Designing a Great Lakes naval force

What could a Canadian Great Lakes naval buildup have produced in the early twentieth century?

A major industrial confrontation might produce armoured cruisers or monitors, although conventional battleships would remain unlikely.

Lake depth and Canadian industrial capacity set the design limits. A major Canadian industrial expansion and a matching American military buildup would be needed before large lake warships became plausible. A conventional seagoing battleship would be an awkward fit for the theatre. Heavily armoured cruisers and monitors offer more credible ways to concentrate firepower in restricted water.