--- title: "Ottawa River and Rideau Canal Boat Storage and Slips" description: "Boat storage in Ottawa River and Rideau Canal: winter storage on the hard, indoor and trailer storage on Ottawa River, Rideau Canal. Season dates and local prices." url: https://boatparking.ca/locations/ottawa-rideau/ last_updated: 2026-10-23 --- # 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](https://boatparking.ca/pricing/?tier=ottawa) 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 May; haul-out October. ## 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 - [Outdoor winter storage](https://boatparking.ca/storage/outdoor-boat-storage/): from $40/ft per winter - [Indoor winter storage (cold)](https://boatparking.ca/storage/indoor-boat-storage/): from $70/ft per winter - [Shrink-wrap](https://boatparking.ca/services/boat-shrink-wrapping/): from $18/ft - [Haul-out or launch](https://boatparking.ca/services/haul-out-and-launch/): from $12/ft each way - [Seasonal slip](https://boatparking.ca/storage/boat-slips/): 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: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau) - Maximum boat draft on the Rideau is 1.5 m, but only 4 ft (about 1.2 m) is assured. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal) - 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: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/visit/heures-hours) - The Ottawa River is 1,271 km long, forms most of the Ontario-Quebec boundary and is extensively used for recreational boating. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_River) - 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: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal) - 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: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal) - About 20,000 boaters visit the Carillon Canal on the Ottawa River each year. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_River) - 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: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal) ## 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](https://boatparking.ca/locations/toronto-waterfront/): Lake Ontario, Toronto Harbour - [Mississauga and Oakville Waterfront](https://boatparking.ca/locations/mississauga-oakville/): Lake Ontario, Credit River - [Hamilton and Burlington](https://boatparking.ca/locations/hamilton-burlington/): Hamilton Harbour (Burlington Bay), Burlington Canal - [Niagara and Lake Erie](https://boatparking.ca/locations/niagara-lake-erie/): Lake Ontario (Niagara shore), Niagara River - [Lake Simcoe and Couchiching](https://boatparking.ca/locations/lake-simcoe/): Lake Simcoe, Kempenfelt Bay - [Muskoka Lakes](https://boatparking.ca/locations/muskoka/): Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau - [Georgian Bay](https://boatparking.ca/locations/georgian-bay/): Georgian Bay, Nottawasaga Bay - [Kawarthas and Trent-Severn Waterway](https://boatparking.ca/locations/kawarthas-trent-severn/): Trent-Severn Waterway, Pigeon Lake - [Kingston and Thousand Islands](https://boatparking.ca/locations/kingston-thousand-islands/): Eastern Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River - [Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County](https://boatparking.ca/locations/bay-of-quinte-prince-edward-county/): Bay of Quinte, Adolphus Reach ## Related - [Boat storage in Ontario](https://boatparking.ca/locations/ontario/) - [Winter boat storage](https://boatparking.ca/storage/winter-boat-storage/) - [Haul-out and launch calendar](https://boatparking.ca/guides/haul-out-and-launch-calendar/) --- Find a spot: https://boatparking.ca/request-a-spot/ · Email: info@boatparking.ca