France is building the Seine-Nord Europe canal, a large-scale infrastructure project meant to link the Oise and Scheldt river basins over a distance of 107 kilometers. The canal is designed to improve inland waterway transportation and connect major economic regions in northern France. However, despite the project's ambitious goals, no boat has yet traveled through it, and its practical benefits remain unverified. The cost of the canal has risen dramatically over the years. Initially estimated at 4.5 billion euros in 2017, the current cost—excluding taxes—is now around 7,347 billion euros, a 63 percent increase. The Court of Auditors has identified a funding shortfall of 2.2 billion euros, and the project's completion date has been pushed back from 2028 to 2032. Construction began in 2025 in three areas of the Hauts-de-France region: Noyonnais, Santerre-Haute-Somme, and Artois-Cambrésis. The original budget estimate from 2006 ranged between 3.17 and 3.52 billion euros, but that figure has since tripled. When including loan-related costs, the total budget is now expected to approach 10 billion euros. A public inquiry held in February 2024 was meant to address concerns and clarify details about the project, but it instead highlighted ongoing uncertainties. Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France region, has suggested that the final cost could reach 8 billion euros by 2033. The delays and rising costs are attributed to scheduling challenges and financial uncertainties. While the canal aims to improve river navigation between the Oise and Scheldt basins, its usefulness is still in question, as no traffic has used it yet. The project remains a significant undertaking with both economic and logistical challenges still to be resolved.