Skating paused on Rideau Canal Skateway tonight for warmer, rainy weather

The Rideau Canal Skateway during a snowstorm in Ottawa on March 3, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)

The Rideau Canal Skateway will be temporarily closed again starting tonight with rain and warmer temperatures expected to arrive in Ottawa this evening.

Skating and walking will be paused starting at 10 p.m. until further notice.

“We hope that this temporary pause combined with the return of colder temperatures at the end of the week will allow us to reopen,” the National Capital Commission (NCC) said on X.

Environment Canada’s forecast shows between 15 and 25 mm of rain are expected to fall on the capital over the next few days. Temperatures could reach a high of 5 C on Wednesday and Thursday.

Conditions are expected to return to below freezing this weekend.

The NCC temporarily closed the canal for skating but allowed walking to preserve the ice on Feb. 23. It fully reopened Sunday morning for skating between Bank and Rideau streets.

“The public’s cooperation last week was key in helping us reopen the Skateway over the last few days. We hope that this temporary pause, combined with a return of colder temperatures at the end of the week, will do the same,” the NCC said.

There have been nearly 1.2 million visits to the world-famous Skateway since it opened on Jan. 11, the busiest season since 2018-19.

The canal has only been open into March five times since 2010.