Scenic, living history: The beautiful Rideau Canal ramps up for bicentennial

Calm, clear, enticing water meandering through channels highlighted by beautiful rocky outcroppings, lakes, birds, and wildlife at every bend in the route. Lush landscapes giving way to impressive stone locks, gates opening and closing in the same manner as two centuries ago. Unique cultural features accent vibrant yet charming communities with every ripple of the water. What is now a recreational jewel also reflects an important piece of Canada’s history: the Rideau Canal. 

This isn’t just another season along the canal - it’s a year marking when it all began. As the region prepares to recognize the Canal’s big 200th anniversary of completion in 2032, this year marks the bicentennial of construction starting on the famed route that connects Kingston to Ottawa.

Today, the Rideau Canal is a paradise of lakes and rivers connected by canals, stretching 202 kilometres. Remarkably, the locks are operated mostly as they were when first opened in 1832. 

According to Parks Canada, travel along the historic canal system is made possible by a series of 24 lockstations staffed annually during the navigation season by specially trained Parks Canada lockmasters and canal staff. More than a million visitors experience its beauty, natural heritage, and history every year, taking in the unique characteristics of each lockstation and getting to know the lock staff. 

Ken Watson, geologist with a deep interest in Rideau heritage and the environment, has been a board member of Friends of the Rideau for almost 30 years. Watson has dedicated his time to researching and documenting the Rideau’s roots, its stories, and detailed navigation routes, all publicly available on his treasured website, www.rideau-info.com. Watson lives on the shores of the Rideau Canal and says he appreciates the Rideau on many different levels each day. He is looking forward to the public awareness the upcoming 200th anniversary will generate for one of Canada’s lesser-known heritage gems.

“In addition to its tremendous recreational and environmental values, the Rideau remains culturally relevant today as a tangible example of early Canadian nation building,” he said, noting it showcases world-class 19th-century adaptive engineering.

Watson writes that in 1826, Lieutenant Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers was assigned to design the canal and to supervise its construction. “Colonel By faced a stiff challenge: to create a navigable waterway between the Ottawa River and Kingston, through what was at the time a wilderness of rough bush, swamps, and rock terrain,” he notes in his History of the Rideau Canal.

What followed over the next six years was a tremendous effort of incredible foresight and engineering, which changed Ontario’s landscape forever, birthed communities, and ultimately created one of the nation’s most special cultural and environmental places. Its construction through more than 200 km of bush, swamps, and lakes was a monumental feat. Each year, more than 5,000 labourers and their families assembled at two dozen worksites. Working primarily with hand tools, these labourers and skilled craftsmen, many Irish and French Canadians, as well as Scottish stonemasons, endured difficult and dangerous conditions.

A press release issued by Parks Canada this spring notes that it exemplifies cutting-edge canal design thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel John By’s innovative “slackwater” approach, which created a navigable route from natural waterways and lakes on a large scale. It also states that the Rideau Canal is Canada’s oldest continuously operated canal system. 

Marie White, Economic Development & Cultural Heritage Coordinator for the Township of Rideau Lakes in the heart of the Rideau Canal, noted that each village and hamlet along the Canal has a unique culture to share and water stories to tell. “Whether you’re a visitor looking to discover your roots in the area, a family trying out an adventure on the water, or an urbanite seeking a safe and quiet, rural lifestyle, Rideau Lakes will find a place in your heart,” she said.

The township is home to more than 30 lakes and six lock stations along the canal. As such, much of the Rideau Lakes’ local lore and history surrounds the lakes and waterways that make up the Rideau Canal route.

Want to experience locking through the Rideau Canal this summer? The Canada Strong Pass is returning this year, with the Government of Canada offering free lockage along the Rideau Canal and a 25 percent discount on camping and overnight fees from June 19 to September 7, 2026.

Some of the most intriguing gems are the lockstations themselves along the Rideau. It’s a true Canadian experience to watch the lockmasters and staff cranking the crabs to allow boats through on this historic waterway just as they did almost 200 years ago! 

To complete the experience, immerse yourself and stay on site. While tent camping is available at most lock stations, several allow visitors to reserve camping spots ahead of time, while O'TENTik accommodations are available at Upper Nicholsons Lockstation, Upper Beveridges Lockstation, and Upper Brewers Lockstation. History buffs will rejoice to stay at beautiful historic accommodations along the canal: restored canalmen’s houses at Beveridges Lockstation, Newboro Lockstation, and Davis Lockstation. Overlook the lake while lounging on your private deck and watching the boats lock through. 

Celebrate the Rideau this summer! As we look ahead to 2032, Parks Canada already has plans in the works to celebrate a major 200th anniversary milestone of the completion of the Rideau Canal, dating to 1832. However, some events are in the works for this summer in communities along the Rideau Canal that put the legendary waterway front and centre. Keep an eye out for more as the season progresses.

• Merrickville Wooden Boat Show is set to sail on May 30 to 31, 2026, featuring more than 65 antique and classic restored and repowered beautiful wooden boats. With live music, vendors, Beavertails, boats, and more, it’s sure to be a splash.
• Merrickville-Wolford also offers a rare opportunity: go inside one of only four blockhouses built on the Rideau Canal! The Blockhouse Museum, National Historic Site, was the largest blockhouse built on the Canal and dates to 1832. It was originally a defensive building to protect the Rideau Canal from possible invasion. Eventually repurposed as the home of the lockmaster and his family, it now tells the story of the Rideau and Merrickville through displays and interpretive activities. 
• This summer, the Blockhouse will host an exciting visiting exhibit, called The Historic Rideau Canal, created by G.W. Russell and on loan from the Elgin and Area Heritage Society. The exhibit consists of 16 large panels that include 67 remastered colourized photos and 34 maps which cover all 24 lockstations and 47 locks along the Rideau Canal! Stop in to step back in time along the Rideau.
• Rideau Lakes is collaborating with heritage groups to mark the upcoming anniversary in 1832, starting with a festival this summer. “A Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Festival 1826 to 2026” will take place in the waterfront village of Portland on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19. Volunteers are gearing up to host thousands of visitors over two days. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including antique boat displays on water and on land, boat building demonstrations, markets, guided boat tours on Big Rideau Lake, an information showcase, plus interpretive talks by authors and storytellers. 
• In the same vein, the Lockmaster’s House Museum in beautiful Chaffey’s Lock is home to exhibits centering around the economic and social life of Chaffey's and the Rideau Canal. Most recently, it’s featuring a new textile exhibit this season! View displays focused on textiles in this region along the Rideau from Indigenous times to the mid-20th century. Quilts, dresses, men’s clothing, and hats are exhibited, including a wedding dress worn by several generations in one family. The quilts were all locally created, and are highlighted by one from the 1870s, done by local women from old dress remnants!
• Join the Newboro & Area Heritage Society for a special pop-up museum event on July 5 and September 6 at the Newboro Blockhouse - one of only four remaining blockhouses constructed on the Rideau Canal. Step inside one of Canada’s treasures to explore up close, and view the significant exhibition on the History of Indigenous Peoples in Rideau Lakes: An Archaeological Approach, also in the Blockhouse.
• As more communities along the Rideau prepare for the bicentennial in 2032, Rideau Lakes is also hosting a Town Crier competition on August 3, 2026. Candidates will prepare a “cry” for the auditions to be judged at the annual Civic Day Picnic held in Portland on August 3 in Hanna Park at 12:30 p.m. Be prepared to hear short cries about the beauty of Rideau Lakes, and experience the joy of socializing during the celebration.

The Rideau Canal is, by nature, a marvel through and through. But it’s also what is popping up all around it that makes for an unforgettable day trip or full-on vacation. Discover incredible beauty at every turn, coupled with unique community experiences all rooted in history along the 1000 Islands & Rideau Canal Waterways! Read about tips for exploring the areas surrounding the canal!

Want to dig deeper? Read about historic charm along the Rideau Canal.

This summer is the best time to be on a boat! Explore Canada’s unique waterway and make memories that last a lifetime while marking an important milestone on the Rideau Canal.

Header image: George Fischer