The National Capital Commission is investigating after a close call on the Rideau Canal Skateway on Sunday.

Two women from Toronto were skating on the canal near Dow's Lake when they skated into a snow-covered area and fell partway through a hole in the ice, paramedics said.

One of the women fell in up to her waist and her left leg became stuck. Rescue workers arrived and successfully pulled her out of the water.

The women weren't seriously injured and did not need to be taken to hospital, paramedics said.

"It is always advisable to stay on the ice surface where the ice is clear.… Snow always acts as a thermal blanket on the ice, so it may affect not just the surface but the thickness of the ice," said NCC spokesman Jean Wolff later Sunday.

Wolff said it wouldn't be fair to the women to say that they had skated out of bounds because there was no signage telling them not to.

He added that the NCC is reviewing the incident to determine if signage or other safety measures are necessary.

"The NCC will have to review all the facts of the incident with everybody concerned in order to ascertain if there are other measures or things that can be done to avoid any repeat of this type of incident," Wolff said.

The skateway remains open while the NCC investigates.

Poll question

On mobile? Click here to vote on whether the NCC should install signs throughout the Rideau Canal Skateway, warning people to stay off snow-covered areas.