On the threshold of a new century, modern astronomy and astrophysics are poised to attack many of the most challenging and profound questions in all of science. The scientific goals of elucidating the origins of planets, to those of stars and galaxies, and outwards to the very structure of the universe itself, will require the construction of a series of complementary new observatories that will project far beyond the capabilities of our current facilities and require the development of many new technologies. We turn next to survey the achievements and capabilities of Canada's current complement of observatories and their role in the coming years.