Open canals in cold regions are prone to frost-heaving damage in winter, which affects the long-term safety, durability, and stability of the project. Accurate and reasonable risk assessment of frost-heaving damage is crucial to the safe operation of the project. In view of this, we analyzed the characteristics and types of canal frost-heaving damage and combined the information from field research, literature research and experts consultation, then selected 15 secondary indicators from 3 dimensions of frost-heaving damage subject, natural conditions, supervision and prevention to constitute an evaluation index system, by which each index was studied and quantified. Then, the subjective and objective weights of the indicies were calculated by the improved G2-CRITIC method, the subjective and objective weight combinations were assigned with the principle of minimum information entropy (MIE), and the values of canal frost-heaving damage indicies were calculated by TOPSIS model. Finally, the risk level was determined according to the relevant specifications and engineering practices. Taking a project in northern Xinjiang as a prototype, we selected four typical canal sections through a field survey, and applied the proposed model to the frost-heaving damage risk assessment and obstacle degree factor diagnosis for different canal sections. The results show that all the four canal sections are under different degrees of frost-heaving damage risk, which are evaluated to be grade Ⅱ or above, and some sections have serious frost-heaving damage, which is consistent with the actual situation. Weather, soil conditions and water recharge conditions are the key influencing factors of canal frost-heaving damage due to their high weight and great influence. It is suggested that different measures should be taken to reduce the risk of frost-heaving damage at different canal sections based on their own characteristics of disaster-bearing body, natural conditions, supervision and prevention. This study can provide scientific references and a theoretical basis for frost-heaving damage risk assessment of canals in cold regions.