·

Rideau Canal Opens its 100th anniversary as a National Historic Site

Rideau Canal

May 22, 2025

by Mathew Channer

This year marks the Rideau Canal’s 194th season and it’s 100th anniversary as a National Historic Site of Canada. The Rideau opened for the 2025 boating season on Friday May 16 and will remain open until Thanksgiving weekend.

The Rideau Canal was built between 1826 and 1832 and was designated a National Historic Site in 1925. In 2007 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the best preserved, fully operational canal from North America’s major canal building era, stretching more than 200km from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario.

Due to the recent demolition of the LaSelle Causeway’s old bascule bridge, there is limited access to and from the St. Lawrance River near Kingston; a temporary bridge must be removed to make way for vessels taller than 16 feet.

Currently, the confirmed access hours for this section are May 17, 9 am to 5 pm and May 31, 9 am to 5 pm. The full season schedule has not yet been announced.

Rideau Canal

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Starcraft SV 16 OB

By Craig Ritchie

Photos by Starcraft Marine

Building great boats has always come down to a mix of art and science, and that’s particularly true when it comes to meeting the biggest challenge of all—creating an appealing yet affordable family runabout. Buyers want a boat that is affordable but not stripped to the bare bones.

Enter Starcraft and its delightful SV 16 OB, an all-new-for-2025 family deck boat that elegantly balances comfort, amenities and affordability.

Read More

Destinations

The Erie Canal – An Extraordinary Waterway

By Mark Stevens

Photos by Sharon Matthews-Stevens

As I shift our chartered canal boat into neutral, I’m soothed by the soundtrack of bird calls, the occasional plaintive horn of a distant train and the hum of our engine.

I reach for the VHF to radio the lockmaster in charge of Erie Canal’s Lock 32 dead ahead. Our boat spins gently in the current like a maple key in a mud puddle.

“This is Onondaga,” I say. “Headed westbound and requesting passage.”

Read More

Lifestyle