aviation & Space Museum explained the importance of finding the final prototype, saying it would help determine the wing’s performance at supersonic speeds.

Despite the good news, the team continued to search for the rest of the Avro Arrow prototypes. They had only found the first one; the rest remained hidden in Lake Ontario’s depths.

The team behind the “Raise The Arrow” mission has identified over 200 potential targets that could be Avro Arrow prototypes. To ensure accuracy, divers from the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Diving Unit are sent to assess the targets.

After the team identified an Avro Arrow model, archaeologist Scarlett Janusas was brought in to supervise the careful excavation process. She ensured the model wasn’t damaged by moving it inch by inch until fully loaded into a specially designed crib.

Once the model was out of the water, it had to undergo rigorous testing to be thoroughly assessed. This included taking water samples to test for salinity.

After restoration, the Avro Arrow model was placed in Ottawa’s Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. The Canadian Conservation Institute will oversee the restoration of all models found.

The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum is situated on a former military air base which is only five kilometers from the Prime Minister’s residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa. With an international focus, it embodies Canada’s aviation evolution from when it was created in 1909 to the present. 

Allan Jackson built a full-scale replica of the Arrow in 1989. It was later featured in a miniseries called The Arrow and appeared at several air shows.

In 2020, evidence of the Arrow project was found in the form of blueprints at the home of a former worker on the project. Senior draftsman Ken Barnes chose not to follow orders to destroy all evidence of the project and kept the blueprints safe at home.

Over half of the Avro Arrow prototypes have been found, but the ninth remains at Lake Ontario’s depths. The “Raise The Arrow” team continues to search the waters for the rest of the models, determined to uncover all the history they can.