Rideau Canal Skateway, Winter

Rideau Canal Skateway

Winter 2025, dates to be announced (weather permitting)

Follow Rideau Canal Skateway

Every winter, the Rideau Canal turns into the Rideau Canal Skateway, aka, the world’s largest skating rink! From roughly January to late February or March, you can skate any section of the 7.8 kilometres (4.8 miles) thanks to its universally accessible ramps and facilities.

Starting (or ending!) downtown and winding its way to Dow’s Lake, the Rideau Canal Skateway boasts a number of Beavertail stands where you can grab a delicious treat and hot chocolate. You may also spot another local business, Dunrobin Distilleries, offering boozy beverages to those 19 years of age and older.

Non-skaters are welcome to walk or shuffle along the edges of the Skateway (safely away from the skaters), or on the pathways alongside the Rideau Canal, Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In fact, the Rideau Canal Skateway is so impressive, CNN Travel named Ottawa the only Canadian city to visit in 2023 partly because of it!

Did you know?

The ice must be 30 cm in thickness for the Rideau Canal Skateway to open. This means there needs to be about 10-14 straight days of -10 to -20 degree Celsius days in order for the quality of the ice to meet the standards of safe skating!

Check out the National Capital Commission’s official Rideau Canal Skateway page with updates as to when the world’s largest skating rink will open, which parts of the rink are open, access points, amenities, and more. 

More Details

Address
Rideau Canal: starting at the National Arts Centre (downtown Ottawa) Ottawa
Local
Toll Free
Accessibility: Washrooms
Partial
Dates & Hours of Operation
Information about Skateway conditions is updated daily at 7 am and 1 pm. To check conditions, visit the website or call 613-239-5234.Universally accessible heated change rooms: Sunday to Thursday, 8 am to 10 pm; Friday and Saturday, 8 am to 11 pm
Distance to Shaw Centre (km)
0.1
Distance to Parliament Hill (km)
0.5
Admission (regular adult price)
Free
Coach Parking
Within two blocks

Stay up to date

Stay up to date on upcoming events and ideas to plan your next trip to Ottawa with friends, family or on your own by signing up for the Ottawa Tourism Newsletter.