Prior to the construction and opening of the Canso Causeway in 1955, Cape Breton Island and mainland Nova Scotia were separated by a narrow body of water called the Strait of Canso. Citizens and businesses in Cape Breton had to depend upon a system of railway and highway ferries for communication, travel and shipping of goods to and from Cape Breton Island.

The first real need for a permanent connection at the Strait of Canso was realized when the Canadian National Railways added Cape Breton to its trans-continental system. The first means of transportation across the strait was a steam powered ferry and train barge called the S.S. Mulgrave. The S.S. Mulgrave was built in 1893 and remained in operation until 1901. However, with large volumes of traffic and dangers associated with heavy loads, the S.S. Mulgrave was found to be an inadequate means of transportation across the strait..

In 1901, a new ferry was purchased by the CNR. The new ferry was called the "Scotia I" and was a larger vessel that could handle a larger volume of traffic and heavier loads. The Scotia I however seemed only to be a quick fix for the S.S. Mulgrave. With the beginning of the first world war, traffic increrased heavily in the strait region, and the Scotia I faced similar problems to the S.S. Mulgrave. In 1915, a larger ferry was constructed that could carry larger volumes of traffic and heavier loads known as the "Scotia II". The Scotia II remained in operation for forty years until the completion of the Canso Causeway which opened in 1955.