Boating safety

Lachine Canal National Historic Site

The waterway of the Lachine Canal National Historic Site is one of Montreal's historic and tourist highlights, and a popular destination for boating enthusiasts. To enjoy a safe and pleasant visit on the canal, you need to be vigilant and familiar with the boating safety measures. They will protect you, your passengers and other canal users.

Historic Canals regulations, Small vessels regulations and Collision regulations are in force in all historic canals. It is the responsibility of pleasure boat operators to be informed and familiar with the regulations in effect in historic canals. Certain activities are prohibited in a canal. Users must demonstrate judgment and civic-mindedness on Parks Canada sites at all times.

Rules for navigating the historic canal:

Visitors who contravene the regulations risk a fine, revocation of their permit, or legal action. To learn more about the rules that apply to the historic site, visit the Visitor Guidelines section


Bateaux amarrés dans une écluse.
Boats moored in the Lachine lock.

Locking through safely

Learn step-by-step how to lock safely by visiting the Locking through safely page, and consult the technical data for Parks Canada's historic canals of Quebec.

Locking through safely in Quebec's historic canals

Emergency assistance

Contact our lock operators on VHF-channel 68 or by telephone at Lock Station No. 1 (Old Port) at 514-496-1536 or at Lock Station No. 5 (Lachine) at 514-595-6594 during operating hours. At all other times, call 911.

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