Rideau Canal still closed to skating as temperatures not in ‘sweet spot’

The Rideau Canal did not open for ice skating in 2023, a historic first, due to milder temperatures. But officials are still holding out hope for 2024.

Ice skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa still hasn’t opened, although ice preparations are underway. However, one official says the temperature still might not be in the “sweet spot.”

Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson told Global News that the forecast for Ottawa is milder than normal.

“That will still likely mean daytime highs below freezing, but unfortunately probably not cold enough to be in the sweet spot that the folks of the Rideau Canal talk about … where they need temperatures (between) -15 to -25 C for a long period of time to really get the thickness of ice … required to get heavy machinery out on the canal.”

The Rideau Canal did not open for ice skating in 2023, a historic first, due to milder temperatures. It has been open to the public every year since 1971.

The Rideau Canal Skateway can only be open to the public when the surface is at least 30 centimetres thick with good quality ice, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC).

“To get there, our ice experts need about 10 to 14 consecutive days of temperatures between -10°C and -20°C,” the NCC says on its website.

The Rideau Canal is a national landmark that is transformed into the world’s largest skating rink each winter, attracting thousands of residents and tourists.

Spanning more than 7.8 kilometres, the canal is a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site. In the 2018-2019 season, the rink set a record of welcoming nearly 1.5 million people.