Parks Canada waives 2017 lockage fees for canals in Ontario, Quebec

OTTAWA -- Taking a boat through one of Canada's historic canals will be a little cheaper next year.

Parks Canada says it will waive lockage fees in 2017 to help mark the country's 150th anniversary.

The change applies to several canals in Quebec -- including Carillon, Chambly, Lachine, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Saint-Ours -- and Ontario's Rideau Canal and Trent-Severn Waterway. Moorage fees, however, will remain in place.

Lockage fees vary according to the length of the craft. For 2016, they include a six-day pass for $5.05 per foot and a seasonal permit for $8.80 per foot.

Earlier this year, in the federal budget, the government announced that admission to national parks and historic sites would also be free in 2017.