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National Capital Commission considering artificial freezing for Rideau Canal
NCC says refrigerating the busiest stretch could triple skating days and help offset warmer winters that have left the canal closed.
- On Friday, the National Capital Commission announced it is considering artificially freezing a 900-metre stretch of the Rideau Canal using refrigeration pipes to combat climate change effects.
- Unseasonably warm winters have made the UNESCO World Heritage Site's skating season increasingly unreliable; the canal opened for just 10 days in 2024 and failed to open entirely in 2023.
- NCC chief operating executive officer Tobi Nussbaum said a feasibility study recommends using refrigeration pipes in a concrete slab, which could triple the number of skating days.
- Though the project is expensive and beyond the NCC's current budget, Nussbaum emphasized that refrigerating the section between the Corktown Footbridge and National Arts Centre preserves the iconic skating tradition.
- Implementation could not occur until the early 2030s, while projections show the skating season could shrink to fewer than 20 skating days by the 2050s unless emissions are reduced.
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The Toronto Star+27 Reposted by 27 other sources
National Capital Commission considering artificial freezing for Rideau Canal
OTTAWA - The National Capital Commission is considering a plan to artificially freeze a portion of the Rideau Canal as it copes with the effects of climate change.
·Toronto, Canada
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The National Capital Commission is considering artificially freezing the northern end of the Rideau Canal to extend the skating period.
·Montreal, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources30
Leaning Left22Leaning Right0Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution76% Left
Bias Distribution
- 76% of the sources lean Left
76% Left
L 76%
C 24%
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