National Capital Commission considering artificial freezing for Rideau Canal

National Capital Commission considering artificial freezing for Rideau Canal | iNFOnews.ca
People are seen through a span of the Bank Street Canal Bridge as they skate along the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, on Monday, March 2, 2026. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — The National Capital Commission is considering a plan to artificially freeze a portion of the Rideau Canal as it copes with the effects of climate change.

Tobi Nussbaum, NCC chief operating executive officer, told CBC News the commission has a feasibility study which proposes using refrigeration pipes to help freeze a 900-metre stretch of the canal in Ottawa’s downtown.

He says the number of days the canal is open could triple if the plan goes ahead, but it wouldn’t happen until after 2030.

Public access to the canal during the winter season has been unreliable in recent years as Ottawa has experienced several unseasonably warm winters.

The canal opened for just 10 days in 2024 and in 2023 it never opened for skaters at all.

The Weather Network says this winter is expected to be warmer than the average, which might affect the availability of ice on the canal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2026.

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The Canadian Press

Alyssa Wheeler

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