‘A part of winter is missing’: Ottawa grieves over lack of canal ice for skating

Rideau has not turned into world’s long ice rink as usual, laying bare unpredictable realities of climate crisis

Every winter for more than two decades, Chris Macknie has laced up boots, clipped on skis or slipped on running shoes to compete in Ottawa’s Winterlude triathlon.

The event, held in dead of winter, has hundreds skate along the frozen Rideau canal, swapping out their blades for nordic skis and then finish with a run.