Welland Canal Reservations & Tolls

Pleasure Craft Transits

The COVID pandemic has caused a number of changes to the St. Lawrence Seaway, including the locks on the Canadian side of the border.

Scheduling Your Transit (An Overview)

As to the Welland Canal, where once you simply showed up at either end of the canal and waited for clearance to enter and transit; those days are over!

• Reservations are now required to transit the Welland Canal.
• In addition to a reservation, the days and times of pleasure craft passages have been implemented.
• Without a confirmed reservation, you will not be permitted to enter the canal.

Whether or not the old ways ever return is questionable.

So, When Can You Transit

Welland Upbound Transits

For those transiting from Port Weller south to Port Colborne:

1. Transits are available on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sundays only.
2. On the day of transit, pleasure craft users with confirmed reservations must be in position at the Port Weller small boat dock by 0900 for morning transits and must report in to the Seaway's Operations Control Centre on VHF Channel 14 (156.700 MHz) or by phone at 289-690-4344.
3. Pleasure craft registered after the 0900 cut off time will not be able to transit until the next scheduled operating day.

Welland Downbound Transits

For those transiting from Port Colborne north to Port Weller:

1. Transits are available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays only.
2. On the day of transit, pleasure craft users with confirmed reservations must be in position at the Port Colborne small boat dock by 0700 for morning transits and must report in to the Seaway's Operations Control Centre on VHF Channel 14 (156.700 MHz) or by phone at 289-690-4344.
3. Pleasure craft registered after the 0700 cut off time will not transit until the next scheduled operating day.

During transits, pleasure crafts are to communicate with the Operations Control Center (OCC), utilizing Seaway working frequency Channel 14 (unless otherwise instructed by the OCC).

See The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway 2021 Pleasure Craft Bulletin #2 and #3. Both of these bulletins are available for download.

Other Changes

Ticket Machines, Canal Operations Phones, and CBSA Phones at each end of the canal have been placed out of service.

Reservations and Toll Payments must now be made on line.

Tolls

Thankfully, pleasure craft tolls per lock have not changed and remain at $25.00 per lock. The difference is that all tolls must now be paid on line. A single ticket (at a price equivalent to eight locks $200.00 (U.S. or Canadian funds).

Making Your Reservation and Paying Your Toll

1. Register for an account with the Great Lakes/St/ Lawrence Seaway System at Seaway Registration.
2. Log In to the Seaway reservation system at Log In.
3. Complete the reservation form, pay your toll, and be sure to get your printed receipt.

~ Done ~

Have a safe passage!

NEXT - The Welland Decision