The Barra Strait[1] is a 1 km (0.62 mi) wide channel located the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It connects the northern and southern basins of Bras d'Or Lake, an inland saltwater body that dominates the centre of Cape Breton Island.
The community of Grand Narrows is situated on the eastern shore while the community of Iona is situated on the western shore.
The opening of the St. Peters Canal in 1869 saw the Barra Strait become part of a sheltered coastal shipping route between Sydney and the Strait of Canso for small vessels. In the late 1880s the Intercolonial Railway of Canada bridged the strait with the Barra Strait Railway Bridge, the longest railway bridge in the province. The Government of Nova Scotia operated a small ferry service for motor vehicles across the strait for much of the 20th century. It was replaced in October 1993 when the Barra Strait Bridge opened, carrying Route 223.