Soar to new heights on July 20 at a 2024 Lock & Paddle event!

Cover photo: Georgia Garrels, ©Parks Canada, Peterborough Liftlock.

Last August, more than 400 canoes and kayaks and 600 paddlers entered Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough. There, they experienced the power of the world’s tallest hydraulic lift—and, perhaps even more importantly, the power of a shared sense of purpose and community.

When the lock’s two caissons met in the middle, spectators witnessed a merger that created a small but mighty flotilla. Simply by coming together, crafts of every size, shape and colour formed a rainbow, midair, that reflected the day’s theme: lifting spirits, together.

Smiles and laughter made it clear that everyone was comfortable rising 20 metres (65 feet) into the sky, then descending the equivalent of 10-and-a-half storeys to reunite with the flowing waters of the Otonabee River. They were accompanied by friends, families and strangers, who would become friends by the end of the day.

Since 2017, Peterborough has repeatedly broken its own record for the greatest number of non-motorized craft in a single lockage. However, this year’s goal is not to surpass that milestone, but to engage more people.

On Saturday, July 20 (Parks Day), Parks Canada is inviting canoe and kayak enthusiasts and their fans to two more lockstations—Hartwells Locks on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa and Lachine Canal Lock No. 3 in Montreal—to soar to new heights.

Lock & Paddle is a fun, free and fabulous way to meet people and experience the sheer joy of being out on the water on a summer’s day. 

If you go

No registration is required, and paddlers of all ages and levels of experience are welcome. You’ll need to bring a boat, and no inflatable watercraft are permitted.

The festivities kick off at 1pm in Peterborough, 2pm in Ottawa and 5pm in Montreal.

Here are the links to each historic Lock & Paddle 2024 site, where you will find all the details you need to know to make the most of your day, including directions, parking information and boat rental options.

• Ottawa: Hartwells Locks (near Carleton University), Rideau Canal National Historic Site
• Montreal: Lock No. 3, Lachine Canal National Historic Site
• Peterborough: Lock 21, Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site

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Ottawa Road Trips is based in Ottawa, on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. It is an honour to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.