Paddling near Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa sits at the confluence of the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau rivers, putting paddlers within minutes of moving water in every direction. The city is the gateway to the Ottawa Valley — known as the Whitewater Capital of Canada — where the Ottawa River delivers world-class rapids alongside calmer lake-like stretches. Closer to home, the Rideau Canal's 202 km of flatwater connects Ottawa to Kingston through lakes, rivers, and wetlands, while the Rideau River and urban put-ins make day paddles accessible without leaving the region.