Outdoor skating in Canada: a practical guide
Most Canadian cities run outdoor rinks every winter, from neighbourhood pads flooded by volunteers to refrigerated rinks in civic squares. Here’s how they differ and what to check before you head out.
Natural ice and refrigerated ice
Refrigerated rinks have pipes under the surface that keep the ice frozen, so they can open earlier and stay open through mild spells. Toronto’s outdoor artificial ice rinks and many city-square rinks work this way.
Natural ice rinks are flooded by hand and depend on the weather. Most neighbourhood rinks in Ottawa, Montréal, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg are natural ice, and many are maintained by community associations and volunteers. They usually need a run of cold days before they open, and a thaw can close them for days.
When rinks open
Refrigerated rinks often open in late November or early December. Natural rinks follow the weather and usually open from late December into January. Many close in late February or March. There’s no single opening date: each city and rink decides, and the dates change every year.
Public skating, hockey and trails
- Leisure or pleasure rinks (in Ottawa, sometimes called “puddles”) are for public skating. Hockey sticks are usually not allowed.
- Boarded rinks are usually for hockey and shinny. Some set aside times for public skating.
- Skating trails, ovals and iceways are loops or paths through parks, such as the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa and Edmonton’s iceways.
The same venue can run public skating and hockey at different times, so check the schedule for the activity you want.
Before you go
- Check the status. Where a city publishes live updates (Toronto, Edmonton, Strathcona County and the Rideau Canal Skateway), the rink page shows the latest report and when it was made. Elsewhere, check the operator’s page.
- Look at the weather. A thaw or heavy snow can close natural rinks. The forecast on each rink page helps you plan, but it never tells you whether a rink is open or the ice is safe.
- Check facilities. Washrooms, warm-up spaces and skate rentals vary a lot. We mark each one Yes, No or Not confirmed.
- Dress for the cold. Wear layers, gloves and a helmet for children and beginners.
Lakes, rivers and ponds
Rink Finder lists maintained rinks, trails and ponds managed by an operator. We don’t list unmanaged lakes or rivers, and we don’t assess ice safety. Only skate where the operator says the ice is open, and follow posted signs.
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We list 3,035 outdoor rinks in 928 communities. Search by city or rink, use your location, or browse by province.