45°06′N 75°48′W · Ottawa River, Rideau Canal, Rideau River
Ontario · Launch May, haul-out October
Boat storage in Ottawa River and Rideau Canal
Winter storage, haul-out and the work around it on Ottawa River, Rideau Canal, Rideau River. Send your boat details and we come back with spots that fit your LOA, budget and season.
Ottawa River and Rideau Canal at a glance
- Waters
- Ottawa River, Rideau Canal, Rideau River, Rideau Lakes, Dow's Lake and Mississippi River
- Towns and harbours
- Ottawa, Kanata, Orleans, Manotick, Osgoode, Smiths Falls, Merrickville and Perth
- Season
- Launch May · haul-out October
- Typical boats
- Cruisers and trawlers suited to the 1.5 m Rideau draft, sailboats on the Ottawa River, pontoon boats and fishing boats on the Rideau Lakes.
- Storage from
- from $40/ft per winter outdoor · compare prices
Region summary from public sources. Each yard sets its own dates and rates.
The boating year here
Parks Canada says the canal is closed to the public from mid-October to mid-May. The central Ottawa section is cleared for skating in winter (the 2025-26 skateway season ran from December 31, 2025 to March 4, 2026), so that water is not available to boats in winter.
- Launch
- Boating season
- Haul-out
- On the hard / in storage
What storage looks like here
The Rideau is a short, fixed season of about five months, with a hard 1.5 m draft and the canal turning into a skating rink in the capital, so Ottawa owners have a clear deadline for getting boats out and a long off-season.
Ottawa-area boating splits between the Ottawa River and the Rideau, where cruisers hold seasonal slips. With a canal season of roughly mid-May to mid-October, most boats come out for winter: outdoor yard storage on stands or cradles, indoor storage and trailer storage are typical.
Ottawa River and Rideau Canal storage prices
| Item | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Outdoor winter storage | from $40/ft per winter |
| Indoor winter storage (cold) | from $70/ft per winter |
| Shrink-wrap | from $18/ft |
| Haul-out or launch | from $12/ft each way |
| Seasonal slip | from $75/ft per season |
Starting prices in CAD before tax, from published marina and port rates and market estimates, October 2026. Your boat, the yard and the dates set the final price.
Local knowledge
- The Rideau Canal runs 202 km from Ottawa to Kingston; Parks Canada operates it for pleasure boating from mid-May to mid-October, Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. source
- Maximum boat draft on the Rideau is 1.5 m, but only 4 ft (about 1.2 m) is assured. source
- Lockstations are closed to access from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; Pretoria and Hog's Back bridges do not operate on weekdays from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., except on statutory holidays. source
- The Ottawa River is 1,271 km long, forms most of the Ontario-Quebec boundary and is extensively used for recreational boating. source
- The Rideau Canal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and is described as the best-preserved slackwater canal in North America. source
- The Ottawa section of the canal has been cleared for skating since the 1970-71 winter; it covers 7.8 km, including Dow's Lake. source
- About 20,000 boaters visit the Carillon Canal on the Ottawa River each year. source
- Smiths Falls Lock 29a, a combined lock built in 1973-74, replaced a flight of three locks; Merrickville has a blockhouse built between 1826 and 1832. source
Ottawa River and Rideau Canal boat storage questions
When is the Rideau Canal open to boats?
Parks Canada operates the Rideau Canal for pleasure boating from mid-May to mid-October, Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. In 2026 the lockstation schedule ran from May 15 to October 12. Lockstations close from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Times can change, so check Parks Canada before you go.
How deep is the Rideau Canal for my boat?
Wikipedia gives a maximum boat draft of 1.5 m, but only 4 ft is assured. Water levels can change within the season, so check current Parks Canada notices and a recent chart before you plan a trip with a deeper-draft boat.
Can I leave my boat in the Rideau Canal in winter?
Parks Canada closes the canal to the public from mid-October to mid-May, and the central Ottawa section is cleared for skating each winter, so it is not a place to overwinter a boat. Most owners haul out to yard, indoor or trailer storage. Confirm arrangements with your marina.
Elsewhere in Ontario
- Toronto Waterfront Lake Ontario, Toronto Harbour
- Mississauga and Oakville Waterfront Lake Ontario, Credit River
- Hamilton and Burlington Hamilton Harbour (Burlington Bay), Burlington Canal
- Niagara and Lake Erie Lake Ontario (Niagara shore), Niagara River
- Lake Simcoe and Couchiching Lake Simcoe, Kempenfelt Bay
- Muskoka Lakes Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau
- Georgian Bay Georgian Bay, Nottawasaga Bay
- Kawarthas and Trent-Severn Waterway Trent-Severn Waterway, Pigeon Lake
- Kingston and Thousand Islands Eastern Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River
- Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County Bay of Quinte, Adolphus Reach
Tell us about your boat. We find the spot.
Storage type, LOA, region and season. We check what is open near you and reply by email with options and prices.