The view of the Rideau Canal Skateway from the Corktown Footbridge in Ottawa. (Andrew Adlington/CTV News Ottawa)
The Rideau Canal Skateway is enjoying its busiest season in six years, as the green flag continues to fly on the world’s largest skating rink.
Tuesday is the 39th day of skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway since a four-kilometre stretch initially opened on Jan. 11. The full 7.8 km of the Skateway opened for skaters on Jan. 18.
The National Capital Commission (NCC) has counted over 800,000 visits to the Skateway since Jan. 11, and the one-millionth visit is expected to happen this week.
In Pictures
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Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season A person records video of skaters on the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Abigail T., 5, gets a push in the jogging stroller from her brother Harrison, 3, as they skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage site. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Tomas Cifuentes, seven-years-old, gets a hand from his mother Carolina Forero with adjusting his skates, as they skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season A dog catches a ride in a backpack as skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season Skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway opens for the season People skate away with Beavertail pastries and hot drinks, along the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage site. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway People skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS) (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway People skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS) (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skateway People skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS) (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Rideau Canal Skaters enjoy a skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa. (Brad Quinn/CTV News Ottawa)
Rideau Canal Skateway People skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway on Jan. 17, 2025. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
Beavertails Ottawa Skaters line up at Beavertails on the Rideau Canal Skateway on Jan. 18, 2025. (Kimberley Johnson/CTV News Ottawa)
Rideau Canal Skateway The Rideau Canal Skateway on Sunday, Jan. 19. (Maddison De Varennes/CTV News Ottawa)
Rideau Canal Skateway Snow covers the Rideau Canal Skateway on Thursday morning. (James Fish/CTV Morning Live)
Rideau Canal The Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa weather The view of the Rideau Canal Skateway from the Corktown Footbridge in Ottawa. (Andrew Adlington/CTV News Ottawa)
Skating with a large Canadian flag on the Rideau Canal Local youth skate with a large Canadian flag on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 during the launch of celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada Day. (Kimberley Johnson/CTV News Ottawa)
Ottawa snowstorm The Rideau Canal Skateway during a snowstorm on Feb. 16, 2025. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
Winter storm in Ottawa People skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway as snow falls in Ottawa, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Winter storm in Ottawa A skater braces against the wind and snow as they make their way along the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Winter storm in Ottawa Canadian flags fly from balconies as a person skates in the snow on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Winter storm in Ottawa A person skates on the Rideau Canal Skateway as snow falls in Ottawa, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Rideau Canal Skateway A look at the Rideau Canal Skateway on Monday. The National Capital Commission says ice conditions are "poor" following the weekend snowfall. (NCC/website)
“The NCC is pleased with how the 2024-2025 season of the Rideau Canal Skateway is going so far,” NCC spokesperson Maryam El-Akhrass said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
“Consistently cold temperatures combined with the hard work of our crews is giving visitors to the Skateway generally excellent ice conditions, and the new walking lane is a welcome addition. We hope the weather allows us to welcome skaters and walkers for many weeks to come.”
The NCC says the over 800,000 visits are the most visits to the Rideau Canal Skateway since the 2018-2019 season, when a record 1.49 million visits were recorded during the 59 days of skating.
Since 2010, the skating season on the Rideau Canal Skateway has extended into March 5 times, with the season ending on March 10, 2018 and March 5, 2022.
