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.
By Alyssa Wheeler | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.