Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada

What's New

Rideau Canal Navigation Season Opens

Smiths falls, Ontario, May 17, 2013 – Parks Canada is pleased to announce that the Rideau Canal Waterway National Historic Site of Canada will open for the 2013 navigation season on Friday May 17th at 9:00 a.m.

Parks Canada is proud of the unique experience opportunities offered on Canada's historic canals. Maintenance and lock staff have been diligently preparing lockstations on the Rideau Canal for the 2013 navigation season. Our team looks forward to welcoming for another season, boaters and canal users as they discover one of the finest interconnected systems of navigation in the world.

Parks Canada advises that floating debris may cause potential hazards and that some navigation buoys may be out of position or partially submerged due to high flows currently being experienced. Furthermore, areas above and below water control dams should be avoided due to strong currents. As always along the Rideau Canal, Parks Canada monitors water levels and flows at various locations and responds to multiple needs including human health and safety, recreation, municipal water supply, protection of fish and wildlife habitat, hydro generation and flood mitigation.

For the 2013 navigation season, in addition to safety rings and fire extinguishers, lockstations will be equipped with red throw bags containing 50 feet of floating rope as a new safety feature. They're easy to throw and the bright color makes them easy to locate in an emergency. Unlike the traditional safety ring, throw bags can be accurately thrown and reach a greater distance. Also, this year at Colonel By Island, 11 new day-use mooring buoys will be available for boaters visiting the island.

Detailed trip planning information is available on Parks Canada’s website at www.pc.gc.ca and lockage and mooring permits can be purchased at lockstations or through Parks Canada’s online Shop and Reserve service. Members of the public are also welcome to phone Parks Canada's National Information Service at 1-888-773-8888.

Following extensive comments and ideas on the proposed canal lockage fee, Minister Kent - in consultation and with suggestions from canal Government Members of Parliament - announced on May 14 that Parks Canada will freeze recreational lockage fees along Canada's historic canals for three years at 2008 levels. During this time, Parks Canada will work with local Members of Parliament, community leaders and the tourism industry to develop and implement an improved operating model to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the canals operations.

Parks Canada is committed to work in partnership with others to ensure Canada's historic canal waterways meet their potential as world class sites, vibrant and animated. Together we will foster recreation, tourism and economic development in innovative ways that will contribute to local economies.

Government of Canada Announces the Completion of Two Infrastructure Investments Along the Rideau Canal National Historic Site

Two projects prepare the Rideau Canal for the 2013 season and years to come

Rideau Lakes, Ontario, May 17, 2013 – On behalf of the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Mr. Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds–Grenville, today announced the completion of two infrastructure projects on the Rideau Canal National Historic Site.

“I am pleased to see the continued commitment to the revitalization of infrastructure along the Rideau Canal,” said Mr. Brown. “The recent investment of $1.1 million will ensure that this treasured location continues to engage Canadians while generating important economic benefits for the local community.”

Parks Canada’s canal infrastructure presents complex challenges and opportunities to address historic accuracy while ensuring the continued safety of visitors and balancing a financially responsible budget. Projects at Chaffey’s and Jones Falls lockstations were identified as priorities in the canal asset management plan.

Chaffey’s Lockstation underwent masonry repairs in addition to the reconstruction of sluice gates and their frames. The cost for the Chaffey’s Lockstation project was $520,000.

The right wall of Lock 40 at Jones Falls Lockstation underwent repairs that involved a range of excavation, drilling, grouting and masonry and marked the first time the outside of the wall had been excavated since the Rideau Canal opened in 1832 – a testament to the craftsmanship of the original construction workers who built the locks. The cost of the Jones Falls Lockstation project was $630,000.

Final touches to help preserve and present the 181 year old Rideau Canal National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site are now complete, in time for the opening of this year’s navigation season which is today, May 17, 2013.

“Our Government is a leader in the protection of Canada’s national historic sites and recognizes the importance of these locations to the economy,” said Minister Kent. “These investments in infrastructure reflect our government’s commitment to economic growth as well as to the physical integrity of these historic canals and the sustainability of the communities along it.”

Following extensive comments and ideas on the proposed canal lockage fee, Minister Kent – in consultation and with suggestions from canal Government MPs – announced on May 14 that Parks Canada will freeze lockage fees along Canada's historic canals for three years at 2008 levels. During this time, Parks Canada will work with local Members of Parliament, community leaders and the tourism industry to develop and implement an improved operating model to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the canals operations.

Parks Canada is proud of the unique experience offered on Canada’s historic canals. The Parks Canada team looks forward to welcoming for another season, boaters and canal users as they discover one of the finest interconnected systems of navigation in the world.

Parks Canada is the largest provider of historic and natural heritage tourism in Canada. Through a network of 44 national parks, 167 national historic sites, and four national marine conservation areas, Parks Canada sets the stage and invites Canadians, as well as people from around the world, to engage in personal moments of inspiring discovery of our treasured natural and historic places.

For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at www.parkscanada.gc.ca under Media Room.

Navigation Charts are Back!

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO, February 12, 2013 - Parks Canada is pleased to announce that navigation charts for the Rideau Canal,1512 (Ottawa-Smiths Falls) and 1513 (Smiths Falls to Kingston) will continue to be sold at the following Rideau Canal sites.

Ottawa Lock
Hogs Back
Long Island
Burritts Rapids
Smiths Falls Combined
Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre, Smiths Falls
Poonamalie
Beveridges
Narrows
Newboro
Chaffeys
Jones Falls
Kingston Mills

Price (including HST 13 %)

1512 Ottawa to Smiths Falls: $25.99
1513 Smiths Falls to Kingston: $37.29

Charts will be available for 2013 Navigation Season opening.

Parks Canada Announces 2013 Hours of Operation at Lockstations on The Historic Rideau Canal

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO, December 1, 2012 – Parks Canada has finalized the 2013 hours of operation schedule for lockstations on the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As in previous years, the 2013 navigation season – the 181st consecutive season of canal operations on the Rideau – will run from the May long-weekend to Thanksgiving, with on-demand services provided.*

2013 Rideau Canal Hours of Operation:

May 17 to June 20
Monday to Thursday
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday to Sunday; and Victoria Day
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

June 21 to Sept 2
Monday to Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday to Sunday; and Canada Day, August Civic Holiday and Labour Day
9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sept 3 to Oct 14
Monday to Thursday
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday to Sunday; and Thanksgiving
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

*Hours for Beveridges Lock from May long-weekend to Thanksgiving are: 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Thursday, and 9 am to 5 pm Friday to Sunday. To book passage through Beveridges Lock during the shoulder seasons (May 17 to June 20 and Sept 3 to Oct 14), boaters will need to pre-book by calling 613-359-5377 ext. 102 at least forty-eight hours in advance. A valid permit number will be required to pre-book lockage, or will need to be purchased at the time of booking.

A reminder from Parks Canada about safety on and around the Rideau Canal

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO, November 19, 2012 – As you and your family enjoy outdoor activities this winter, Parks Canada encourages you to be conscious of the hazards of freezing water and snow covered areas and would like to remind you to always exercise caution in and around canal structures and channels, especially downstream of dams and areas of running water.

With the Rideau Canal and its lockstations closed for the winter, staff are not on site to clear and salt paths or other open areas. Although some sections of the canal have been drained substantially for the off-season, stretches of deep water still exist, and ice thickness can be deceptive. Parents are asked to always be vigilant with their children near the water.

We hope everyone who visited the Rideau Canal this past season had a wonderful experience; our staff is looking forward to serving you again in 2013 as Parks Canada is already preparing for the 181^st consecutive season of canal operations.

End of season on Colonel By Island

Docks coming out of water for another year

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO, September 28, 2012 – As Parks Canada prepares to close the Rideau Canal for another season, on Colonel By Island, docks will be removed and facilities closed as of October 1. The canal closes to navigation on Wednesday October 10, 2012.

In the interest of safety, Parks Canada encourages the public to always exercise caution in and around canal structures and channels, especially when the lockstations are closed for the season. Parents are asked to always be vigilant with their children near the water.

Parks Canada would like to thank all the boaters and all visitors who visited the Rideau Canal this summer.

End of Rideau Canal’s 180th navigation season

Water levels to be lowered

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO, September 27, 2012 – Parks Canada would like to advise the public that the Rideau Canal 2012 navigation season will end on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. It is normal practice at this time of year to lower the water to off-season levels.

Water levels will be decreased in the sections below Hog's Back, including Dow's Lake, beginning Thursday October 11 and will remain at their lowest level until Monday October 29, after which the water level will then be raised between Hartwells Locks and Ottawa Locks to prepare for the skateway.

Water levels will also be lowered between:

• Long Island and Black Rapids beginning Monday, October 15, 2012.
• Hog's Back and Black Rapids beginning Monday, October 22, 2012.
• Burrits Rapids and Long Island beginning Monday, October 30, 2012.

In the interest of safety, Parks Canada encourages the public to always exercise caution in and around canal structures and channels, especially when the lockstations are closed for the season. Though sections of the canal are drained substantially in the off-season, stretches of deep water still exist. Parents are asked to always be vigilant with their children near the water.

Parks Canada would like to thank all the boaters and all visitors who visited the Rideau Canal this summer.

Visual Preference Survey Captures Values of the Rideau Corridor

Smiths Falls, Ontario, September 7, 2012 – Building on the successful first round of public consultation sessions in March and field work this summer, a final round of public consultation sessions was held the week of August 13, 2012. Parks Canada extends a very big thank you to all who attended the workshops, held in five communities along the Rideau Corridor, and to those who completed the online version of the visual preference survey. The visual preference survey highlighted that the Rideau Corridor landscape is valued for many different qualities and characteristics. It also encouraged some great discussions, and helped gather invaluable feedback about how the Rideau Corridor should be managed and protected in the future.

This fall represents the final phase of the project comprising the landscape character assessment final report and recommendations. The recommendations will inform strategic and land use planning by Parks Canada, conservation authorities, municipalities and others as part of a broader Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy.

Anyone interested in providing input is also encouraged to contribute to the online photographic library of the Rideau Corridor’s landscapes. For those who were unable to attend the workshops, the presentation, maps and comment sheet are all available, including information about participating in these opportunities and about the project itself, on the website www.rcls-sacr.ca.

Follow us on Twitter at @RideauCLS.

The Rideau Canal is a National Historic Site, Canadian Heritage River, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As part of the 2007 World Heritage Site designation, the World Heritage Committee recommended that the Rideau Canal’s visual protection be strengthened outside of the established buffer zone to ensure the visual values of the setting are protected alongside environmental values.

As part of its commitment to the Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy, Parks Canada is facilitating a Landscape Character Assessment to identify key features and values of the Rideau Corridor in order to support more effective planning and management of the Rideau Corridor’s landscape into the future.

For further information on the Landscape Character Assessment project, please contact Parks Canada at rideaucanal-info@pc.gc.ca or 613-283-5170.

For further information on the Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy, please contact Doug Struthers, Chair, Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy, at mayor@merrickville-wolford.ca or 613-269-4791.

Kingston Mills Fixed Bridge Repair

Smiths Falls, Ontario, September 6, 2012 – Parks Canada is investing to safeguard assets along the Rideau Canal to ensure they are maintained in a condition that meets the standards expected by our visitors and the Canadian public. From September 17 to October 3, Parks Canada will be performing repair work to the Kingston Mills fixed bridge, located on Kingston Mills Road in the City of Kingston.

The repair project will replace the bridge timber deck and running boards. Kingston Mills Road will be closed to vehicular traffic from Station Road to the Kingston Mills lockstation swing bridge. Local residents are requested to use the exits 619 – Montreal Street – towards Battersea off Highway 401 to access areas west of site and exit 623 – Highway 15 – to access areas east of the site.

Parks Canada also reminds the public to stay clear of the construction site and respect the construction signs. For more information about the Kingston Mills fixed bridge repairs please contact Mark Brus, Rideau Canal Southern Sector Manager by telephone at 613-359-5377 or by e-mail at mark.brus@pc.gc.ca.

Parks Canada is proud to maintain the historical assets of the Rideau Canal National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for the benefit and enjoyment of all Canadians.

The Rideau Canal is one of three Canadian sites included in the Google World Wonders Project, which is making world heritage sites available to Internet users across the globe.
© Google

Google World Wonders Project includes Rideau Canal

Online wander of world wonder

Smiths Falls, Ontario, July 25, 2012 – Once again the Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada has been highlighted as an amazing wonder of the world. The Rideau Canal is one of three Canadian sites included in the Google World Wonders Project, which is making world heritage sites available to Internet users across the globe.

Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal is a treasured national resource that connects the towns and cities of Eastern Ontario. It provides opportunities for land and water-based recreation and preserves a rare combination of historical and ecological characteristics for a unique and complete cultural experience.

The Parks Canada Agency is delighted to have the Rideau Canal included as a wonder in the Google Wonders Project. Tourists from Canada and all over the world are drawn to the Rideau Canal because Parks Canada manages the canal in a way that preserves traditions of the site while offering visitors incredible opportunities to enjoy the cultural and natural beauty of the canal to build memorable experiences with their loved ones.

Now, countless people around the world can get an initial taste of the Rideau Canal from their Internet connected devices, which will raise the profile of the canal as a world must-see destination.

View the Rideau Canal World Wonders Project page.

Maplerose tapestry exhibit at the Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre (34 Beckwith St. South in Smiths Falls) is on until September 9, 2012.
© Parks Canada

Maplerose tapestry exhibit at the Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre

Beautiful, authentic Canada from coast to coast

When: until September 9, 2012
Where: Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre (34 Beckwith Street South, Smiths Falls, Ontario)

Smiths Falls, Ontario, June 25, 2012 – The Maplerose Panels, an incredibly vibrant and colourful collection of 28 hand embroidered tapestries are a loving appreciation of Canada by the artist Pauline Ward. The product of countless hours of research and painstaking needlework, each of the 5 foot x 5 foot panel is a fine example of contemporary folk art that, together, present a tribute to the people and places, from coast to coast, that make Canada the 'best country in the world.'

Parks Canada is proud to present the complete series of these uniquely Canadian tapestries; now on display at the Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre in Smiths Falls. As visitors move through the exhibit of intricately stitched panels, a story unfolds in flowing language and illustrations. Panel by panel, viewers discovers tales of the people, places, culture, heritage and accomplishments of Canada.

Pauline Ward learned to embroider as a young child in Yorkshire, England. In 1957, at the age of twenty-seven, she immigrated to Canada where she raised a family of six children and developed a deep appreciation for the virtues of her adopted home. Thirty years later, to fulfill a personal need to "create something positive," she began work on the Maplerose Panels; a project that would take four years to complete.

Admission is free, and the exhibit runs until September 9, 2012. Located at 34 Beckwith St. S, in Smiths Falls, the Parks Canada Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre is open weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and open weekends and holidays from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. For more information call 613-283-5170, or email RideauCanal-info@pc.gc.ca.

Landscape Character Assessment underway for the Rideau Corridor!

What is Special about the Rideau Canal Corridor?

The Rideau Canal is recognized internationally as an engineering marvel, but what about the landscape around it? People who know the Rideau Canal Corridor know that it has a unique character and sense of place, created by a collage of stunning scenery, quiet oases, historic landmarks and amazing natural beauty. This summer, Parks Canada is undertaking a Landscape Character Assessment of the Rideau Corridor, to help identify the special places along the Rideau Canal to ensure they are considered in planning and management decisions.

What is a Landscape Character Assessment?

A Landscape Character Assessment identifies features, areas and views that collectively create a landscape, setting it apart from other areas. This assessment will identify these values in the Rideau Corridor, map them, and characterize specific landscape areas along the Rideau Canal. The results will be used to inform strategic and land use planning by Parks Canada, conservation authorities, municipalities and others as part of a broader Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy.

How Can You Get Involved?

The public is invited to share ideas about what makes the Rideau Corridor special to them. There are many different ways to share your ideas:

• Pick up a brochure at a municipal office, or at any of the 24 lockstations along the Rideau Canal;
• Join the Flickr group: Place your photos on the map of the corridor with a statement about why you value the landscape in your photo;
• Email us at Rideau-canal-info@pc.gc.ca Send along photos of places along the Rideau that are important to you. We encourage you to share stories and information about the natural and cultural areas, landscapes or scenic views that you treasure along the Rideau Corridor;
• And later this summer, join us at public consultation workshops held in five communities along the Rideau Corridor.

Information about participating in these opportunities and about the project itself can be found on the web site www.rcls-sacr.ca.

Follow us on Twitter at @RideauCLS.

The Rideau Canal is a National Historic Site, Canadian Heritage River, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As part of the 2007 World Heritage Site designation, the World Heritage Committee recommended that the Rideau Canal's visual protection be strengthened outside of the established buffer zone to ensure the visual values of the setting are protected alongside environmental values.

For further information on the Landscape Character Assessment project, please contact:
Rideau Canal, Parks Canada
rideaucanal-info@pc.gc.ca 613-283-5170

For further information on the Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy, please contact:
Doug Struthers
Chair, Rideau Corridor Landscape Strategy
mayor@merrickville-wolford.ca 613-269-4791

Update: Boating Safely Public Consultation

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 - Parks Canada will not be implementing a public consultation programme at this point in time for Boating Safely on the Rideau Canal. For the 2012 season, educational signage will be placed in the waterway and at boat launches in the northern sector of the canal. Educational materials will be distributed at lockstations along the Rideau Canal.

Doors Open Smiths Falls

Parks Canada is proud to present and protect the Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada on behalf of all Canadians during this years' Doors Open Smiths Falls event on Sunday, June 3, 2012.

Come by the Rideau Canal Museum at 34 Beckwith Street South to learn about the natural and cultural history of Ontario's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ever wonder how the locks are built? The Rideau Canal Gate Shop will be open for public visitation. Stop by 49 Centre Street and see that 19^th Century engineering still applies today!

Discover for yourself why the Rideau Canal was named Favourite Cultural Landscape or Complex of Buildings in the Doors Open Ontario 10^th Anniversary Favourite Site Survey in 2011.