The Rideau Canal runs 202 km from Ottawa to Kingston, and Parks Canada runs it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rideau Lakes cottagers share the water with locks and lockstation staff. This guide covers season, fees, operator rules and how to find the current lock hours.
Facts box
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 202 km, Ottawa to Kingston |
| Lockstations | 22 |
| Status | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Navigation season | Victoria Day to Thanksgiving, mid-May to mid-October. The site is closed to the public from Thanksgiving to Victoria Day |
| 2026 lockstation hours | May 15 to October 12 |
| Parks Canada office | 34 Beckwith Street South, Smiths Falls, ON K7A 2A8 |
| Information line | 613-283-5170 |
| Fisheries Management Zone | Zone 18 covers Perth and Kingston; check the zone map for each lake |
Quick answer
Carry proof of competency for a power boat. Keep to 10 km/h within 30 metres of shore. Pay lockage and mooring by the foot. Plan around lockstation hours, which Parks Canada posts each season; the 2026 hours are below.
Operator card and rules
Power boat drivers need proof of competency, most often the Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Power boats may not exceed 10 km/h within 30 metres of shore, with exceptions such as towing a skier straight out from shore, and in canals and buoyed channels. Follow posted signs and buoys on the canal.
Seasons and lock hours
The navigation season runs from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. Parks Canada’s Rideau page, last modified October 13, 2026, says the lockstations have closed for the season. Its 2026 hours page gave these lockstation hours:
| Dates (2026) | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| May 15 to June 18 | Monday to Thursday | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm |
| May 15 to June 18 | Friday to Sunday and Victoria Day (May 18) | 9:00 am to 7:00 pm |
| June 19 to September 7 | Monday to Thursday | 9:00 am to 6:00 pm |
| June 19 to September 7 | Friday to Sunday, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day | 9:00 am to 7:00 pm |
| September 8 to October 12 | Monday to Friday | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm |
| September 8 to October 12 | Saturday, Sunday and Thanksgiving | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm |
Check the page again before the 2027 season, because dates change each year.
Last lockage. At single-lock stations, arrive at the blue line 30 minutes before closing. At multi-lock stations, allow 30 minutes per lock chamber, so three locks need 90 minutes. At swing bridges, including Brass Point Bridge, arrive 20 minutes before closing. Parks Canada says opening and closing times and first and last lockages can change for water management, maintenance or other interruptions. Access to lockstations is prohibited between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, and they are not staffed after hours; call 911 in an emergency.
Smiths Falls. The Abbott Street swing bridge at the Smiths Falls Detached Lock operates on arrival all season.
Fees
Parks Canada charges by the foot of boat length. These rates are on its Rideau Canal fee page, which does not state a year; the page was last modified on September 3, 2025:
| Lockage (per foot) | Rate |
|---|---|
| Single lock and return | $1.50 |
| One day | $2.25 |
| Transit, one way | $6.00 |
| Six days | $6.50 |
| Seasonal, recreational | $11.25 |
| Mooring (per foot) | Rate |
|---|---|
| Overnight, recreational (includes day mooring) | $1.50 |
| Seasonal, recreational, overnight | $12.25 |
| Colonel By Island, valid to 7:00 pm on date of purchase | $1.00 |
| Colonel By Island, overnight | $1.50 |
The same page lists boat launching at Poonamalie, Edmonds and Beveridges lockstations at $15.00 a day or $146.00 a season, and electric hookup at $12.00 per vessel per night. Confirm current rates before you travel.
Fishing on the canal lakes
Fisheries Management Zone 18 includes Ottawa, Cornwall, Perth, Kingston and Belleville. Zone 18 closes parts of several Rideau lakes to fishing all year, including The Bog and Long Island on Big Rideau Lake, Old Iron Mine Bay and The Bog on Newboro Lake, Darlings Bay and Murphy Bay on Opinicon Lake, Freeman’s Bay on Sand Lake and Jones Falls Bay on Whitefish Lake. Read the Zone 18 page for seasons and limits. Most anglers need an Outdoors Card and a fishing licence.
Invasive species
Clean, drain and dry boats, trailers and gear between lakes.
FAQ
How long is the Rideau Canal?
202 km, Ottawa to Kingston, with 22 lockstations. Checked November 3 2026.
When does the Rideau navigation season run?
Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. Checked November 3 2026.
What does a one-way transit cost?
$6.00 per foot of boat length on the current fee page. Checked November 3 2026.
Where can I check the lock hours?
Parks Canada’s Rideau Canal page, or 613-283-5170. Checked November 3 2026.
Cottages on the water
Browse cottages in the Rideau Lakes or the Rideau and Thousand Islands region. See also Big Rideau Lake.
Township Rules Check
Thinking of renting out a cottage here? Run the Township Rules Check for the Township of Rideau Lakes. Our dataset has no confirmed short-term rental rule for this municipality yet, so confirm with its clerk before you list.
Claims table
| # | Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rideau Canal 202 km Ottawa to Kingston; 22 lockstations; UNESCO World Heritage Site; season Victoria Day to Thanksgiving; closed to public Thanksgiving to Victoria Day; page last modified 2026-10-13; address 34 Beckwith St S, Smiths Falls K7A 2A8 | https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau | 2026-11-03 |
| 2 | Fees: lockage per foot $1.50 / $2.25 / $6.00 / $6.50 / $11.25; mooring $1.50, $12.25, Colonel By Island $1.00 and $1.50; launching $15/day, $146/season at Poonamalie, Edmonds, Beveridges; electric $12/night; fee page undated, last modified 2025-09-03 (Canada Strong Pass not on page: removed) | https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/visit/tarifs-fees | 2026-11-03 |
| 3 | 2026 hours page (draft used a 2024 version: corrected): May 15-June 18 Mon-Thu 10-4, Fri-Sun and Victoria Day 9-7; June 19-Sept 7 Mon-Thu 9-6, Fri-Sun and holidays 9-7; Sept 8-Oct 12 Mon-Fri 10-4, Sat-Sun and Thanksgiving 9-5; last lockage 30 min / 30 min per chamber / 20 min swing bridges; times can change; access prohibited 10 pm-6 am; Abbott Street bridge on arrival (City of Ottawa bridge hours left out: out of scope); 613-283-5170 | https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/visit/heures-hours | 2026-11-03 |
| 4 | Zone 18 includes Ottawa, Cornwall, Perth, Kingston, Belleville; closed all year: Big Rideau (The Bog, Long Island), Newboro (Old Iron Mine Bay, The Bog), Opinicon (Darlings Bay, Murphy Bay), Sand (Freeman’s Bay), Whitefish (Jones Falls Bay) | https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-18 | 2026-11-03 |
| 5 | Power boat drivers need proof of competency, most often the Pleasure Craft Operator Card. | https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/pleasure-craft-operator-card | 2026-11-03 |
| 6 | Power boats may not exceed 10 km/h within 30 metres of shore, with exceptions such as towing a skier straight out from shore and canals and buoyed channels. | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2008-120/FullText.html | 2026-11-03 |
| 7 | Most anglers need an Outdoors Card and a fishing licence. | https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licences | 2026-11-03 |
| 8 | Clean, drain, dry: boat, motor and trailer | https://www.ontario.ca/page/invasive-species-ontario | 2026-11-03 |
Photo: Caio Fernandes, on Unsplash (Unsplash License).