Rideau Canal

Is there something necessary — even community-building — about mourning this year’s loss of skating on the Rideau Canal and talking explicitly and collectively about the effects of climate change?

Nicholas Leroy and his family travelled to Ottawa from France this week hoping to strap on some skates and glide their way along the world's largest outdoor skating rink.

Ottawa's Rideau Canal has closed for skating after more than a week of unseasonably warm weather, making the season the third shortest since the skateway opened in 1970.

Winterlude is in full swing in Ottawa, back for its 39th edition. This year, it has also taken on Canada's 150th anniversary branding by Canadian Heritage.