View source for Ottawa

{{Short description|Capital city of Canada}}
{{About|the capital of Canada}}
{{Distinguish|Oshawa|Otawa|Ottoa|Ottumwa}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Ottawa
| official_name      = City of Ottawa<br />{{native name|fr|Ville d'Ottawa}}
| settlement_type    = [[Federal capital city]]
| government_type    = [[List of municipalities in Ontario#Single-tier municipalities|Single-tier municipality]] with a [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–council system]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border            = infobox
| perrow            = 1/2/2/1
| total_width       = 280
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Parliament-Ottawa.jpg
| caption1          = [[Centre Block|Centre Block on Parliament Hill]]
| image2            = Rideau Canal at downtown Ottawa.JPG
| caption2          = [[Rideau Canal]]
| image3            = 10 Rideau Hall P1350151.jpg
| caption3          = [[Rideau Hall]]
| image4            = View of west elevation of Château Laurier Hotel, Ottawa;.jpg
| caption4          = [[Château Laurier]]
| image5            = Major's Hill Park(3).jpg
| caption5          = [[National Gallery of Canada]]
| image6            = Downtown Ottawa 2022.jpg
| caption6          = [[Downtown Ottawa]]
}}
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag of Ottawa, Ontario.svg
| flag_size          = 120x80px
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Ottawa, Ontario.png
| shield_size        = 120x90px
| image_blank_emblem = Ottawa, City of.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| blank_emblem_size  = 140px
| nickname           = {{hlist|[[Bytown]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/sports/article/156843 |title=A few blue and white things to be thankful for |author=Kennedy, Ryan |date=8 December 2008 |publisher=[[Metro International]] |access-date=29 April 2022 |archive-date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522151801/http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/sports/article/156843 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Inc2014">{{cite encyclopedia |entry=Ottawa |title=Britannica Student Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6IOKAwAAQBAJ&pg=RA8-PA155 |year=2014 |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc |isbn=978-1-62513-172-0 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611032603/https://books.google.com/books?id=6IOKAwAAQBAJ&pg=RA8-PA155 |archive-date=11 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>|"O-town"<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/music/jazzblog/o-town-originals |title=O-Town Originals |author=Peter Hum |newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |publisher=[[Postmedia Network]] |date=9 November 2009 |access-date=4 January 2015 |archive-date=4 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104114439/http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/music/jazzblog/o-town-originals |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| motto              = "Advance-Ottawa-En Avant"<br />Written in the [[Bilingualism in Ottawa|two official languages]].<ref name="Montague">{{cite book |url=http://www.bookofeverything.com/website/docs/OttawaBOE_Essentials.pdf |title=Ottawa Book of Everything |author=Art Montague |publisher=MacIntyre Purcell Publishing |year=2008 |access-date=14 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426063702/http://www.bookofeverything.com/website/docs/OttawaBOE_Essentials.pdf |archive-date=26 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| image_map          = {{hidden begin|title=OpenStreetMap|ta1=center}}{{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=y|frame-width=250|frame-height=200|frame-align=center|zoom=6|type=point|title=Ottawa|marker=city|type2=shape|stroke-width2=2|stroke-color2=#808080}}{{hidden end}}
| pushpin_map        = Canada#North America
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| coordinates        = {{coord|45|25|29|N|75|41|42|W|region:CA-ON_type:city(1,000,000)|name=Ottawa|notes=<ref name=cgndbott>{{Cite cgndb|FEVNT|Ottawa}}</ref>|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Canada]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Ontario]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1826 as [[Bytown]]<ref name="EdwardsIvison2005">{{cite book |author1=Justin D. Edwards |author-link1=Justin D. Edwards |author2=Douglas Ivison |title=Downtown Canada: Writing Canadian Cities |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bD75NCOS18C&pg=PA35 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=978-0-8020-8668-6 |page=35 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520011646/https://books.google.com/books?id=0bD75NCOS18C&pg=PA35 |archive-date=20 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| established_title2 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date2  = 1855 as City of Ottawa<ref name="EdwardsIvison2005"/>
| established_title3 = [[Amalgamation (politics)|Amalgamated]]
| established_date3  = 1 January 2001
| leader_title       = [[Mayor of Ottawa|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Mark Sutcliffe]]
| leader_title1      = [[City council]]
| leader_name1       = [[Ottawa City Council]]
| area_footnotes     = <ref name=CityPop/><ref name=UAPop/><ref name=CMAPop/>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 2790.31
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_km2      = 2788.20
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_urban_km2     = 549.49
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_metro_km2     = 8046.99
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| elevation_m        = 70
| elevation_ft       = 230
| population_total   = 1,017,449 ([[List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population|4th]])
| population_as_of   = 2021
| population_footnotes = <ref name=CityPop>{{cite web |title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202 |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref><ref name=UAPop>{{cite web |title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and population centres, 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810001101 |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref><ref name=CMAPop>{{cite web |title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000501 |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = 364.9
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 1,068,821
| population_density_urban_km2 = 1945.1
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 
| population_metro   = 1,488,307 ([[List of census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada|4th]])
| population_density_metro_km2 = 185.0
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_blank1_title = [[Demonym]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/lansdowne_partnership/urban_park/proposed_designs/c_en.html |title=City of Ottawa – Design C |publisher=Ottawa.ca |date=20 May 2010 |access-date=26 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118093823/http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/lansdowne_partnership/urban_park/proposed_designs/c_en.html |archive-date=18 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/occ/2011/08-25/fedco/01%20-%20ACS2011-OCM-CMR-0003%20-%202010%20Report%20on%20FLS%20ENG.htm |title=Rapport au / Report to |publisher=Ottawa.ca |year=2011 |access-date=26 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118170026/http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/occ/2011/08-25/fedco/01%20-%20ACS2011-OCM-CMR-0003%20-%202010%20Report%20on%20FLS%20ENG.htm |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_blank1  = Ottawan
| population_note    = 
| postal_code_type   = Postal code span
| postal_code        = K0A-K4C<ref name="Montague"/>
| area_codes         = [[Area codes 613, 343, and 753|613, 343, 753]]
| unemployment_rate  = 
| blank_name_sec2    = GDP (Ottawa–Gatineau {{Abbr|CMA|Census metropolitan area}})
| blank_info_sec2    = [[Canadian dollar|CA$]]89.9 billion (2020)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3610046801&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2019&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20190101%2C20200101 |title=Table 36-10-0468-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by census metropolitan area (CMA) (x 1,000,000) |date=6 December 2023 |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |access-date=15 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122184338/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3610046801 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| blank1_name_sec2   = GDP per capita (Ottawa–Gatineau {{Abbr|CMA|Census metropolitan area}})
| blank1_info_sec2   = [[Canadian dollar|CA$]]60,414 (2020)
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = 
| leader_title2      = <!--Listing MPs under government in the infobox implies that they are part of the City of Ottawa administration. MPs are federal representatives.--> [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Federal<br />representation]]
| leader_name2       = {{Collapsible list
| title = List of MPs
| frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
| title_style = 
| list_style = text-align:left; display:none;
| 1 = [[Mark Carney]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 2 = [[Bruce Fanjoy]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 3 = [[Mona Fortier]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 4 = [[Marie-France Lalonde]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 5 = [[David McGuinty]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 6 = [[Yasir Naqvi]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 7 = [[Jenna Sudds]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
| 8 = [[Anita Vandenbeld]] ([[Liberal Party of Canada|LPC]])
}}
| leader_title3      = <!--Listing MPPs under government in the infobox implies that they are part of the City of Ottawa administration. MPPs are provincial representatives-->{{Nowrap|[[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Provincial<br />representation]]}}
| leader_name3       = {{Collapsible list
| title = List of MPPs
| frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
| title_style = 
| list_style = text-align:left; display:none;
| 1 = [[Stephen Blais]] ([[Ontario Liberal Party|OLP]])
| 2 = [[Lucille Collard]] ([[Ontario Liberal Party|OLP]])
| 3 = [[George Darouze]] ([[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|PC]])
| 4 = [[John Fraser (Ontario MPP)|John Fraser]] ([[Ontario Liberal Party|OLP]])
| 5 = [[Karen McCrimmon]] ([[Ontario Liberal Party|OLP]])
| 6 = [[Catherine McKenney]] ([[Ontario New Democratic Party|NDP]])
| 7 = [[Chandra Pasma]] ([[Ontario New Democratic Party|NDP]])
| 8 = [[Tyler Watt]] ([[Ontario Liberal Party|OLP]])
}}
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = &minus;05:00
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;04:00
| image_map1         = Map of Ontario OTTAWA.svg
}}

'''Ottawa'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|audio=Ottawa.ogg|ˈ|ɒ|t|ə|w|ə}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɒ|t|ə|w|ɑː}}; {{IPA|fr|ɔtawɑ|label=Canadian French:}}}} is the [[capital city]] of [[Canada]]. It is located in the [[southern Ontario|southern]] portion of the province of [[Ontario]], at the confluence of the [[Ottawa River]] and the [[Rideau River]]. Ottawa borders [[Gatineau|Gatineau, Quebec]], and forms the core of the Ottawa–Gatineau [[census metropolitan area]] (CMA) and the [[National Capital Region (Canada)|National Capital Region]] (NCR).<ref>{{cite web |date=22 June 2011 |title=National Capital Act (R. S. C., 1985, c. N-4) |url=http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/N-4.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811020955/http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/N-4.pdf |archive-date=11 August 2011 |access-date=8 July 2011 |publisher=Department of Justice |page=13 Schedule (Section 2) 'Description of National Capital Region'}}</ref> {{As of|2021|post=,}} Ottawa had a city population of 1,017,449 and a metropolitan population of 1,488,307, making it the [[list of the largest municipalities in Canada by population|fourth-largest]] city and [[list of census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada|fourth-largest]] metropolitan area in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00053506008&SearchText=ottawa |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census Ottawa, &#91;City Census subdivision&#93;, Ontario |access-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209152508/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00053506008&SearchText=ottawa |archive-date=9 February 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=2021census1>{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810001101 |title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=11 February 2022 |archive-date=25 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125190326/http://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810001101 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ottawa is the political centre of Canada and the headquarters of the federal government. The city houses numerous [[List of diplomatic missions in Ottawa|foreign embassies]], key buildings, organizations, and institutions of [[Government of Canada|Canada's government]]; these include the [[Parliament of Canada]], the [[Supreme Court of Canada Building|Supreme Court]], the [[Rideau Hall|residence of Canada's viceroy]], and [[Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council|Office of the Prime Minister]].<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last1=Bosc |editor-first1=Marc |editor-last2=Gagnon |editor-first2=André |chapter=Ottawa as the Seat of Government |chapter-url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure/procedure-and-practice-3/ch_06_1-e.html |title=House of Commons Procedure and Practice |year=2017 |edition=3rd |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-date=2 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502121452/https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure/procedure-and-practice-3/ch_06_1-e.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Founded in 1826 as [[Bytown]], and [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] as Ottawa in 1855,<ref>{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Bytown |url=https://www.runottawa.ca/a-brief-history-of-bytown |website=Run Ottawa |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502205416/https://www.runottawa.ca/a-brief-history-of-bytown |url-status=live}}</ref> its original boundaries were expanded through numerous annexations and were ultimately replaced by a new city incorporation and amalgamation in 2001. The [[City of Ottawa|municipal government of Ottawa]] is established and governed by the City of Ottawa Act of the [[Government of Ontario]]. It has an elected city council across 24 wards and a mayor elected city-wide.

Ottawa has the highest proportion of university-educated residents among Canadian cities<ref name='natpost'>{{cite news |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/is-ottawa-canadas-smartest-city-capital-edges-toronto-calgary-in-university-educated-population |title=Is Ottawa Canada's smartest city? Capital edges Toronto, Calgary in university-educated population |access-date=26 June 2013 |work=National Post |agency=[[Postmedia News]] |archive-date=5 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105223456/https://nationalpost.com/category/news/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and is home to several colleges and universities, research and cultural institutions, including the [[University of Ottawa]], [[Carleton University]], [[Algonquin College]], [[Collège La Cité]], the [[National Arts Centre]], the [[National Gallery of Canada]]; and [[list of museums in Ottawa|numerous national museums]], monuments, and historic sites.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ottawa's Seven National Museums |url=https://ottawatourism.ca/en/ottawa-insider/ottawa-s-seven-national-museums |website=Ottawa Tourism |publisher=Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority, Inc |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502212124/https://ottawatourism.ca/en/ottawa-insider/ottawa-s-seven-national-museums |url-status=live}}</ref> It is one of the most visited cities in Canada, with over 11&nbsp;million visitors annually.<ref name='citynews'>{{cite news |url=https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-news/canadas-third-consecutive-record-breaking-year-in-tourism-in-2019-a-win-for-ottawa-2112684 |title=Canada's third consecutive record-breaking year in tourism in 2019 a win for Ottawa |access-date=23 July 2022 |work=City News |agency=Rogers Sports & Media |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031043455/https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-news/canadas-third-consecutive-record-breaking-year-in-tourism-in-2019-a-win-for-ottawa-2112684 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name='citizennews'>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-future-of-ottawa-tourism-will-rely-on-the-citys-residents |title=Ottawa attracts more than 11 million visitors each year |access-date=23 July 2022 |work=Ottawa Citizen |agency=Post Media |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106073742/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-future-of-ottawa-tourism-will-rely-on-the-citys-residents |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The city name ''Ottawa'' was chosen in 1855 in reference to the [[Ottawa River]], whose name is itself derived from the [[Algonquin language|Algonquin]] {{lang|alq|adawe}}, meaning "to trade."<ref name="Rayburn2001">{{cite book |author=Alan Rayburn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aiUZMOypNB4C&pg=PA231 |title=Naming Canada: Stories About Canadian Place Names |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8020-8293-0 |page=231 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520061253/https://books.google.com/books?id=aiUZMOypNB4C&pg=PA231 |archive-date=20 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Ottawa (ON) |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ottawa-ont |access-date=24 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213081108/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/ottawa-ont/ |archive-date=13 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In modern Algonquin, the city is known as {{lang|alq|Odàwàg}}.<ref>The Algonquin Way, Dictionary, "Odàwàg" [https://thealgonquinway.ca/English/word-e.php?word=219 Link] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034213/https://thealgonquinway.ca/English/word-e.php?word=219|date=14 July 2022}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Ottawa}}

{{For timeline|Timeline of Ottawa history}}

=== Early history ===
[[File:Champlain Sea 1.png|thumb|upright=1.2|The [[Champlain Sea]]]]

The [[Ottawa Valley]] became habitable around 10,000 years ago, following the natural draining of the [[Champlain Sea]].<ref name="Miller2015">{{cite book |author=William J. Miller |title=Geology: The Science of the Earth's Crust (Illustrations) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XwWYBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT37 |year=2015 |publisher=P. F. Collier & Son Company |page=37 |id=GGKEY:Y3TD08H3RAT |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510005752/https://books.google.com/books?id=XwWYBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT37 |archive-date=10 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 April 2013 |title=The Champlain Sea: here yesterday, gone tomorrow |url=https://uwaterloo.ca/wat-on-earth/news/champlain-sea-here-yesterday-gone-tomorrow |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=Wat on Earth |language=en |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034215/https://uwaterloo.ca/wat-on-earth/news/champlain-sea-here-yesterday-gone-tomorrow |url-status=live}}</ref> Archaeological findings of arrowheads, tools and pottery indicate that Indigenous populations first settled in the area about 6,500 years ago.<ref name="Pilon">{{cite web |last1=Pilon |first1=Jean-Luc |title=Ancient History of the Lower Ottawa River Valley |url=http://www.ottawariver.org/pdf/04-ch2-2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112029/http://www.ottawariver.org/pdf/04-ch2-2.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=9 November 2015 |website=Ottawa River Heritage Designation Committee |publisher=Ontario Archaeology – Canadian Museum of Civilization}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rideau Canal Attracts Settlers |url=https://elocalpost.com/ottawa/contents/rideau-canal-attracts-settlers-history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034214/https://elocalpost.com/ottawa/contents/rideau-canal-attracts-settlers-history |archive-date=14 July 2022 |access-date=2 May 2021 |website=eLocal Post Ottawa |date=13 October 2016 |author1=Carlo}}</ref> These findings suggest that these [[Algonquin people]] were engaged in foraging, hunting and fishing, but also trade and travel. Three major rivers meet within Ottawa, making it an important trade and travel area for thousands of years.<ref name="Pilon" /> The Algonquins are a broad Indigenous people who are closely related to the [[Odawa]] and [[Ojibwe]] peoples.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Ottawa |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ottawa-ont |date=11 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034213/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ottawa-ont |archive-date=14 July 2022 |author=John Taylor |access-date=26 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Algonquin |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/algonquin |date=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817064719/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/algonquin |archive-date=17 August 2021 |author=Meredith Jean Black |access-date=26 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> This period ended with the arrival of settlers and [[European colonization of the Americas|colonization]] of North America by Europeans during and after the 15th century.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2018 |title=Warfare In Pre-Columbian North America |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/popular-books/aboriginal-people-canadian-military/warfare-pre-columbian-north-america.html |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=National Defence - Government of Canada |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324062210/https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/popular-books/aboriginal-people-canadian-military/warfare-pre-columbian-north-america.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

===European exploration and early development===

In 1610, [[Étienne Brûlé]] became the first documented European to navigate the [[Ottawa River]], passing what would become Ottawa on his way to the [[Great Lakes]].{{sfn|Woods|1980|p=5}} Three years later, [[Samuel de Champlain]] wrote about the waterfalls in the area and about his encounters with the Algonquin people.{{sfn|Woods|1980|p=7}}

The first non-Indigenous settlement in the area was created by [[Philemon Wright]], a [[New England]]er. Wright founded a lumber town in the area on 7 March 1800 on the north side of the river, across from the present-day city of Ottawa in [[Hull, Quebec|Hull]].{{sfn|Van de Wetering|1997|p=123}}{{sfn|Lee|2006|p=16}} He, with five other families and twenty-five [[Laborer|labourers]], also created an agricultural community, which was named [[Wright's Town, Lower Canada|Wright's Town]].{{sfn|Taylor|1986|p=11}}{{sfn|Lee|2006|p=20}} Wright pioneered the [[Ottawa River timber trade|Ottawa Valley timber trade]] (soon to be the area's most significant economic activity) by transporting timber by river from the Ottawa Valley to [[Quebec City]].{{sfn|Van de Wetering|1997|p=11}}

In 1826, news of the British military's impending construction of the Rideau Canal led to land speculators founding a community on the south side of the Ottawa River.{{sfn|Woods|1980|p=60}} The following year, the town was named after British military engineer Colonel [[John By]] who was responsible for the entire Rideau Waterway construction project.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bytown |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/about-hso/our-history/tag/Bytown |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034225/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/about-hso/our-history/tag/Bytown |url-status=live}}</ref> The Rideau canal provided a secure route between [[Montreal]] and [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]] on Lake Ontario. It bypassed a vulnerable stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering the state of New York that had left re-supply ships bound for southwestern Ontario easily exposed to enemy fire during the [[War of 1812]].{{sfn|Legget|1986|pp=22–24}}

[[File:First camp by By.jpg|thumb|right|Camp used by soldiers and labourers of the [[Rideau Canal]], on the south side of the [[Ottawa River]] in 1826. The building of the canal attracted many land speculators to the area.]]

Colonel By set up military barracks on the site of today's [[Parliament Hill]]. He also laid out the streets of the town and created two distinct neighbourhoods named "Upper Town" west of the canal and "[[Lower Town]]" east of the canal. Similar to its [[Upper Canada]] and [[Lower Canada]] namesakes, historically, "Upper Town" was predominantly English-speaking and Protestant, whereas "Lower Town" was mostly French, Irish and Catholic.{{sfn|Taylor|1986|p=31}}

Bytown's population grew to 1,000 as the Rideau Canal was completed in 1832.<ref name="BytownMuseum">{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Timeline – Know your Ottawa! |url=http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/timeline.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118191714/http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/timeline.html |archive-date=18 January 2013 |access-date=2 July 2011 |publisher=Bytown Museum}}</ref>{{sfn|Mika|Mika|1982|p=114}} Bytown's early pioneer period saw Irish labour unrest during the [[Shiners' War]] from 1835 to 1845<ref name="whc-cpo">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Shiners' Wars |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/shiners-wars |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215065855/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/shiners-wars |archive-date=15 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and political dissension that was evident in the 1849 [[Stony Monday Riot]].{{sfn|Martin|1997|p=22}} In 1855, Bytown was renamed ''Ottawa'' and incorporated as a city.<ref name=":5" /> [[William Pittman Lett]] was installed as the first city clerk, serving from 1844 to 1891, guiding Ottawa through 36 years of development, leading the hiring of key municipal roles, founding civic organizations, and proposing a set of by-laws for the city.<ref name="Cook2015">{{cite book |author=Bryan D. Cook |title=Introducing William Pittman Lett: Ottawa's first city clerk and bard (1819–1892) |publisher=B.D.C. Ottawa Consulting |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-771363-42-6 |page=412}}</ref><ref>Ottawa City Council, 31 May 1875, ''Motion Concerning Compensation to Mrs Sowdon'', moved by Aldermen Rocque ans Pratte.</ref><ref>Lett, W. P. ''Proposal to the City Constitution Committee 10 August 1877'', City of Ottawa Archives /MG 037-8-1 p. 77.</ref>

=== Selection as capital ===
The selection of Ottawa as the capital of Canada predates the Confederation of Canada. The choice was contentious and not straightforward, with the parliament of the [[Province of Canada|United Province of Canada]] holding more than 200 votes over several decades to attempt to settle on a legislative solution to the location of the capital.<ref name=":6" />

The governor-general of the province had designated [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]] as the capital in 1841. However, the major population centres of [[Toronto]] and [[Montreal]], as well as the former capital of Lower Canada, [[Quebec City]], all had legislators dissatisfied with Kingston. Anglophone merchants in Quebec were the leading group supportive of the Kingston arrangement.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Knight |first=David B |title=Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system |publisher=Carleton university Press |year=1991 |pages=47–50}}</ref> In 1842, a vote rejected Kingston as the capital,<ref>Gordon, D.L.A., & Osborne, B. (2004). Constructing national identity in Canada's capital, 1900–2000: Confederation Square and the National War Memorial. ''Journal of Historical Geography 30, (4)'':618-642</ref> and study of potential candidates included the then-named Bytown, but that option proved less popular than Toronto or Montreal.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp.&nbsp;71.</ref> In 1843, a report of the Executive Council recommended Montreal as the capital as a more fortifiable location and commercial centre; however, the governor-general refused to execute a move without a parliamentary vote.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 74–86</ref> In 1844, the [[Queen Victoria|Queen]]'s acceptance of a parliamentary vote moved the capital to Montreal.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp.&nbsp;88.</ref>

In 1849, after [[Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal|violence in Montreal]], a series of votes was held, with Kingston and Bytown again considered potential capitals. However, the successful proposal was for two cities to share capital status and the legislature to alternate sitting in each: Quebec City and Toronto, in a policy known as perambulation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 2017 |title=Toronto's Bid to Be the Capital of Canada |url=https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/online-exhibits/web-exhibits/web-exhibits-significant-events/the-earliest-known-photographs-of-toronto/torontos-bid-to-be-the-capital-of-canada/ |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=City of Toronto |language=en-CA |archive-date=4 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804190343/https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/online-exhibits/web-exhibits/web-exhibits-significant-events/the-earliest-known-photographs-of-toronto/torontos-bid-to-be-the-capital-of-canada/ |url-status=live |last1=Toronto |first1=City of }}</ref><ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 208</ref> Logistical difficulties made this an unpopular arrangement,<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 129</ref> and although an 1856 vote passed for the lower house of parliament to relocate permanently to Quebec City, the upper house refused to approve funding.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 156–164</ref>

The funding impasse led to the ending of the legislature's role in determining the seat of government. The legislature requested the Queen determine the seat of government. The Queen then acted on the advice of her governor general [[Edmund Walker Head|Edmund Head]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Head, Sir Edmund National Historic Person |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1254 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |language=en |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034214/https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1254 |url-status=live}}</ref> who, after reviewing proposals from various cities, selected the recently renamed Ottawa. The Queen sent a letter to colonial authorities selecting Ottawa as the capital, effective 31 December 1857. [[George Brown (Canadian politician)|George Brown]], briefly a co-premier of the Province of Canada, attempted to reverse this decision but was unsuccessful. The Parliament ratified the Queen's choice in 1859, with Quebec serving as interim capital from 1859 to 1865.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=James |title=Queen Victoria Chooses Ottawa |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/momentous-events-in-the-city-s-life/queen-victoria-chooses-ottawa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122175907/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/momentous-events-in-the-city-s-life/queen-victoria-chooses-ottawa |archive-date=22 November 2021 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 1</ref> The relocation process began in 1865, with the first session of Parliament held in the new buildings in 1866. The buildings were generally well received by legislators.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 1, 334–335</ref>

[[File:View of Parliament Hill and Chaudière Falls. "City of Ottawa, Canada West", ca. 1859, by Stent and Laver..jpg|thumb|Ottawa in 1859, before construction on [[Parliament Hill]]. Two years prior, [[Queen Victoria]] selected the city as the permanent capital of the [[Province of Canada]].]]

Ottawa was chosen as the capital for two primary reasons.<ref name=reasons>{{cite web |title=A Capital in the Making |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-24515-24516-25146&lang=1 |publisher=[[National Capital Commission]] |access-date=24 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108134234/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-24515-24516-25146&lang=1 |archive-date=8 January 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> First, Ottawa's isolated location, surrounded by dense forest far from the Canada–US border and situated on a cliff face, would make it more defensible from attack.<ref name="McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP">{{cite book |last1=Northey |last2=Knight |title=Choosing Canada's Capital: Conflict Resolution in a Parliamentary System |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zPY3hRG0a-EC&pg=PA236 |edition=Revised |series=Issue 168 of Carleton Library Series, ISSN 0576-7784 |year=1991 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP |isbn=978-0-88629-148-8 |page=236 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502153916/https://books.google.com/books?id=zPY3hRG0a-EC&pg=PA236 |archive-date=2 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Cohen2003">{{cite book |author=Saul Bernard Cohen |title=Geopolitics of the world system |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QkMD8HKRlgoC&pg=PA122 |year=2003 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-8476-9907-0 |page=122 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424133740/https://books.google.com/books?id=QkMD8HKRlgoC&pg=PA122 |archive-date=24 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Second, Ottawa was on the border between [[Canada West]] and [[Canada East]], making the selection an important political compromise.<ref name=":12">{{cite web |title=Why Was Ottawa Chosen as the Federal Capital City? |url=http://www.ottawagraphy.ca/answers/why-was-ottawa-chosen-federal-capital-city |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202235657/http://www.ottawagraphy.ca/answers/why-was-ottawa-chosen-federal-capital-city |archive-date=2 February 2011 |access-date=25 November 2014}}</ref><ref>Knight, David B. (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton University Press. pp. 1, 243</ref>

Other minor considerations included that despite Ottawa's regional isolation, there was water transportation access from spring to fall, both to Montreal via the Ottawa River, and to Kingston via the [[Rideau Waterway]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rideau Canal |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/important-public-and-private-buildings-in-the-city/tag/Rideau%20Canal |access-date=14 July 2022 |publisher=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034214/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/important-public-and-private-buildings-in-the-city/tag/Rideau%20Canal |url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, by 1854 it also had a modern all-season railway (the [[Bytown and Prescott Railway]]) that carried passengers, lumber and supplies the 82 kilometres (50 miles) to [[Prescott, Ontario|Prescott]] on the [[Saint Lawrence River]] and beyond.{{Sfn|Taylor|1986|p=11}}<ref name="McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP" /> Ottawa's small size was also thought to be less prone to politically motivated mob violence, as had happened in the [[burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal|previous Canadian capitals]].<ref name="Bourrie1996">{{cite book |author=Mark Bourrie |title=Canada's Parliament Buildings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xUInFSPPc5kC&pg=PA19 |year=1996 |publisher=Dundurn Press Ltd. |isbn=978-0-88882-190-4 |page=19 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522101226/https://books.google.com/books?id=xUInFSPPc5kC&pg=PA19 |archive-date=22 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Finally, the government already owned the land that eventually became [[Parliament Hill]], which it thought would be an ideal location for the Parliament buildings.<ref name=":12" />

The original Parliament buildings, which included the Centre, East and West Blocks, were constructed between 1859 and 1866 in the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival style]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Parliament Buildings |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/Publications/ParliamentBuildings/ParlBlgs-e.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113114107/http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/Publications/ParliamentBuildings/parlblgs-e.asp |archive-date=13 November 2015 |access-date=3 December 2018 |work=parl.gc.ca}}</ref> At the time, this was the largest North American construction project ever attempted and [[Public Works Canada]] and its architects were not initially well prepared for the relatively shallow-lying bedrock and had to redesign architectural drawings, leading to delays. The [[Library of Parliament]] and Parliament Hill landscaping were completed in 1876.<ref>{{cite web |title=Construction, 1859–1916 |url=http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/collineduparlement-parliamenthill/batir-building/hist/1859-1916-eng.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228212113/http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/collineduparlement-parliamenthill/batir-building/hist/1859-1916-eng.html |archive-date=28 December 2014}}</ref>

===Post-Confederation===

[[File:Lebreton Flats after 1900 fire.jpg|thumb|[[LeBreton Flats]] after the [[1900 Hull–Ottawa fire]]. The fire destroyed one-fifth of Ottawa and two-thirds of neighbouring [[Hull, Quebec|Hull]], [[Quebec]].]]

Starting in the 1850s, entrepreneurs known as lumber barons began to build large sawmills, which became some of the largest mills in the world.{{sfn|Woods|1980|p=107}} [[Bytown and Prescott Railway|Rail lines]] built in 1854 connected Ottawa to areas south and, from 1886 to the transcontinental rail network via Hull and [[Lachute]], Quebec.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ottawa History – 1886–1890 |url=http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/fifteen-3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102042325/http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/fifteen-3.html |archive-date=2 January 2013 |access-date=10 August 2011 |publisher=Bytown Museum}}</ref> By 1885 Ottawa was the only city in Canada whose downtown street-lights were powered entirely by electricity.<ref>''Ottawa, An Illustrated History'', John H. Taylor .Page 102. Jame Lorimer and Company Publishing.</ref> In 1889, the Government developed and distributed 60 "water leases" (still in use) to mainly local industrialists which gave them permission to generate electricity and operate hydroelectric generators at [[Chaudière Falls]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chaudière Falls |url=http://energyottawa.com/generation/chaudiere-falls/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228212928/http://energyottawa.com/generation/chaudiere-falls/ |archive-date=28 December 2014 |access-date=28 December 2014}}</ref> Public transportation began in 1870 with a [[horsecar]] system,{{sfn|Van de Wetering|1997|p=28}} overtaken in the 1890s by a vast [[Ottawa Electric Railway|electric streetcar system]] that operated until 1959.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CBC News Ottawa |title=Ottawa's original LRT: 68 years of streetcars in the capital |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-streetcar-archives-photos-lrt-1.5372302 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034218/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-streetcar-archives-photos-lrt-1.5372302 |archive-date=14 July 2022 |access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref>

The [[1900 Hull–Ottawa fire|Hull–Ottawa fire of 1900]] destroyed two-thirds of Hull, including 40 percent of its residential buildings and most of the buildings of its largest employers along the waterfront.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report of the Ottawa and Hull Fire Relief Fund, 1900, Ottawa |publisher=The Rolla L. Crain Co (Archive CD Books Canada) |url=http://www.archivecdbooks.ca/Samples/CA0188_Samp.pdf |pages=5–12 |date=31 December 1900 |access-date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706164645/http://www.archivecdbooks.ca/Samples/CA0188_Samp.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> It began as a chimney fire in Hull on the north side of the river, but due to wind, spread rapidly throughout the widespread wooden buildings. In Ottawa, it destroyed about one-fifth of the buildings from the Lebreton Flats south to Booth Street and down to [[Dow's Lake]].{{sfn|Van de Wetering|1997|p=57}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ottawa and Hull Fire Relief Fund |url=http://archive.org/details/cihm_11661 |title=Report of the Ottawa and Hull Fire Relief Fund, 1900 [microform] |date=1900 |publisher=[Ottawa? : s.n.] |others=Canadiana.org |isbn=978-0-665-11661-2}}</ref> The fire had a disproportionate effect on west-end lower-income neighbourhoods. It had also spread among many lumber yards, a major part of Ottawa's economy. The fire destroyed approximately 3200 buildings and caused an estimated $300 million in damage (in 2020 Canadian dollars).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Remember This? Hull and Ottawa in flames |url=https://ottawa.citynews.ca/remember-this/remember-this-hull-and-ottawa-in-flames-2267155 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=CityNews Ottawa |date=20 April 2020 |language=en |archive-date=18 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518022810/https://ottawa.citynews.ca/remember-this/remember-this-hull-and-ottawa-in-flames-2267155 |url-status=live}}</ref> An estimated 14% of Ottawans were left homeless.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Globerman |first=Danny |date=14 May 2017 |title=Ottawa's past in pictures: Disasters that shook the city |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-s-past-in-pictures-disasters-that-shook-the-city-1.4099327 |access-date=14 July 2022 |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118223928/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-s-past-in-pictures-disasters-that-shook-the-city-1.4099327 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Ottawa Old Post Office Confederation Square.jpg|alt=A sepia photograph from the fourth floor of a building, overlooking a triangular public plaza, many old cars with canvas tops are parked in the square. Neo-gothic buildings make up two borders of the square, and a set of tram tracks comprise the third|thumb|Ottawa Post Office, located in Confederation Square, pictured in the early 20th century]]
On 1 June 1912, the [[Grand Trunk Railway]] opened both the [[Château Laurier]] hotel and its neighbouring downtown [[Union Station (Ottawa)|Union Station]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/Ottawa+train+station+year+timeline/6690930/story.html |title=Ottawa's old train station: a 100-year timeline |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=27 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806194422/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Ottawa+train+station+year+timeline/6690930/story.html |archive-date=6 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Van de Wetering|1997|p=41}} On 3 February 1916, the [[Centre Block]] of the Parliament buildings was [[Parliament Hill#Fire, incidents and renovations|destroyed by a fire]].{{sfn|Hale|2011|p=108}} The House of Commons and Senate was temporarily relocated to the recently constructed Victoria Memorial Museum, now the [[Canadian Museum of Nature]]<ref name="Mullington2005">{{cite book |author=Dave Mullington |title=Chain of office: biographical sketches of the early mayors of Ottawa (1847–1948) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SKxwbOUKZYEC&pg=PA120 |year=2005 |publisher=General Store Publishing House |isbn=978-1-897113-17-2 |page=120 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428124057/https://books.google.com/books?id=SKxwbOUKZYEC&pg=PA120 |archive-date=28 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> until the completion of the new Centre Block in 1922. The centrepiece of the new [[Parliament Hill|Parliament Buildings]] is a dominant Gothic Revival-styled structure known as the [[Peace Tower]].<ref name="(Canada)2004">{{cite book |author=Reader's Digest Association (Canada) |title=The Canadian atlas: our nation, environment and people |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vDR7hrnO1aYC&pg=PP40 |year=2004 |publisher=Reader's Digest Association (Canada) |isbn=978-1-55365-082-9 |page=40 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629143040/https://books.google.com/books?id=vDR7hrnO1aYC&pg=PP40 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The location of what is now [[Confederation Square]] was a former commercial district centrally located in a triangular area downtown surrounded by historically significant heritage buildings, including the Parliament buildings. It was redeveloped as a ceremonial centre in 1938 as part of the [[City Beautiful Movement]]. It became the site of the [[National War Memorial (Canada)|National War Memorial]] in 1939 and was designated a [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site]] in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12073 |title=Confederation Square National Historic Site of Canada |publisher=HistoricPlaces.ca |access-date=16 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316080543/http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12073 |archive-date=16 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> A new [[Central Post Office (Ottawa)|Central Post Office]] (now the [[Privy Council of Canada]]) was constructed in 1939 beside the War Memorial because the original post office building on the proposed Confederation Square grounds had to be demolished.<ref>{{Cite web |work=The Montreal Gazette |title=Old Ottawa Post Office Building Razed After Service of 62 Years |date=24 June 1938 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19380624&id=0b00AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZKgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5524,3172428 |access-date=10 July 2022 |via=Google News Archive Search |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710161519/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19380624&id=0b00AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZKgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5524,3172428 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Post–Second World War===
[[File:VEDaySparksStreet1945.jpg|V-Day, downtown Ottawa in 1945, to mark the end of [[World War II]]|thumb]]
[[File:Ottawagreenbelt.PNG|Greber plan's [[Greenbelt (Ottawa)|National Capital Greenbelt]] surrounding the urban core|thumb]]
[[File:John G. Diefenbaker Building 2014 p3.jpg|thumb|The [[John G. Diefenbaker Building]] was Ottawa's fourth city hall, from 1958 [[Ottawa City Hall|until 2001.]]]]

Ottawa's former industrial appearance was vastly altered by the 1950 [[Greber Plan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=James |title=Ottawa the Beautiful: The Gréber Report |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/changes-in-the-city-s-landscape/ottawa-the-beautiful-the-greber-report |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb |archive-date=2 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202082900/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/changes-in-the-city-s-landscape/ottawa-the-beautiful-the-greber-report |url-status=live}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Mackenzie King]] hired French architect-planner [[Jacques Greber]] to design an urban plan for managing development in the National Capital Region, to make it more aesthetically pleasing and a location more befitting for Canada's political centre.<ref name="The Gréber Report">{{cite web |title=The Gréber Report |url=http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/arts-culture-and-community/museums-and-heritage/witness-change-visions-andrews-newton-7 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075840/http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/arts-culture-and-community/museums-and-heritage/witness-change-visions-andrews-newton-7 |archive-date=6 October 2014 |work=ottawa.ca}}</ref><ref name="Planners">{{cite web |title=Planners Over Time |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20443-29365-23553&lang=1&bhcp=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114124357/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20443-29365-23553&lang=1&bhcp=1 |archive-date=14 November 2011 |access-date=1 November 2009 |publisher=[[National Capital Commission]]}}</ref> Greber's plan included the creation of the [[Greenbelt (Ottawa)|National Capital Greenbelt]], the [[Kichi Zibi Mikan]] and the [[Queensway (Ottawa)|Queensway]] highway system. His plan also called for changes in institutions such as moving downtown Union Station (now the [[Senate of Canada Building]]) to the suburbs, the removal of the street car system, the decentralization of selected government offices, the relocation of industries and removal of substandard housing from the downtown. The plan also recommended the creation of the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River pathways.<ref name="The Gréber Report" /><ref name="Erickson2006">{{cite book |author=Donna L. Erickson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LR5iIX__3OoC&pg=PA113 |title=MetroGreen: connecting open space in North American cities |publisher=Island Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-55963-843-2 |page=113 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512190337/https://books.google.com/books?id=LR5iIX__3OoC&pg=PA113 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Keshen|St-Onge|2001|p=360}}

In 1958, the [[National Capital Commission]] was established as a [[Crown Corporation]] through the National Capital Act. The commission's original mission was to implement the Greber Plan recommendations conducted during the 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/about-us |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=NCC-CCN |language=en |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303190927/https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/about-us |url-status=live}}</ref> This marked the creation of a permanent political infrastructure for managing the [[capital region]]. Prior attempts to do so in the previous 50 years had been temporary. These included plans from the 1899 Ottawa Improvement Commission (OIC), the Todd Plan in 1903, the Holt Report in 1915 and the Federal District Commission (FDC) established in 1927 with a 16-year mandate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/about-ncc |title=About the NCC |access-date=20 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128030922/http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/about-ncc |archive-date=28 January 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1054 THE ANNUAL REGISTER, 1927 Federal District Commission.—The Federal District Commission, replacing the Ottawa Improvement |url=http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/1927-28/192710961054_p.%25201054.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221214912/https://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/1927-28/192710961054_p.%201054.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 December 2018 |access-date=13 August 2022 |website=www66.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>

From 1931 to 1958, City Hall had been at the [[Transportation Building (Ottawa)|Transportation Building]] adjacent to Union Station (now part of the [[CF Rideau Centre|Rideau Centre]]). In 1958, a new [[Old City Hall (Ottawa)|City Hall]] opened on Green Island near Rideau Falls, where urban renewal had recently transformed this industrial location into a green space.{{sfn|Taylor|1986|pp=186–194}} In 2001, [[Ottawa City Hall]] returned downtown to a 1990 building on 110 Laurier Avenue West, the home of the now-defunct [[Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton]]. This new location was close to Ottawa's [[First City Hall (Ottawa)|first (1849–1877)]] and [[Second City Hall (Ottawa)|second (1877–1931)]] City Halls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Islands of Ottawa: Green Island a historical microcosm of the city |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/islands-of-ottawa-green-island-a-historical-microcosm-of-the-city |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA |archive-date=26 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026060247/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/islands-of-ottawa-green-island-a-historical-microcosm-of-the-city |url-status=live}}</ref> This new city hall complex also contained an adjacent 19th-century restored heritage building formerly known as the [[Ottawa Normal School]].{{sfn|Taylor|1986|pp=186–194}}

From the 1960s to the 1980s, there was a large increase in construction in the National Capital Region,{{sfn|Hale|2011|p=217}} which was followed by large growth in the [[high-tech]] industry during the 1990s and 2000s.<ref name="Shavinina2004">{{cite book |author=Larisa V. Shavinina |title=Silicon Valley North: A High-tech Cluster of Innovation And Entrepreneurship |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSjv-acTkoUC&pg=PR15 |year=2004 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-08-044457-4 |page=15 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504120907/https://books.google.com/books?id=cSjv-acTkoUC&pg=PR15 |archive-date=4 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa became one of Canada's largest high-tech cities and was nicknamed Silicon Valley North. By the 1980s, Bell Northern Research (later [[Nortel]]) employed thousands, and large federally assisted research facilities such as the [[National Research Council (Canada)|National Research Council]] contributed to an eventual technology boom. The early companies led to newer firms such as [[Newbridge Networks]], [[Mitel]] and [[Corel]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=National Research Council |date=19 March 2019 |title=NRC's innovative people profiles |url=https://nrc.canada.ca/en/corporate/history/nrcs-innovative-people-profiles |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=nrc.canada.ca |archive-date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201030121/https://nrc.canada.ca/en/corporate/history/nrcs-innovative-people-profiles |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=CBC News Ottawa |date=29 June 2009 |title=Is Ottawa still Silicon Valley North? |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/is-ottawa-still-silicon-valley-north-1.801035 |access-date=13 August 2022 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813201230/https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/is-ottawa-still-silicon-valley-north-1.801035 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1991, provincial and federal governments responded to a [[land claim]] submitted by the Algonquins of Ontario regarding the unceded status of the land on which Ottawa is situated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Algonquin land claim |url=http://www.ontario.ca/page/algonquin-land-claim |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=ontario.ca |language=en |archive-date=26 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326095148/https://www.ontario.ca/page/algonquin-land-claim |url-status=live}}</ref> Negotiations have been ongoing, with an eventual goal to sign a treaty that would release Canada from claims for misuse of land under Algonquin [[Aboriginal title|title]], affirm rights of the Algonquins, and negotiate conditions of the title transfer.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Algonquins of Ontario |last2=Government of Ontario |last3=Government of Canada |title=Agreement in Principle |url=https://docs.ontario.ca/documents/4668/maa-proposed-aip-en.pdf |page=2.3.5 |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034324/https://docs.ontario.ca/documents/4668/maa-proposed-aip-en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ottawa's city limits have expanded over time, including a large expansion effective 1 January 2001, when the province of [[Ontario]] amalgamated all the constituent municipalities of the [[Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton]] into a single city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_99c14e_e.htm#BK3 |title=City of Ottawa Act, 1999, Chapter 14, Schedule E |publisher=Service Ontario/Legislative Assembly of Ontario |year=2010 |access-date=29 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808101635/http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_99c14e_e.htm#BK3 |archive-date=8 August 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Regional Chair [[Bob Chiarelli]] was elected as the new city's first mayor in the [[2000 Ottawa municipal election|2000 municipal election]], defeating [[Gloucester, Ontario|Gloucester]] mayor Claudette Cain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canadian Municipal Elections |url=https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Elecdata/Canada/mun00.html |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=pdba.georgetown.edu |archive-date=20 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620035602/http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Elecdata/Canada/mun00.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The city's growth led to strains on the public transit system and road bridges. On 15 October 2001, a diesel-powered [[light rail transit]] (LRT) line was introduced on an experimental basis. Known today as [[O-Train]] [[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]], it was dubbed the O-Train and connected [[downtown Ottawa]] to the southern suburbs via [[Carleton University]]. The decision to extend the O-Train, and to replace it with an electric light rail system, was a major issue in the [[2006 Ottawa municipal election|2006 municipal elections]], where Chiarelli was defeated by businessman [[Larry O'Brien (Canadian politician)|Larry O'Brien]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=CBC News Ottawa |date=13 November 2006 |title=O'Brien runs away with Ottawa mayoral race |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/o-brien-runs-away-with-ottawa-mayoral-race-1.573629 |url-status=live |access-date=10 July 2022 |archive-date=10 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310075902/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/o-brien-runs-away-with-ottawa-mayoral-race-1.573629}}</ref> After O'Brien's election, transit plans were changed to establish a series of light rail stations from the east side of the city into downtown, and for using a tunnel through the downtown core.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CBC news Ottawa |date=29 May 2007 |title=Transit task force to propose extensive LRT plan: source |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/transit-task-force-to-propose-extensive-lrt-plan-source-1.664972 |url-status=live |access-date=10 July 2022 |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710161525/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/transit-task-force-to-propose-extensive-lrt-plan-source-1.664972}}</ref> [[Jim Watson (Canadian politician)|Jim Watson]], the last mayor of Ottawa before amalgamation, was re-elected in the [[2010 Ottawa municipal election|2010 election]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/watson-wins-ottawa-mayor-s-race-1.905765 |work=CBC News |title=Watson wins Ottawa mayor's race |date=25 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027095621/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/watson-wins-ottawa-mayor-s-race-1.905765 |archive-date=27 October 2010}}</ref>

In October 2012, the City Council approved the final [[Lansdowne Park]] plan, an agreement with the [[Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group]] that saw a new stadium, increased green space and housing and retail added to the site.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/final-lansdowne-deal-passed-by-council-1.1245290 |work=CBC News |title=Final Lansdowne deal passed by council |date=10 October 2012 |access-date=19 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111093629/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/10/10/ottawa-lansdowne-waterfall-agreement.html |archive-date=11 January 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/Council+gives+final+ahead+Lansdowne+project/7369051/story.html |work=Ottawa Citizen |title=Council gives final go ahead to Lansdowne project |date=11 October 2012 |access-date=27 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705053632/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Council+gives+final+ahead+Lansdowne+project/7369051/story.html |archive-date=5 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2012, City Council voted unanimously to move forward with the [[Line 1 (O-Train)|Confederation Line]], a {{cvt|12.5|km}} light rail transit line, which was opened on 14 September 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-lrt-confederation-line-1.5258684 |title=4 key dates as Ottawa's LRT becomes a reality |work=CBC News |access-date=6 September 2019 |archive-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903005542/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-lrt-confederation-line-1.5258684 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Ottawa}}

=== Districts and neighbourhoods ===
{{further|List of neighbourhoods in Ottawa}}
The present-day city of Ottawa consists of the historic main [[urban area]], as well as other urban, suburban and [[rural]] areas within the city's post-amalgamation limits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |title=Urban Sub-Areas of Ottawa |url=https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/documents/urban-subareas-en.pdf |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=1 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701200248/https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/documents/urban-subareas-en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Old Ottawa ====
Old Ottawa refers to the former pre-amalgamation city, as well as the former city of [[Vanier, Ontario|Vanier]], a densely populated, historically francophone, working class enclave, and the former [[village]] of [[Rockcliffe Park, Ontario|Rockcliffe Park]], a wealthy residential neighbourhood adjacent to the Prime Minister's official residence at 24 Sussex and the Governor General's residence.<ref name="hoods">{{cite web |title=Ottawa Neighbourhoods |url=http://www.ottawarealestate.ca/neighbourhoods.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084643/http://www.ottawarealestate.ca/neighbourhoods.php |archive-date=19 August 2014 |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Ottawa Real Estate.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Heart of Orléans |url=https://ottawatourism.ca/en/about-ottawa/neighbourhoods/heart-orleans |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=Ottawa Tourism |language=en |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717215621/https://ottawatourism.ca/en/about-ottawa/neighbourhoods/heart-orleans |url-status=live}}</ref> The old city includes the [[Downtown Ottawa|downtown core]] and older neighbourhoods to the east, west, and south. These vibrant neighbourhoods include the bustling commercial and cultural areas of Old Ottawa South,
[[Centretown]], [[Lower Town]], and [[Sandy Hill, Ottawa|Sandy Hill]], the affluent tree-lined neighbourhoods of [[The Glebe]], [[Westboro, Ottawa|Westboro]], and [[New Edinburgh]], and the historically [[Blue-collar worker|blue-collar]] communities of [[Hintonburg]], [[Mechanicsville, Ottawa|Mechanicsville]], [[Carlington]], and [[LeBreton Flats]], with a mixture of housing types, artist lofts, and industrial uses. The old city also includes the [[ethnic enclave]]s of [[Chinatown, Ottawa|Chinatown]] and [[Little Italy, Ottawa|Little Italy]].

==== Suburbs and outlying communities ====
[[File:Newottawamap.png|thumb|Map of Ottawa showing urban areas and names of historical communities]]
Modern Ottawa is made up of eleven historic townships, ten of which are from the former [[Carleton County, Ontario|Carleton County]] and one from the former [[Russell County, Ontario|Russell County]].<ref>{{cite web |year=2002 |title=Ottawa Rural Communities |url=http://www.ruralcouncil.ca/ORC/background.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113220822/http://www.ruralcouncil.ca/ORC/background.htm |archive-date=13 November 2011 |access-date=2 June 2011 |publisher=The Rural Council of Ottawa-Carleton}}</ref> Ottawa city limits are bounded on the east by the [[Prescott and Russell United Counties, Ontario|United Counties of Prescott and Russell]]; by [[Renfrew County, Ontario|Renfrew County]] and [[Lanark County, Ontario|Lanark County]] in the west; on the south by the [[Leeds and Grenville United Counties|United Counties of Leeds and Grenville]] and the [[Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario|United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry]]; and on the north by the [[Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec|Regional County Municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais]] and the City of Gatineau.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official road map of Ontario |url=http://www.ontario.ca/page/official-road-map-ontario |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=ontario.ca |language=en |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816192401/https://www.ontario.ca/page/official-road-map-ontario |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ministère des Transports |title=Québec Official Road Map |url=https://www.quebec511.info/en/carte_routiere/index.asp |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717212504/https://www.quebec511.info/en/carte_routiere/index.asp |url-status=live}}</ref>

The main suburban areas extend a considerable distance to the east, west and south of the inner-city.<ref name="gmap">{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Neighborhoods of Ottawa |url=https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=115838170672838983402.00043dad54fc8b7e8a93c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127075543/http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=115838170672838983402.00043dad54fc8b7e8a93c |archive-date=27 November 2011 |access-date=2 June 2011 |publisher=Google Maps}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |title=Zoning Schedule A |url=https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/schedule5_zbl_en.pdf |publication-date=2008 |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=1 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001215829/https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/schedule5_zbl_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> These areas also include the former cities of Cumberland, Gloucester (with the large suburban district of [[Orleans, Ontario|Orleans]] outside the [[Ottawa Greenbelt|greenbelt]] split between them), [[Kanata, Ontario|Kanata]], and Nepean.<ref>{{Cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=29 January 2018 |title=Orléans {{!}} Ottawa Lives Here |url=https://www.ottawaliveshere.com/orleans/ |access-date=22 October 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022194548/https://www.ottawaliveshere.com/orleans/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The towns of [[Stittsville, Ontario|Stittsville]] and [[Richmond, Ontario|Richmond]] within the former [[Goulbourn Township, Ontario|Goulbourn Township]] are to the southwest.<ref name="hoods" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kanata Central |url=https://ottawatourism.ca/en/about-ottawa/neighbourhoods/kanata-central |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=Ottawa Tourism |language=en |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520172223/https://ottawatourism.ca/en/about-ottawa/neighbourhoods/kanata-central |url-status=live}}</ref> Nepean as a suburb also includes [[Barrhaven, Ontario|Barrhaven]].<ref name="hoods" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nepean {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nepean |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717215620/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nepean |url-status=live}}</ref> The communities of [[Manotick, Ontario|Manotick]] and [[Riverside South, Ottawa|Riverside South]] are on the other side of the Rideau River, and [[Greely, Ontario|Greely]], southeast of Riverside South.<ref name="hoods" />

A number of rural communities (villages and [[hamlet (place)|hamlets]]) are also part of the City of Ottawa.<ref name="gmap" /> Some of these communities are [[Burritts Rapids, Ontario|Burritts Rapids]]; [[Ashton, Ontario|Ashton]]; [[Fallowfield, Ontario|Fallowfield]]; [[Kars, Ontario|Kars]]; [[Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario|Fitzroy Harbour]]; [[Munster, Ontario|Munster]]; [[Carp, Ontario|Carp]]; [[North Gower, Ontario|North Gower]]; [[Metcalfe, Ontario|Metcalfe]]; [[Constance Bay, Ontario|Constance Bay]] and [[Osgoode, Ontario|Osgoode]].<ref name="hoods" /> Several [[town]]s are within the federally defined National Capital Region but outside of Ottawa's municipal boundaries;<ref name="gmap" /> these include communities of [[Almonte, Ontario|Almonte]], [[Carleton Place, Ontario|Carleton Place]], [[Embrun, Ontario|Embrun]], [[Kemptville, Ontario|Kemptville]], [[Rockland, Ontario|Rockland]], and [[Russell, Ontario (community)|Russell]].<ref name="hoods" />
{{wide image|OttawaPanorama2017.jpg|1500px|align-cap=center|Ottawa above the [[Ottawa River]] in 2017, left to right{{mdash}} [[Byward Market]]{{·}} [[Fairmont Château Laurier]]{{·}}[[National Gallery of Canada]]{{·}} [[Parliament Hill]] with [[Library of Parliament]] and [[Peace Tower]]{{·}}[[Alexandra Bridge]]{{·}} [[Downtown Ottawa]] towers{{·}}[[Supreme Court of Canada]]}}

=== Architecture ===
{{Main|Architecture of Ottawa}}
[[File:Connaught Building (14579938218).jpg|thumb|right|Completed in 1913, the [[Connaught Building]] was constructed in a Gothic Revival style.]]
Influenced by government structures, much of the city's architecture tends to be formal and [[Functionalism (architecture)|functional]]; the city is also marked by [[Romanticism|Romantic]] and [[Picturesque]] styles of architecture such as the Parliament Buildings' gothic revival architecture.<ref name="RickettsMaitland2004">{{cite book |author1=Shannon Ricketts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-f2MYzP6IWAC&pg=PA73 |title=A guide to Canadian architectural styles |author2=Leslie Maitland |author3=Jacqueline Hucker |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-55111-546-7 |page=73 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502124236/https://books.google.com/books?id=-f2MYzP6IWAC&pg=PA73 |archive-date=2 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa's domestic architecture contains single-family homes, but also includes smaller numbers of [[semi-detached]] houses, [[rowhouse]]s, and [[apartment building]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Chris |date=21 June 2016 |title=Ottawa's Apartments, 1955 |url=https://www.historynerd.ca/2016/06/21/ottawas-apartments-1955/ |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=historynerd.ca |language=en-CA |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725022940/https://www.historynerd.ca/2016/06/21/ottawas-apartments-1955/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Many domestic buildings in Centretown are clad in red brick, with trim in wood, stone, or metal; variations are common, depending on the cultural heritage of the neighbourhoods and the time they were built.<ref>{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |date=2019 |title=Heritage Study for 58 Florence Street |url=http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Image%20Referencing_Zoning%20Bylaw%20Amendment%20Application_Image%20Reference_2019-08-21%20-%20Cultural%20Heritage%20Impact%20Statement%20-%20D02-02-19-0089.PDF |page=14 |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=26 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926165644/http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Image%20Referencing_Zoning%20Bylaw%20Amendment%20Application_Image%20Reference_2019-08-21%20-%20Cultural%20Heritage%20Impact%20Statement%20-%20D02-02-19-0089.PDF |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[skyline]] has been controlled by building height restrictions originally implemented to keep Parliament Hill and the Peace Tower at {{cvt|92.2|m}} visible from most parts of the city.{{sfn|Keshen|St-Onge|2001|p=455}} Today, [[List of tallest buildings in Ottawa-Gatineau|several buildings are slightly taller]] than the Peace Tower, with the tallest being the [[Claridge Icon]] at {{convert|143|m|ft}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reaching for the stars: Claridge eyes plan to build 60-storey residential tower in Little Italy |url=https://www.obj.ca/article/real-estate/residential/reaching-stars-claridge-eyes-plan-build-60-storey-residential-tower |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=Ottawa Business Journal |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725022939/https://www.obj.ca/article/real-estate/residential/reaching-stars-claridge-eyes-plan-build-60-storey-residential-tower |url-status=dead}}</ref> Many federal buildings in the National Capital Region are managed by [[Public Works and Government Services Canada|Public Works Canada]], which leads to [[Historic preservation|heritage conservation]] in its renovations and management of buildings, such as the renovation of the [[Senate of Canada Building|Senate Building]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Works and Government Services Canada |date=8 August 2014 |title=NPMS Procedure—Managing Projects for Heritage Properties - Specialized Areas - NPMS - Real Property - PSPC |url=https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/biens-property/sngp-npms/bi-rp/domaines-areas/pgpbp-pmphp-eng.html |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171731/https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/biens-property/sngp-npms/bi-rp/domaines-areas/pgpbp-pmphp-eng.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |date=31 July 2015 |title=Restoring and modernizing the Senate of Canada Building - Canada.ca |url=https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/citeparlementaire-parliamentaryprecinct/rehabilitation/conference-eng.html |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca |archive-date=12 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512043412/https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/citeparlementaire-parliamentaryprecinct/rehabilitation/conference-eng.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Most of the federal land in the region is managed by the National Capital Commission; its control of much undeveloped land and appropriations powers gives the NCC a great deal of influence over the city's development.<ref>{{cite web |date=10 October 2008 |title=Mandate and Mission |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16302-22554-22561&lang=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509190424/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16302-22554-22561&lang=1 |archive-date=9 May 2011 |access-date=8 June 2011 |publisher=The National Capital Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adam: The NCC and LeBreton Flats — all talk, no action? |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-the-ncc-and-lebreton-flats-all-talk-no-action |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA |archive-date=28 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128001012/https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-the-ncc-and-lebreton-flats-all-talk-no-action |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |date=17 July 2020 |title=National Capital Commission: Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs—February 27, 2020 - PSPC |url=https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/trans/documentinfo-briefingmaterial/proc/2020_02_27/p17-eng.html |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725022940/https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/trans/documentinfo-briefingmaterial/proc/2020_02_27/p17-eng.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Climate ===
Ottawa has a [[humid continental climate|warm-summer humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfb'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]] ''Dcbo/Dcbc'')<ref>{{Cite web |last=Secretariat |first=Treasury Board of Canada |title=Climatic Regions - Open Government Portal |url=https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/09ffaeb5-ec8f-5bb5-bdcb-3436ccf26f58 |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=open.canada.ca |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031181102/https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/09ffaeb5-ec8f-5bb5-bdcb-3436ccf26f58 |url-status=live}}</ref> with four distinct seasons and is between Zones 5a and 5b on the Canadian Plant Hardiness Scale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?lang=en&m=24&speciesid=1000000&phz=phz1981-2010&bc=1 |title=phz1981-2010 |website=Canada's Plant Hardiness Site |publisher=Natural Resources Canada |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807130053/http://planthardiness.gc.ca/?lang=en&m=24&speciesid=1000000&phz=phz1981-2010&bc=1 |archive-date=7 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The average July maximum temperature is {{cvt|26.7|C|0}}. The average January minimum temperature is {{cvt|−14.0|C|1}}.<ref name="Ottawa CDA"/> The highest temperature ever recorded in Ottawa was {{cvt|37.8|C|0}} on 4 July 1913, 1 August 1917 and 11 August 1944.<ref name="CCN" /><ref name="Ottawa CDA" />

Summers are generally warm and humid in Ottawa. On average, there are 13.4 days across the three summer months of June, July and August that have temperatures exceeding {{cvt|30|C|0}}.<ref name="Ottawa CDA" /> Periods of hotter weather are normally accompanied by high humidity levels.<ref name="Ottawa CDA" />

Snow and ice are dominant during the winter season. On average, almost every day of January, February and March has more than 5&nbsp;cm of snowpack (29, 28, and 23 days, respectively), and on average, approximately 13 days a year see 5&nbsp;cm or more of snowfall, with 5 of those having over 10&nbsp;cm.<ref name="Ottawa CDA" />

An average of 15 days of the year experience temperatures below {{cvt|-20|C|0}}.<ref name="Ottawa CDA" /> Spring and fall are variable, prone to extreme changes in temperature and conditions. The month of May, for example, on average gets a day below freezing at night every other year, conversely a day surpassing 30&nbsp;°C <ref name="Ottawa CDA" />

Annual rainfall averages around 772mm per year, total precipitation 938mm<ref name="Ottawa CDA" /> spread throughout the year, with some variation. May through November are the months more likely to see significant precipitation events, with each month having an average of 3 days of over 10&nbsp;mm of precipitation, with December through April seeing on average 1–2 days. May through November have, on average, over 80&nbsp;mm of rainfall per month, with peaks of approximately 90&nbsp;mm in June and July. December through April have less than 80&nbsp;mm, with February being the driest month at an average of 5&nbsp;cm of precipitation.<ref name="Ottawa CDA" />

Ottawa experiences about 2,080 hours of average sunshine annually (45% of possible).<ref name="Ottawa CDA1981"/> Predominate wind direction in Ottawa is from the [[Westerlies|West]], Easterly air flow is more common during periods of wet weather as well as localized river/lake-effect [[Convection cell|cells]] on summer afternoons.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last1=Klock |first1=Ross |last2=Simard |first2=Gilles |last3=Mullock |first3=John |title=The Weather of Ontario and Quebec: Graphic Area Forecast 33 |url=https://www.navcanada.ca/en/lawm-ontario-quebec-en.pdf |publisher=Nav Canada |pages=92–94, 74–75 |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717204139/https://www.navcanada.ca/en/lawm-ontario-quebec-en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Windspeed is on average higher during the winter, with northerly winds predominating during cold waves.<ref name="CCN" /><ref name=":8" />{{Weather box
|collapsed = yes
|location = Ottawa ([[Central Experimental Farm]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1872–present{{efn|Extreme high and low temperatures in the table below were recorded at Ottawa from March 1872 to October 1889 and at [[Central Experimental Farm|Ottawa CDA]] from November 1889 to present.}}<ref name=extremesmetadata>
{{cite web |url= https://api.weather.gc.ca/collections/ltce-stations/items?f=csv&limit=30000&ELEMENT_NAME_E=TEMPERATURE |title= Technical Information and Metadata |work= Daily climate records (LTCE) |publisher= Environment Canada |access-date= October 15, 2024}}</ref>
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan maximum humidex = 12.9
|Feb maximum humidex = 12.0
|Mar maximum humidex = 28.4
|Apr maximum humidex = 35.3
|May maximum humidex = 39.7
|Jun maximum humidex = 44.1
|Jul maximum humidex = 45.7
|Aug maximum humidex = 49.9
|Sep maximum humidex = 41.6
|Oct maximum humidex = 36.1
|Nov maximum humidex = 24.3
|Dec maximum humidex = 18.3
|year maximum humidex = 49.9
|Jan record high C = 15.6
|Feb record high C = 15.1
|Mar record high C = 26.5
|Apr record high C = 31.2
|May record high C = 35.2
|Jun record high C = 36.7
|Jul record high C = 37.8
|Aug record high C = 37.8
|Sep record high C = 36.7
|Oct record high C = 30.3
|Nov record high C = 23.3
|Dec record high C = 17.0
|year record high C = 37.8
|Jan high C = -5.2
|Feb high C = -3.3
|Mar high C = 2.5
|Apr high C = 11.2
|May high C = 19.4
|Jun high C = 24.2
|Jul high C = 26.7
|Aug high C = 25.6
|Sep high C = 21.1
|Oct high C = 13.3
|Nov high C = 5.8
|Dec high C = -1.5
|year high C = 11.7
|Jan mean C = −9.6
|Feb mean C = −8.1
|Mar mean C = −2.2
|Apr mean C = 6.2
|May mean C = 13.8
|Jun mean C = 18.8
|Jul mean C = 21.3
|Aug mean C = 20.1
|Sep mean C = 15.6
|Oct mean C = 8.8
|Nov mean C = 2.0
|Dec mean C = -5.1
|year mean C = 6.8
|Jan low C = -14.0
|Feb low C = -12.9
|Mar low C = -6.9
|Apr low C = 1.1
|May low C = 8.0
|Jun low C = 13.3
|Jul low C = 15.8
|Aug low C = 14.6
|Sep low C = 10.1
|Oct low C = 4.1
|Nov low C = -1.8
|Dec low C = -8.7
|year low C = 1.9
|Jan record low C = -37.8
|Feb record low C = -38.3
|Mar record low C = -36.7
|Apr record low C = -20.6
|May record low C = -7.2
|Jun record low C = 0.0
|Jul record low C = 3.3
|Aug record low C = 1.1
|Sep record low C = -4.4
|Oct record low C = -12.8
|Nov record low C = -30.6
|Dec record low C = -38.9
|year record low C = -38.9
|Jan chill = -40.6
|Feb chill = -42.8
|Mar chill = -40.1
|Apr chill = -20.8
|May chill = -8.1
|Jun chill = 0.0
|Jul chill = 0.0
|Aug chill = 0.0
|Sep chill = -1.0
|Oct chill = -9.6
|Nov chill = -25.6
|Dec chill = -41.3
|year chill = -42.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 65.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 52.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 61.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 81.3
|May precipitation mm = 80.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 95.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 92.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 87.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 87.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 90.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 72.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 73.6
|year precipitation mm = 938.1
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 27.0
|Feb rain mm = 17.0
|Mar rain mm = 32.5
|Apr rain mm = 72.2
|May rain mm = 80.0
|Jun rain mm = 95.1
|Jul rain mm = 92.3
|Aug rain mm = 87.4
|Sep rain mm = 87.0
|Oct rain mm = 88.6
|Nov rain mm = 57.1
|Dec rain mm = 35.3
|year rain mm = 771.5
|snow colour = green
|Jan snow cm = 44.5
|Feb snow cm = 41.0
|Mar snow cm = 30.9
|Apr snow cm = 7.5
|May snow cm = 0.0
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 0.0
|Oct snow cm = 1.7
|Nov snow cm = 16.1
|Dec snow cm = 42.7
|year snow cm = 184.5
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 15.2
|Feb precipitation days = 12.0
|Mar precipitation days = 11.3
|Apr precipitation days = 12.5
|May precipitation days = 13.5
|Jun precipitation days = 12.9
|Jul precipitation days = 12.2
|Aug precipitation days = 11.5
|Sep precipitation days = 11.9
|Oct precipitation days = 14.5
|Nov precipitation days = 13.9
|Dec precipitation days = 15.6
|year precipitation days = 157.0
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 4.5
|Feb rain days = 3.1
|Mar rain days = 5.6
|Apr rain days = 11.1
|May rain days = 13.5
|Jun rain days = 12.9
|Jul rain days = 12.2
|Aug rain days = 11.5
|Sep rain days = 11.9
|Oct rain days = 14.3
|Nov rain days = 10.5
|Dec rain days = 6.3
|year rain days = 117.4
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 13.0
|Feb snow days = 10.1
|Mar snow days = 7.1
|Apr snow days = 2.3
|May snow days = 0.07
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.38
|Nov snow days = 4.6
|Dec snow days = 11.4
|year snow days = 48.9
|time day = 15:00 LST
|Jan humidity = 70.6
|Feb humidity = 63.5
|Mar humidity = 57.6
|Apr humidity = 51.2
|May humidity = 51.0
|Jun humidity = 55.1
|Jul humidity = 54.3
|Aug humidity = 55.7
|Sep humidity = 58.1
|Oct humidity = 63.9
|Nov humidity = 68.1
|Dec humidity = 75.5
|year humidity = 60.4
|Jan snow depth cm = 17
|Feb snow depth cm = 25
|Mar snow depth cm = 20
|Apr snow depth cm = 2
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 1
|Dec snow depth cm = 8
|year snow depth cm = 6
|Jan sun = 99.3
|Feb sun = 131.3
|Mar sun = 167.1
|Apr sun = 189.8
|May sun = 229.8
|Jun sun = 254.2
|Jul sun = 279.0
|Aug sun = 249.3
|Sep sun = 177.6
|Oct sun = 139.4
|Nov sun = 84.3
|Dec sun = 82.6
|year sun = 2083.7
|Jan percentsun = 35.0
|Feb percentsun = 44.9
|Mar percentsun = 45.3
|Apr percentsun = 46.9
|May percentsun = 49.9
|Jun percentsun = 54.3
|Jul percentsun = 58.9
|Aug percentsun = 57.1
|Sep percentsun = 47.1
|Oct percentsun = 41.0
|Nov percentsun = 29.4
|Dec percentsun = 30.3
|year percentsun = 45.0
| source 1 = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] (sun 1981–2010)<ref name="Ottawa CDA">{{cite web |publisher=Environment Canada |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=450000000&dispBack=0 |title=Ottawa CDA |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 |date=25 September 2013 |access-date=6 April 2025 }}</ref><ref name="Ottawa CDA1981">{{cite web |publisher=Environment Canada |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=4333&dispBack=0 |title=Ottawa CDA |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 |date=25 September 2013 |access-date=6 April 2025 }}</ref><ref name=OttawaCDAextremes>
{{cite web
| url = https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/ltce/daily/temperature/ON/climate_LTCE_Temperature-Records_ON_VSON118.csv
| title = Long Term Climate Extremes for Ottawa Kanata-Orleans (Virtual Station ID: VSON118)
| work = Daily climate records (LTCE)
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = April 6, 2025}}</ref>

| date = 22 September 2015
}}
{{Weather box
| collapsed = yes
| location = [[Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport|Ottawa International Airport]], 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1938–present<ref name=extremesmetadata/>
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
| Jan maximum humidex = 13.9
| Feb maximum humidex = 15.1
| Mar maximum humidex = 30.0
| Apr maximum humidex = 35.1
| May maximum humidex = 41.8
| Jun maximum humidex = 44.0
| Jul maximum humidex = 47.2
| Aug maximum humidex = 47.0
| Sep maximum humidex = 42.5
| Oct maximum humidex = 33.9
| Nov maximum humidex = 26.1
| Dec maximum humidex = 18.4
| year maximum humidex = 47.2
| Jan record high C = 12.9
| Feb record high C = 15.7
| Mar record high C = 27.4
| Apr record high C = 31.1
| May record high C = 35.8
| Jun record high C = 36.1
| Jul record high C = 36.9
| Aug record high C = 37.8
| Sep record high C = 35.1
| Oct record high C = 30.9
| Nov record high C = 23.9
| Dec record high C = 17.9
| year record high C = 37.8
| Jan high C = -5.5
| Feb high C = -3.6
| Mar high C = 2.4
| Apr high C = 11.3
| May high C = 19.6
| Jun high C = 24.4
| Jul high C = 27.0
| Aug high C = 25.8
| Sep high C = 21.0
| Oct high C = 13.0
| Nov high C = 5.8
| Dec high C = -1.9
| year high C = 11.6
| Jan mean C = -10.0
| Feb mean C = −8.5
| Mar mean C = −2.4
| Apr mean C = 5.9
| May mean C = 13.6
| Jun mean C = 18.7
| Jul mean C = 21.2
| Aug mean C = 20.1
| Sep mean C = 15.3
| Oct mean C = 8.2
| Nov mean C = 1.7
| Dec mean C = -5.8
| year mean C = 6.5
| Jan low C = -14.3
| Feb low C = -13.2
| Mar low C = -7.1
| Apr low C = 0.5
| May low C = 7.5
| Jun low C = 12.9
| Jul low C = 15.4
| Aug low C = 14.3
| Sep low C = 9.6
| Oct low C = 3.4
| Nov low C = -2.4
| Dec low C = -9.6
| year low C = 1.4
| Jan record low C = -35.6
| Feb record low C = -36.1
| Mar record low C = -30.6
| Apr record low C = -16.7
| May record low C = -5.6
| Jun record low C = -0.1
| Jul record low C = 5.0
| Aug record low C = 2.6
| Sep record low C = -3.0
| Oct record low C = -8.0
| Nov record low C = -21.7
| Dec record low C = -34.4
| year record low C = -36.1
| Jan chill = −47.8
| Feb chill = −47.6
| Mar chill = −42.7
| Apr chill = −26.3
| May chill = −10.9
| Jun chill = 0.0
| Jul chill = 0.0
| Aug chill = 0.0
| Sep chill = −6.4
| Oct chill = −13.3
| Nov chill = −29.5
| Dec chill = −44.6
| year chill = -47.8
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 70.4
| Feb precipitation mm = 49.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 66.3
| Apr precipitation mm = 81.3
| May precipitation mm = 74.8
| Jun precipitation mm = 96.8
| Jul precipitation mm = 88.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 79.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 89.6
| Oct precipitation mm = 87.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 73.9
| Dec precipitation mm = 72.4
| year precipitation mm = 929.8
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 29.3
| Feb rain mm = 14.5
| Mar rain mm = 34.6
| Apr rain mm = 69.6
| May rain mm = 74.5
| Jun rain mm = 96.8
| Jul rain mm = 88.5
| Aug rain mm = 79.0
| Sep rain mm = 90.6
| Oct rain mm = 84.7
| Nov rain mm = 60.5
| Dec rain mm = 34.7
| year rain mm = 757.2
| snow colour = green
| Jan snow cm = 59.2
| Feb snow cm = 48.5
| Mar snow cm = 38.8
| Apr snow cm = 12.2
| May snow cm = 0.2
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.0
| Oct snow cm = 2.7
| Nov snow cm = 20.7
| Dec snow cm = 49.6
| year snow cm = 231.9
| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
| unit rain days = 0.2 mm
| unit snow days = 0.2&nbsp;cm
| Jan precipitation days = 16.7
| Feb precipitation days = 13.0
| Mar precipitation days = 12.6
| Apr precipitation days = 12.1
| May precipitation days = 13.4
| Jun precipitation days = 13.9
| Jul precipitation days = 12.1
| Aug precipitation days = 11.2
| Sep precipitation days = 12.4
| Oct precipitation days = 14.1
| Nov precipitation days = 14.4
| Dec precipitation days = 16.7
| year precipitation days = 162.7
| Jan rain days = 4.9
| Feb rain days = 3.7
| Mar rain days = 6.8
| Apr rain days = 11.0
| May rain days = 13.4
| Jun rain days = 13.9
| Jul rain days = 12.1
| Aug rain days = 11.2
| Sep rain days = 12.3
| Oct rain days = 13.6
| Nov rain days = 10.5
| Dec rain days = 6.6
| year rain days = 120.0
| Jan snow days = 16.4
| Feb snow days = 12.9
| Mar snow days = 8.6
| Apr snow days = 3.2
| May snow days = 0.13
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.87
| Nov snow days = 6.5
| Dec snow days = 13.9
| year snow days = 62.3
| humidity colour = green
| time day = 15:00
| Jan humidity = 68.4
| Feb humidity = 62.0
| Mar humidity = 57.0
| Apr humidity = 49.5
| May humidity = 49.5
| Jun humidity = 53.5
| Jul humidity = 54.2
| Aug humidity = 55.3
| Sep humidity = 58.4
| Oct humidity = 61.6
| Nov humidity = 66.9
| Dec humidity = 72.3
| year humidity = 59.1
| Jan sun = 122.4
| Feb sun = 114.1
| Mar sun = 168.5
| Apr sun = 187.5
| May sun = 210.5
| Jun sun = 274.0
| Jul sun = 301.4
| Aug sun = 231.9
| Sep sun = 211.5
| Oct sun = 148.8
| Nov sun = 92.4
| Dec sun = 68.8
| year sun = 2131.7
| Jan percentsun = 43.1
| Feb percentsun = 39.0
| Mar percentsun = 45.7
| Apr percentsun = 46.3
| May percentsun = 45.7
| Jun percentsun = 58.6
| Jul percentsun = 63.7
| Aug percentsun = 53.1
| Sep percentsun = 56.1
| Oct percentsun = 43.7
| Nov percentsun = 32.2
| Dec percentsun = 25.2
| year percentsun = 46.0
| source 1 = [[Environment Canada]] (sunshine 1981–2010)<ref name=CCN>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927043627/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=191000000&dispBack=0 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=191000000&dispBack=0 |title=Ottawa (Airport), Ontario |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref><ref name=CCNairport1981>{{cite web |publisher=Environment Canada |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=4337 |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data: Ottawa, Ontario |date=31 October 2011 |access-date=17 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610225253/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=4337 |archive-date=10 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=climate>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/ONT/ONT_GORE-OTTA_ENG.csv |title=1981 to 2010 Canadian Climate Normals |publisher=Environment Canada |id=Climate ID: 6106000 |date=2 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718042915/ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/ONT/ONT_GORE-OTTA_ENG.csv |archive-date=2020-07-18 |url-status=dead |access-date=19 July 2013}}</ref><ref name=OttawaAirportextremes>
{{cite web
| url = https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/ltce/daily/temperature/ON/climate_LTCE_Temperature-Records_ON_VSON52V.csv
| title = Long Term Climate Extremes for Ottawa Richmond-Metcalfe (Virtual Station ID: VSON118)
| work = Daily climate records (LTCE)
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = April 6, 2025}}</ref><ref name="July18Hmdx">{{cite web |url=https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/electrictiy-use-to-hit-highest-in-years-this-week-southern-eastern-ontario-energy-heat-wave-temperatures-humidex-ieso-ac-air-conditioning/105857 |title=Electricity use to hit highest in years this week in Ontario |publisher=The Weather Network |date=2 July 2018 |access-date=3 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703133542/https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/electrictiy-use-to-hit-highest-in-years-this-week-southern-eastern-ontario-energy-heat-wave-temperatures-humidex-ieso-ac-air-conditioning/105857 |archive-date=3 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| date = July 2013
}}

=== Physical geography ===
[[File:Downtown Ottawa 2022.jpg|thumb|[[Downtown Ottawa]] is situated on the south bank of the [[Ottawa River]] with neighbouring [[Gatineau]] in the background across the river.]]
Ottawa is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River and contains the mouths of the [[Rideau River]] and [[Rideau Canal]].<ref name="RipleyDana1875">{{cite book |author1=George Ripley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KshPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA733 |title=The American Cyclopaedia: a popular dictionary of general knowledge |author2=Charles Anderson Dana |publisher=Appleton |year=1875 |page=733 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528212025/https://books.google.com/books?id=KshPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA733 |archive-date=28 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Rideau Canal (Rideau Waterway) first opened in 1832 and is {{cvt|202|km}} long.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parks Canada Agency |first=Government of Canada |date=17 April 2019 |title=History and culture - Rideau Canal National Historic Site |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/histoire-history |access-date=13 August 2022 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |archive-date=19 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419032921/https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/histoire-history |url-status=live}}</ref> It connects the Saint Lawrence River on Lake Ontario at Kingston to the Ottawa River near Parliament Hill. It was able to bypass the unnavigable sections of the [[Cataraqui River|Cataraqui]] and Rideau rivers and various small lakes along the waterway due to flooding techniques and the construction of 47 water transport [[Lock (water transport)|locks.]]

Ottawa is situated in a lowland on top of [[Paleozoic]] carbonate and shale and is surrounded by more craggy [[Precambrian]] igneous and metamorphic formations. Ottawa has had fluvial [[Deposition (geology)|deposition]] of [[till]] and sands, leading to the widespread formation of [[esker]]s. There are limited distinct features arising from glacial deposits, but Ottawa was affected by the [[Wisconsin glaciation|Late Wisconsian advance]]. Before the draining of the Champlain Sea, the area had high salinity. After the draining of the sea, the area had pine-dominated forests.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Natural Resources Canada |date=7 December 2015 |title=GEOSCAN Search Results: Fastlink |url=https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/starweb/geoscan/servlet.starweb?path=geoscan/fulle.web&search1=R=122374#:~:text=The%20Ottawa%20region%20is%20a,Precambrian%20igneous%20and%20metamorphic%20rocks. |access-date=13 August 2022 |website=geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca |archive-date=23 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923212910/https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/starweb/geoscan/servlet.starweb?path=geoscan/fulle.web&search1=R=122374#:~:text=The%20Ottawa%20region%20is%20a,Precambrian%20igneous%20and%20metamorphic%20rocks. |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa is located within the [[Western Quebec Seismic Zone]], and while relatively inactive, the city does occasionally experience earthquakes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Natural Resources Canada |title=Earthquake zones in Eastern Canada |url=https://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/zones/eastcan-en.php#WQSZ |access-date=13 August 2022 |website=earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca |language=en |archive-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901035350/http://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/zones/eastcan-en.php#WQSZ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Earthquake2000">{{cite web |title=Earthquakes (Ottawa) |url=http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/products-services/mapping-product/geoscape/ottawa/6174 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408102203/http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/products-services/mapping-product/geoscape/ottawa/6174 |archive-date=8 April 2013 |access-date=4 April 2013 |publisher=Natural Resources Canada}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=24 February 2006 |title=Earthquake shakes Ottawa |newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=24de3df5-eb4b-41de-8a31-9eb3ea0ed480&k=77474 |url-status=dead |access-date=17 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213171831/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=24de3df5-eb4b-41de-8a31-9eb3ea0ed480&k=77474 |archive-date=13 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="Earthquake2010">{{cite web |date=23 June 2010 |title=Magnitude 5.5 – Ontario-Quebec Border Region, Canada |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626024653/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php |archive-date=26 June 2010 |access-date=23 June 2010 |publisher=USGS}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=17 May 2013 |title=Earthquake shakes Ottawa |publisher=[[CTV Television Network|CTV]] |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/earthquake-rattles-residents-in-ontario-quebec-1.1285923 |url-status=live |access-date=17 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518200929/http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/earthquake-rattles-residents-in-ontario-quebec-1.1285923 |archive-date=18 May 2013}}</ref>

=== Built environment ===
During part of the winter season the Ottawa section of the canal forms the world's largest skating rink, thereby providing both a recreational venue and a {{cvt|7.8|km}} transportation path to downtown for ice skaters (from Carleton University and Dow's Lake to the Rideau Centre and [[National Arts Centre]]).<ref>{{cite web |date=7 March 2011 |title=Rideau Canal Skateway – National Capital Commission:: |url=https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/rideau-canal-skateway |access-date=7 June 2011 |publisher=Canadian Heritage |archive-date=18 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118140436/https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/rideau-canal-skateway |url-status=live}}</ref> On 29 June 2007, the Rideau Canal was recognized as a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Rideau Canal |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906172404/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221 |archive-date=6 September 2011 |access-date=27 May 2011 |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}}</ref>

The older part of the city (including what remains of Bytown) is known as [[Lower Town]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rodgers |first1=Richard |title=Ottawa's Lower Town |url=http://www.gta.igs.net/~rrodgers/lowertown/Lower_Town.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624122817/http://www.gta.igs.net/~rrodgers/lowertown/Lower_Town.htm |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=2 May 2021 |publisher=IGS}}</ref> and occupies an area between the canal and the rivers. Across the canal to the west lie both [[Centretown]] and [[Downtown Ottawa]], which share a border along Gloucester Street.<ref>{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |title=Centretown Community Design Plan, Part 1 |url=https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/documents/2centretowncdp_en.pdf |access-date=13 August 2022 |archive-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114194609/https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/documents/2centretowncdp_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> These core neighbourhoods contain streets such as [[Elgin Street (Ottawa)|Elgin]] and [[Bank Street (Ottawa)|Bank]], which fill the role of commercial [[High Street|main streets]] in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |date=20 July 2017 |title=Centretown Community Design Plan |url=https://ottawa.ca/en/centretown-community-design-plan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114194615/https://ottawa.ca/en/centretown-community-design-plan |archive-date=14 January 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>

Centretown is next to downtown, which includes a substantial economic and architectural government presence across multiple branches of government. The [[Parliament of Canada|legislature]]'s work takes place in the parliamentary precinct, which includes buildings on [[Parliament Hill]] and others downtown, such as the [[Senate of Canada Building]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |date=31 July 2015 |title=Discover the Parliamentary Precinct – Canada's Parliamentary Precinct - PSPC |url=https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/citeparlementaire-parliamentaryprecinct/decouvrez-discover/index-eng.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621125422/https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/citeparlementaire-parliamentaryprecinct/decouvrez-discover/index-eng.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca}}</ref> Important buildings in the executive branch include the [[Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council]] as well as many civil service buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_fhbro_eng.aspx?id=2992 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507065321/https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_fhbro_eng.aspx?id=2992 |archive-date=7 May 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Panico |first=Giacomo |date=1 November 2019 |title=Sparks Street's great divide bad for business, merchants say |work=CBC News Ottawa |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/sparks-street-s-great-divide-bad-for-business-merchants-say-1.5339340 |url-status=live |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101003444/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/sparks-street-s-great-divide-bad-for-business-merchants-say-1.5339340 |archive-date=1 November 2020}}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of Canada]] building can also be found in this area.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Supreme Court of |date=1 January 2001 |title=Supreme Court of Canada - The Court - SCC Building |url=https://www.scc-csc.ca/court-cour/buil-edi-eng.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603161227/https://scc-csc.ca/court-cour/buil-edi-eng.aspx |archive-date=3 June 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=www.scc-csc.ca}}</ref>

Across the Ottawa River, which forms the border between Ontario and [[Quebec]], lies the city of [[Gatineau]], itself the result of amalgamation of the former Quebec cities of [[Hull (Quebec)|Hull]] and [[Aylmer (Quebec)|Aylmer]].<ref name="RazinSmith2006">{{cite book |author1=Eran Razin |url=https://archive.org/details/metropolitangove00smit |title=Metropolitan governing: Canadian cases, comparative lessons |author2=Patrick J. Smith |publisher=University of Alberta |year=2006 |isbn=978-965-493-285-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/metropolitangove00smit/page/79 79] |access-date=15 November 2015 |url-access=registration}}</ref> Although formally and administratively separate cities in two different provinces, Ottawa and Gatineau (along with several nearby municipalities) collectively constitute the [[National Capital Region (Canada)|National Capital Region]], which is considered a single metropolitan area.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=30 September 2013 |title=Consolidated federal laws of Canada, National Capital Act |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/n-4/page-3.html#h-374470 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502032420/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/n-4/page-3.html#h-374470 |archive-date=2 May 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=laws-lois.justice.gc.ca}}</ref> One federal [[Crown corporations of Canada|Crown corporation]], the National Capital Commission, or NCC, has significant land holdings in both cities, including sites of historical and touristic importance.<ref name=":4" /> The NCC, through its responsibility for planning and development of these lands, has a crucial role in shaping the development of the city.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Erickson |first=Donna L |date=2004 |title=The relationship of historic city form and contemporary greenway implementation: a comparison of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA) and Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) |journal=Landscape and Urban Planning |volume=68 |issue=2–3 |pages=206 |citeseerx=10.1.1.508.4274 |doi=10.1016/S0169-2046(03)00160-9 |bibcode=2004LUrbP..68..199E |s2cid=86215921 |issn=0169-2046}}</ref> Around the main urban area is an extensive [[Green belt|greenbelt]], administered by the NCC for conservation and leisure, and comprising mostly forest, farmland and marshland.<ref name="BrownMitchell2005">{{cite book |title=The protected landscape approach: linking nature, culture and community |publisher=IUCN—The World Conservation Union |year=2005 |isbn=978-2-8317-0797-6 |editor1=Jessica Brown |page=195 |editor2=Nora J. Mitchell |editor3=Michael Beresford}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of Ottawa}}
[[File:Ottawa population pyramid in 2021.svg|thumb|Ottawa population pyramid in 2021]]
{{Historical populations
|title = Historic Population
|align = right

|footnote = Note: Population figures are extrapolated for current municipal boundaries <br />Sources:<ref name="Census1901-1966">{{cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/get-know-your-city/statistics-and-economic-profile/data-handbook/population/4-population |title=Population Change, City of Ottawa, 1901–2006 |access-date=18 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522043711/http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/get-know-your-city/statistics-and-economic-profile/data-handbook/population/4-population |archive-date=22 May 2013}}</ref><ref name=Census1971>{{cite web |url=http://www.geologyontario.mndmf.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/pub/data/imaging/OFR5218/OFR5218.pdf |title=Resources of construction aggregate in the regional municipality of Ottawa-Carleton |last1=Sado |first1=E. V. |last2=Vos |first2=M. A. |year=1976 |publisher=Ontario Division of Mines |access-date=9 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113838/http://www.geologyontario.mndmf.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/pub/data/imaging/OFR5218/OFR5218.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Census1976>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/1976928311978engfra/1976928311978engfra_djvu.txt |title=Population, land area and population density : census division and subdivisions = Population, superficie et densité de la population: divisions et subdivisions de recensement |website=Internet Archive |year=1978 |access-date=9 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317225430/http://archive.org/stream/1976928311978engfra/1976928311978engfra_djvu.txt |archive-date=17 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="StatCan1981-1991">{{cite web |title=Search Censuses |url=http://estat.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm?Lang=E&ESTATFile=ESTAT/English/SC_RR-eng.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115211843/http://estat.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm?Lang=E&ESTATFile=ESTAT/English/SC_RR-eng.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 January 2013 |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=4 July 2012 |access-date=18 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=StatCan2001>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All |title=2001 Community Profiles – Ottawa, Ontario (City) |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=1 February 2007 |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207062620/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All |archive-date=7 December 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|In early 2001, the Province of Ontario dissolved the former City of Ottawa by amalgamating it with eleven other municipalities to form a new City of Ottawa. The 1996 adjusted population of the amalgamated city published in the 2001 census was 721,136,<ref name=StatCan2001/> while the population of the dissolved former City of Ottawa in 2001 was 337,031.<ref name=StatCan2001dissolved>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506014&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |title=2001 Community Profiles – Ottawa, Ontario (City/Dissolved) |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=1 February 2007 |access-date=17 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015164432/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506014&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>|name=amalgamation|group="N"}}<ref name=StatCan2006 /><ref name=CityPop /><br />[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ottawa_Census.png Chart format]
|1901|101102
|1911|123417
|1921|152868
|1931|174056
|1941|206367
|1951|246298
|1956|287244
|1961|358410
|1966|413695
|1971|471931
|1976|520533
|1981|546849
|1986|606639
|1991|678147
|[[Canada 1996 Census|1996]]|721136
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]|774072
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]|812129
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]|883391
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]|934243
|[[Canada 2021 Census|2021]]|1017449
}}

In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Ottawa had a population of {{val|1017449|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|407252|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|427113|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1017449-934243}}|934243|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|934243|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{cvt|2788.2|km2|sqmi}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1017449|2788.2|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name="2021census">{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000235 |title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=27 March 2022 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512141434/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000235 |url-status=live}}</ref>

As of 2021 the Ottawa-Gatineau [[census metropolitan area]] (CMA) had a population of {{val|1488307|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|604721|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|638013|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1488307-1371576}}|1371576|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|1371576|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{cvt|8046.99|km2|sqmi}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1488307|8046.99|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name="2021censusCMA">{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000501 |title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=9 February 2022 |access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=27 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327085922/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000501 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ottawa's median age of 40.1 is below the provincial and national averages as of 2016. Youths under 15 constituted 16.7% of the total population in 2016, while those of retirement age (65 years and older) made up 15.4%.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |publisher=Government of Canada |date=8 February 2017 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Ottawa, City [Census subdivision], Ontario and Canada [Country] |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=3506008&TABID=1 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=Statistics Canada |archive-date=19 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519023003/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=3506008&TABID=1 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]] reported that [[Immigration to Canada|immigrants]] (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 259,215 persons or 25.9% of the total population of Ottawa. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were [[China]] (20,320 persons or 7.8%), [[India]] (16,200 persons or 6.2%), [[United Kingdom]] (14,760 persons or 5.7%), [[Lebanon]] (11,900 persons or 4.6%), [[Philippines]] (10,505 persons or 4.1%), [[United States of America]] (8,795 persons or 3.4%), [[Haiti]] (6,710 persons or 2.6%), [[Syria]] (6,370 persons or 2.5%), [[Vietnam]] (6,155 persons or 2.4%), and [[Iran]] (6,000 persons or 2.3%).<ref name="2021censusB" />

=== Race and ethnicity ===
As of 2021, approximately 64.9% of Ottawa's population were white or European, while 2.6% were [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]], and 32.5% were visible minorities (higher than the national percentage of 26.5%).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=26 October 2022 |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Ottawa&DGUIDlist=2021A00053506008&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=10 January 2023 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>

===Religion===
According to the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 census]], religious groups in Ottawa included:<ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=26 October 2022 |title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00053506008&SearchText=ottawa |access-date=9 November 2022 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |archive-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111073843/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0&DGUIDlist=2021A00053506008&SearchText=ottawa |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Christianity in Canada|Christianity]] (528,700 persons or 52.8%)
* [[Irreligion in Canada|Irreligion]] (316,740 persons or 31.6%)
* [[Islam in Canada|Islam]] (98,920 persons or 9.9%)
* [[Hinduism in Canada|Hinduism]] (20,300 persons or 2.0%)
* [[Buddhism in Canada|Buddhism]] (10,800 persons or 1.1%)
* [[Judaism in Canada|Judaism]] (10,600 persons or 1.1%)
* [[Sikhism in Canada|Sikhism]] (6,375 persons or 0.6%)
* [[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous Spirituality]] (445 persons or <0.1%)
* Other (8,055 persons or 0.8%)

{{As of|2011|alt=In 2011}}, around 65% of Ottawa residents described themselves as Christian, with [[Catholicism|Catholics]] accounting for 38.5% of the population and members of [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches 25%. Other religions were also present in Ottawa, the most prominent being [[Islam]] (6.7%), [[Hinduism]] (1.4%), [[Buddhism]] (1.3%), and [[Judaism]] (1.2%). Those with no religious affiliation represented 22.8%.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca" /><!-- Note: Religion is only asked on the census every ten years -->

===Language===
[[Bilingualism in Ottawa|Bilingualism]] became official policy for the conduct of municipal business in 2002,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/city_hall/policies/bilingualism_policy/index_en.html |title=Bilingualism Policy |publisher=City of Ottawa |year=2011 |access-date=22 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814023328/http://ottawa.ca/city_hall/policies/bilingualism_policy/index_en.html |archive-date=14 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and 37.6% of the population can speak both languages as of 2016, making it the largest city in Canada with both English and French as co-official languages.<ref name="Cheshire1991">{{cite book |author=Jenny Cheshire |title=English around the world: sociolinguistic perspectives |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ifl9ajM20fMC&pg=PA134 |year=1991 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-39565-6 |page=134 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426014433/https://books.google.com/books?id=ifl9ajM20fMC&pg=PA134 |archive-date=26 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Those who identify their mother tongue as [[English language|English]] constitute 62.4 percent, while those with [[French language|French]] as their mother tongue make up 14.2 percent of the population. Regarding respondents' knowledge of one or both official languages, 59.9 percent and 1.5 percent of the population know English and French only, respectively, while 37.2 percent know both official languages. The overall Ottawa–Gatineau census metropolitan area (CMA) has a larger proportion of French speakers than Ottawa since Gatineau's population's first language is mostly French. However, Gatineau is also the most bilingual city in Canada, making the region one of the most bilingual. An additional 20.4 percent of the population list languages other than English and French as their mother tongue. These include [[Arabic language|Arabic]] (3.2%), [[Chinese language|Chinese]] (3.0%), [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (1.2%), [[Italian language|Italian]] (1.1%), and many others.<ref name="www12.statcan.gc.ca">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=3506008&TABID=1 |access-date=19 September 2014 |publisher=Statistics Canada |title=National Household Survey Profile, 2011 |date=8 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808104756/http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Data=Count&SearchText=Ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=3506008&TABID=1 |archive-date=8 August 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Economy==
{{see also|Economy of Ontario}}
[[File:TunneysPasture2022.jpg|thumb|Federal government buildings in [[Tunney's Pasture]]]]
As of 2015, the region of Ottawa-Gatineau has the sixth-highest total household income of all Canadian metropolitan areas ($82,053), and the Ontario portion more directly overlapping the City of Ottawa has a higher household income ($86,451).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/inc-rev/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=102&PR=0&D1=1&RPP=25&SR=1&S=104&O=D |title=Income Highlight Tables, 2016 Census |publisher=Government of Canada |date=8 February 2017 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=24 September 2019 |archive-date=30 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930184727/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/inc-rev/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=102&PR=0&D1=1&RPP=25&SR=1&S=104&O=D |url-status=live}}</ref> The median household income after taxes in the City of Ottawa is $73,745 in 2016 was higher than the national median of $61,348.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Income&TABID=1&type=0 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census – Ottawa, City [Census subdivision], Ontario and Canada [Country] |publisher=Government of Canada |date=8 February 2017 |website=Statistics Canada |access-date=24 September 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806033705/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Income&TABID=1&type=0 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa's unemployment rate has remained below the national and provincial unemployment rates since 2006, with a rate of 5.2% in April 2022, low compared to the decade preceding.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labour Force & Employment |url=https://www.ottawainsights.ca/themes/employment-and-opportunity/employment/ |access-date=24 July 2022 |website=Ottawa Insights |language=en-US |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529023344/https://www.ottawainsights.ca/themes/employment-and-opportunity/employment/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Big job gains in April produce record employment levels for the region |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawas-jobless-rate-falls-to-4-6-per-cent-in-april |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA |archive-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517012942/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawas-jobless-rate-falls-to-4-6-per-cent-in-april |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019 [[Mercer Human Resource Consulting|Mercer]] ranks Ottawa with the third highest quality of living of any Canadian city, and 19th highest in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Insights/quality-of-living-rankings |title=Quality of Living City Ranking {{!}} Mercer |website=mobilityexchange.mercer.com |access-date=24 September 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418074611/https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Insights/quality-of-living-rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> It is also rated the second cleanest city in Canada, and third cleanest city in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr |title=Eco-City Ranking |publisher=Mercer.com |date=16 August 2010 |access-date=30 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622141236/http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr |archive-date=22 June 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ottawa's primary employers are the [[Public Service of Canada]] and the high-tech industry, although tourism and healthcare also represent increasingly sizeable economic activities. The federal government is the city's largest employer, employing over 116,000 individuals from the National Capital Region.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |date=2016 |title=Employment Survey |url=https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/employment_survey_2106_en.pdf |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031194518/https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/employment_survey_2106_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> The national headquarters for many federal departments are in Ottawa, particularly throughout Centretown and in the [[Terrasses de la Chaudière]] and [[Place du Portage]] complexes in Hull. The [[National Defence Headquarters (Canada)|National Defence Headquarters]] in Ottawa is the main command centre for the [[Canadian Armed Forces]]. It hosts the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.macleans.ca/general/six-year-long-consolidation-of-national-defence-headquarters-given-green-light/ |work=Maclean's |title=Six-year consolidation of National Defence Headquarters given green light |agency=Canadian Press |date=13 December 2013 |access-date=20 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129114337/http://www.macleans.ca/general/six-year-long-consolidation-of-national-defence-headquarters-given-green-light/ |archive-date=29 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> During the summer, the city hosts the [[Ceremonial Guard (Canada)|Ceremonial Guard]], which performs functions such as the [[Changing the Guard]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/ceremonial-guard/about.page |access-date=19 September 2014 |title=About the Ceremonial Guard |publisher=Government of Canada |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916233349/http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/ceremonial-guard/about.page |archive-date=16 September 2014}}</ref>

As Canada's national capital, tourism is an important part of Ottawa's economy, particularly after the [[150th anniversary of Canada]], centred in Ottawa. The lead-up to the festivities saw much investment in civic infrastructure, upgrades to tourist infrastructure and increases in national cultural attractions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sali |first=David |date=25 May 2018 |title=Ottawa Business Journal |url=https://www.obj.ca/article/armed-fresh-funding-ottawa-tourism-sector-avoiding-canada-150-hangover |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725005221/https://www.obj.ca/article/armed-fresh-funding-ottawa-tourism-sector-avoiding-canada-150-hangover |url-status=dead}}</ref> The National Capital Region annually attracts an estimated 22 million tourists, who spend about 2.2 billion dollars and support 30,600 jobs directly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Economic impact study |url=https://ottawatourism.ca/en/destination-development/research/economic-impact-study |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=Ottawa Tourism |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725005221/https://ottawatourism.ca/en/destination-development/research/economic-impact-study |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=interVISTAS |publisher=City of Ottawa |title=Economic Impact of Tourism in Ottawa |url=https://ottawatourism.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-06/Economic-Impact-of-Tourism-in-Ottawa-Executive-Summary.pdf |publication-date=2020 |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031181102/https://ottawatourism.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-06/Economic-Impact-of-Tourism-in-Ottawa-Executive-Summary.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:KanataResearchPark.jpg|thumb|[[Kanata Research Park]] is Canada's largest technology park.]]
In addition to the economic activities that come with being the national capital, Ottawa is an important technology centre; in 2015, its 1800 companies employed approximately 63,400 people.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tech jobs near all-time high as Region's jobless rate hits 6.8% |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/business/Tech+jobs+near+time+high+Region+jobless+rate+hits/9819243/story.html |website=www.ottawacitizen.com |access-date=13 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117024433/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Tech+jobs+near+time+high+Region+jobless+rate+hits/9819243/story.html |archive-date=17 November 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The concentration of companies in this industry earned the city the nickname of "Silicon Valley North."<ref name="Shavinina2004" /> Most of these companies specialize in [[telecommunications]], [[software development]] and [[environmental technology]]. Large technology companies such as Nortel, Corel, [[Mitel]], [[Cognos]], [[Halogen Software]], [[Shopify]] and [[JDS Uniphase]] were founded in the city.<ref name="TreviñoDoutriaux2006j">{{cite book |author1=Leonel Corona Treviño |author2=Jérôme Doutriaux |author3=Sarfraz A. Mian |title=Building knowledge regions in North America: emerging technology innovation poles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Rjok73CxF4C&pg=PA101 |year=2006 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=978-1-84542-430-5 |page=101 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430040144/https://books.google.com/books?id=_Rjok73CxF4C&pg=PA101 |archive-date=30 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa also has regional locations for [[Nokia]], [[3M]], [[Adobe Systems]], [[Bell Canada]], [[IBM]] and [[Hewlett-Packard]].<ref name="NovakowskiTremblay2007x">{{cite book |author1=Nick Novakowski |author2=Rémy Tremblay |title=Perspectives on Ottawa's High-tech Sector |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g3EC4nqKcmIC&pg=PA43 |year=2007 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-90-5201-370-1 |pages=43–71 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513081027/https://books.google.com/books?id=g3EC4nqKcmIC&pg=PA43 |archive-date=13 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Many of the telecommunications and new technology are in the western part of the city (formerly Kanata). The "tech sector" was doing particularly well in 2015/2016.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Allison |date=8 February 2017 |title=Canada Census 2016: Ontario growth still slowing, but those who went West might soon be back |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada-census-2016-ontario-growth-still-slowing-but-those-who-went-west-might-soon-be-back |newspaper=National Post |location=Toronto |access-date=8 February 2017 |archive-date=5 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105224008/https://nationalpost.com/category/news/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Demographics2002">{{cite web |title=2006 City of Ottawa Health Status Report |publisher=Ottawa Public Health |url=http://ottawa.ca/doc_repository/reports/hsr_2006_en.pdf |year=2006 |access-date=7 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118093314/http://ottawa.ca/doc_repository/reports/hsr_2006_en.pdf |archive-date=18 January 2012}}</ref> 
[[Nordion]], [[i-Stat]] and the National Research Council of Canada and [[OHRI]] are part of the growing life science sector.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/economics/table_40_en.html |title=City of Ottawa – 40. Major Employers in City of Ottawa, 2006 |publisher=Ottawa.ca |access-date=2 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128071342/http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/economics/table_40_en.html |archive-date=28 November 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ocri.ca/lifesciences |title=OCRI &#124; Life Sciences |publisher=Ocri.ca |access-date=2 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807095155/http://ocri.ca/lifesciences |archive-date=7 August 2011}}</ref>

The health sector is another major employer, which employs over 18,000 people in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/economics/table_40_en.html |title=City of Ottawa – 40. Major Employers in City of Ottawa, 2006 |publisher=Ottawa.ca |year=2008 |access-date=3 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128071342/http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/economics/table_40_en.html |archive-date=28 November 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Business, finance, administration, and sales and service rank high among types of occupations.<ref name="StatCan2006">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |title=Community Profiles from the 2006 Census – Ottawa, Ontario (City) |date=6 December 2010 |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918013647/http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3506008&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |archive-date=18 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Approximately ten percent of Ottawa's GDP is derived from finance, insurance and real estate whereas employment in goods-producing industries is only half the national average.<ref name="CommunityFoundations2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.communityfoundationottawa.ca/documents/VitalSigns2010.pdf |title=Ottawa's Vital Signs 2010 |publisher=Community Foundation of Ottawa |year=2010 |access-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717033748/http://www.communityfoundationottawa.ca/documents/VitalSigns2010.pdf |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The City of Ottawa is the second largest employer<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myjobsite.ca/images/CanaData_Labour_Market_Report.pdf |title=CanaData – The Industrial Structure of Canada's Major City Labour Markets |publisher=Reed Construction Data |date=November 2009 |access-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119050135/http://www.myjobsite.ca/images/CanaData_Labour_Market_Report.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="OttawaCompensation">{{cite web |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/financial/lrfp3/financial_profile/part_a/compensation_en.html |title=City of Ottawa – Compensation |publisher=ottawa.ca |access-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230190053/http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/financial/lrfp3/financial_profile/part_a/compensation_en.html |archive-date=30 December 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> with approximately 2,100 people employed by the Ottawa Police service, and 13,300 full-time equivalent non-police employees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Count - 2019 |url=https://open.ottawa.ca/documents/ottawa::full-time-equivalent-fte-count-2019/about |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=open.ottawa.ca |language=en-us |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725005221/https://open.ottawa.ca/documents/ottawa::full-time-equivalent-fte-count-2019/about |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2021 |title=About Us |url=https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/About-Us.aspx |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.ottawapolice.ca |language=en |archive-date=11 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811165905/https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/About-Us.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2016, Ottawa experienced an increase of 10,000 jobs over the 2012 average growth, which was relatively slower than in the late 1990s.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |title=Annual Development Report 2008 |url=https://app06.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/pec/2009/06-23/ADR%202008.pdf |date=May 2009 |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806033112/https://app06.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/pec/2009/06-23/ADR%202008.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> All major clusters tracked by the city saw increases in employment between 2014 and 2019.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=City of Ottawa |date=2021 |title=2020 Annual Development Report |url=https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/2020_devreport_en.pdf |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725005216/https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/2020_devreport_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Major areas of growth in the 2010s included local and federal administration, finance and accommodation.<ref name=":9" /> Between 2008 and 2020, there was growth in the number of government employees and a reduction in high-tech jobs, a reversal of previous trends from 2003 to 2008.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":11" />

Ottawa already has the largest rural economy among Canada's major cities.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=City of Ottawa ups spending on its rural economy |url=https://obj.ca/article/city-ottawa-ups-spending-its-rural-economy |access-date=9 November 2020 |website=Ottawa Business Journal |date=9 March 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113191956/https://obj.ca/article/city-ottawa-ups-spending-its-rural-economy |url-status=live}}</ref> In Ottawa, the rural economy contributes over $1 billion to the GDP. Agriculture alone accounts for $400 million, $136.7 million of which is farm-gate sales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khamsehzadeh |first=Armin |title=Ottawa Economy |url=https://ottawa-agent.ca/blog/ |access-date=9 November 2020 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109211359/https://ottawa-agent.ca/blog/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Rural economic activity includes agriculture, retail sales, construction, forestry and mining (aggregates), tourism, manufacturing, personal and business services, and transportation, to name a few. Rural employment expanded by a healthy 18% from 1996 to 2001.<ref name=":2" />

=== Media ===
{{further|Media in Ottawa–Gatineau}}
Three main daily local newspapers are printed in Ottawa: two English newspapers, the ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'' established as ''the Bytown Packet'' in 1845 and the ''[[Ottawa Sun]]'', and one French newspaper, ''[[Le Droit]]''.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 November 2015 |title=Find a Newspaper |url=https://nmc-mic.ca/about-us/find-a-newspaper/?town=Ottawa&staff=&city=&province=&language=&publication_type=&owner=&owner=&ser=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109033552/https://nmc-mic.ca/about-us/find-a-newspaper/?town=Ottawa&staff=&city=&province=&language=&publication_type=&owner=&owner=&ser=1 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |access-date=14 December 2018 |publisher=News Media Canada}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ottawa Newspapers |url=https://www.all-about-ottawa.com/ottawa-newspapers/ |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.all-about-ottawa.com |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031035121/https://www.all-about-ottawa.com/ottawa-newspapers/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The city is also home to local stations of the television broadcast networks and systems [[CBC News|CBC]] and [[CTV Television Network|CTV]], as well as English and French radio stations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cjroradio {{!}} Ottawa {{!}} Community Radio station |url=https://www.cjroradio.com/about |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034331/https://www.cjroradio.com/about |archive-date=14 July 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=cjroradio |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nouvelles d'Ottawa-Gatineau, météo et plus {{!}} ICI Radio-Canada.ca |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ottawa-gatineau |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712043745/https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ottawa-gatineau |archive-date=12 July 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=Radio-Canada |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch CTV News {{!}} Local Video {{!}} CTV News Ottawa |url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1164587 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705205547/https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1164587 |archive-date=5 July 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=ottawa.ctvnews.ca |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to the market's local media services, Ottawa is home to several national media operations, including [[CPAC (TV channel)|CPAC]] (Canada's national legislature broadcaster)<ref>{{cite web |title=About CPAC |url=http://www.cpac.ca/en/about-cpac/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720165531/http://www.cpac.ca/en/about-cpac/ |archive-date=20 July 2018 |access-date=20 July 2018 |website=[[CPAC (TV channel)|CPAC]]}}</ref> and the parliamentary bureau staff of virtually all of Canada's major newsgathering organizations in television, radio and print. The city is also home to the head office of the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canadian Broadcasting Centre {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-broadcasting-centre |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130190404/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-broadcasting-centre |archive-date=30 January 2022 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref>

== Education ==
{{Further|List of schools in Ottawa}}
[[File:UOttawa-Tabaret Hall-2008-05-05.jpg|thumb|Established in 1848, the [[University of Ottawa]] is the oldest post-secondary institution in the city.]]
[[File:CarletonUniversity2022.jpg|thumb|[[Carleton University]] in 2022]]
[[File:USP 2016.tif|thumb|[[Saint Paul University]]]]

=== Primary and secondary education ===
Ottawa has four main public school boards: English, English-Catholic, French, and French-Catholic. The English-language [[Ottawa-Carleton District School Board]] (OCDSB) is the largest board with 147 schools,<ref>{{cite web |title=Ocdsb-About Ocdsb |url=http://www.ocdsb.ca/ab-ocdsb/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412075944/http://www.ocdsb.ca/AB-OCDSB/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=12 April 2011 |access-date=13 March 2011 |publisher=Ocdsb.ca}}</ref> followed by the English-Catholic [[Ottawa Catholic School Board]] with 85 schools.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 May 2010 |title=Ottawa Catholic School Board |url=http://www.ottawacatholicschools.ca/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311053908/http://www.ottawacatholicschools.ca/ |archive-date=11 March 2011 |access-date=13 March 2011 |publisher=Ottawacatholicschools.ca}}</ref> The two French-language boards are the French-Catholic ''[[Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est]]'' with 49 schools,<ref>{{cite web |date=21 May 2004 |title=CECCE: Liste des écoles |url=http://www.ecolecatholique.ca/fr/53 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110326171422/http://www.ecolecatholique.ca/fr/53 |archive-date=26 March 2011 |access-date=13 March 2011 |publisher=Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est}}</ref> and the French ''[[Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario]]'' with 37 schools.<ref>{{cite web |title=Accueil |url=http://www.cepeo.on.ca/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411055314/http://www.cepeo.on.ca/ |archive-date=11 April 2011 |access-date=13 March 2011 |publisher=Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario}}</ref> Ottawa also has numerous [[private school]]s which are not part of a board.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ottawa Private Schools {{!}} Our Kids |url=https://www.ourkids.net/ottawa-private-schools.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803202954/https://www.ourkids.net/ottawa-private-schools.php |archive-date=3 August 2021 |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=www.ourkids.net |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Ottawa Public Library]] was created in 1906 as part of the [[Carnegie library]] system.<ref>{{cite web |title=Notes from the Ottawa Room... The Carnegie Library – Ottawa's First Public Library – 100 Years Old on April 30, 2006 |url=http://24369.vws.magma.ca/connect/research/local/carnegie_library_e.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706184950/http://24369.vws.magma.ca/connect/research/local/carnegie_library_e.html |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=12 March 2011 |publisher=Ottawa Public Library}}</ref> {{As of|2008|lc=y}} the library system had 2.3&nbsp;million items at its 34 branches and two mobile libraries.<ref>{{cite web |year=2008 |title=Strategic Directions and Priorities 2008–2011 |url=http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/archive/board/strat_plans/strategic_e.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607181537/http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/archive/board/strat_plans/strategic_e.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2011 |access-date=12 March 2011 |publisher=Ottawa Public Library}}</ref> Approximately 9.5 million loans were conducted in 2020, approximately 6.7 million physical loans and the remainder digital items.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annual Report - 2021 {{!}} Ottawa Public Library |url=https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/annual-reports/2021/annual-report-2021 |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=biblioottawalibrary.ca |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725044208/https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/annual-reports/2021/annual-report-2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Higher education and research ===
Ottawa is known as the most educated city in Canada, with over half the population having graduated from college and/or university.<ref>{{cite web |title=Quick Facts About Ottawa |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/glance/business_en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305032251/http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/glance/business_en.html |archive-date=5 March 2010 |access-date=30 June 2010 |publisher=City of Ottawa}}</ref> Ottawa has the highest per capita concentration of [[engineer]]s, [[scientist]]s, and residents with [[PhD]]s in Canada.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zakaluzny |first=Roman |title=Where must Ottawa's tech sector go from here? |work=Ottawa Business Journal |url=http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/290233008271272.php |access-date=16 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928061307/http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/290233008271272.php |archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> The city has two main public universities and two main public colleges.

* [[Carleton University]] was founded in 1942 to meet the needs of returning World War II veterans and later became Ontario's first private, non-denominational college. Over time, Carleton transitioned into the highly ranked comprehensive university it is today.<ref>{{cite web |title=2014 University Rankings: Comprehensive results |url=http://www.macleans.ca/education/uniandcollege/2014-university-rankings-comprehensive-category-results/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929192923/http://www.macleans.ca/education/uniandcollege/2014-university-rankings-comprehensive-category-results/ |archive-date=29 September 2014 |access-date=15 October 2014 |website=Maclean's|date=31 October 2013 }}</ref> The university's main campus sits between [[Old Ottawa South]] and Dow's Lake. Carleton's catholic [[Affiliated school|affiliated]] university college, is the Dominican University College.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trick |first=David |date=2015 |title=Affiliated and Federated Universities as Sources of University Differentation |url=https://heqco.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Formatted_Appendix_Trick_paper.pdf |website=Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630050430/https://heqco.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Formatted_Appendix_Trick_paper.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[University of Ottawa]] (originally named the "College of Bytown") was the first post-secondary institution established in the city in 1848. The university later grew to become the largest English-French bilingual university in the world.<ref name="Quick">{{cite web |title=University of Ottawa – Quick Facts 2014 |url=https://www.uottawa.ca/services/irp/docs/QF2014-EN-2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029033641/http://www.uottawa.ca/services/irp/docs/QF2014-EN-2.pdf |archive-date=29 October 2014 |access-date=15 October 2014 |publisher=University of Ottawa}}</ref> It is also a member of the [[U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities|U15]], a group of highly respected research-intensive universities in Canada.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 February 2011 |title=U15 Submission to the Expert Review Panel on Research and Development |url=http://rd-review.ca/eic/site/033.nsf/vwapj/sub198.pdf/$file/sub198.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313024055/http://rd-review.ca/eic/site/033.nsf/vwapj/sub198.pdf/$file/sub198.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2012 |access-date=25 May 2012 |publisher=Review of Federal Support to R&D}}</ref> The university's main campus is in the [[Sandy Hill, Ottawa|Sandy Hill]] neighbourhood, just adjacent to the city's downtown core. The University of Ottawa's catholic [[Affiliated school|affiliated]] university college is [[Saint Paul University|St. Paul University]].
* [[Algonquin College]] is a college of applied arts and technology founded in 1967. Its main campus is located in the [[City View, Ottawa|City View]] neighbourhood of [[College Ward]]. The college serves the [[National Capital Region (Canada)|National Capital Region]] and the outlying areas of [[Eastern Ontario]], Western [[Quebec]], and [[Upstate New York]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colleges in Ontario |url=https://www.ontariocolleges.ca/en/colleges |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ontariocolleges.ca |language=en |archive-date=13 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713235037/https://www.ontariocolleges.ca/en/colleges |url-status=live}}</ref> The college has satellite campuses in [[Pembroke, Ontario|Pembroke]] and [[Perth, Ontario|Perth]], as well as four international campuses through their international offshore partnerships.
* [[Collège La Cité]] is the largest French-language college in Ontario. Founded in 1989, its campus is located off the [[Aviation Parkway (Ottawa)|Aviation Parkway]] in the [[Carson Meadows]] neighbourhood. La Cité has a satellite campus in [[Hawkesbury, Ontario|Hawkesbury]] and a business office in [[Toronto]].

Other colleges and universities in the metropolitan area are located in the neighbouring suburb of Gatineau, including the [[Université du Québec en Outaouais|University of Quebec in Outaouais]], [[Cégep de l'Outaouais]], and [[Heritage College (Gatineau)|Heritage College]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Global Affairs |date=6 September 2018 |title=Map of colleges and universities |url=https://www.educanada.ca/programs-programmes/map-carte.aspx?lang=eng |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.educanada.ca |archive-date=19 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619221911/https://www.educanada.ca/programs-programmes/map-carte.aspx?lang=eng |url-status=live}}</ref>

Public health
{{See also|List of hospitals in Ottawa}}
[[File:Civic Hospital, Ottawa.JPG|right|thumb|The [[Ottawa Civic Hospital|Civic Hospital]] is one of three main campuses of [[The Ottawa Hospital]].]]

There are six active general medical hospitals in the city of Ottawa: The [[Queensway Carleton Hospital]], [[The Ottawa Hospital]] ([[Ottawa Civic Hospital|Civic Hospital]], [[Ottawa General Hospital|General Hospital]], [[Riverside Hospital of Ottawa|Riverside Hospital]]), [[Montfort Hospital]], and [[Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario]]. Several specialized hospital facilities are also present, such as the world-renowned [[University of Ottawa Heart Institute]], the [[Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre]], and Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital.<ref>{{cite web |title=Finding healthcare |url=http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/public-health/healthcare/finding-healthcare#P46_1193 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101055713/http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/public-health/healthcare/finding-healthcare#P46_1193 |archive-date=1 November 2014 |access-date=20 September 2014 |publisher=City of Ottawa}}</ref> There are also several hospitals and major medical centres in neighbouring suburban communities and commuter towns. The [[University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine]] operates [[teaching hospital]]s in conjunction with partners throughout the city.<ref name="uOttawa Med">{{cite web |title=Affiliated Teaching Hospitals |url=http://www.med.uottawa.ca/patho/eng/affiliated.html |access-date=11 August 2022 |website=uOttawa.ca |archive-date=11 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811040203/http://www.med.uottawa.ca/patho/eng/affiliated.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ottawa is the headquarters of numerous major medical organizations and institutions such as [[Canadian Red Cross]], [[Canadian Blood Services]], [[Health Canada]], [[Canadian Medical Association]], [[Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada]], [[Canadian Nurses Association]], and the [[Medical Council of Canada]].

==Culture and contemporary life==
[[File:Byward Market Sunset.jpg|thumb|[[ByWard Market]] is a retail and entertainment district in Downtown Ottawa.]]
Traditionally, the [[ByWard Market]] (in Lower Town), Parliament Hill and the [[Golden Triangle (Ottawa, Canada)|Golden Triangle]] (both in Centretown – Downtown) have been the focal points of the cultural scenes in Ottawa.{{sfn|Hale|2011|pp=59–60}} Modern thoroughfares such as [[Wellington Street (Ottawa)|Wellington Street]], [[Rideau Street]], [[Sussex Drive]], [[Elgin Street (Ottawa)|Elgin Street]], [[Bank Street (Ottawa)|Bank Street]], [[Somerset Street (Ottawa)|Somerset Street]], [[Preston Street (Ottawa)|Preston Street]], Richmond Road in [[Westboro, Ottawa|Westboro]], and [[Sparks Street]] are home to many boutiques, museums, theatres, galleries, landmarks and memorials in addition to eating establishments, cafes, bars and nightclubs.{{sfn|Hale|2011|pp=61–68}}

As Canada's capital, Ottawa has played host to many significant cultural events in [[Canadian history]], including the first visit of the reigning [[Monarchy of Canada|Canadian sovereign]]—[[George VI|King George VI]], with [[List of royal consorts of Canada|his consort]], [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]]—[[1939 royal tour of Canada|to his parliament, on 19 May 1939]].<ref name="BousfieldToffoli1989">{{cite book |author1=Arthur Bousfield |author2=Garry Toffoli |title=Royal spring: the royal tour of 1939 and the Queen Mother in Canada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Go5p_CN8UQC&pg=PA34 |year=1989 |publisher=Dundurn Press Ltd. |isbn=978-1-55002-065-6 |page=34 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425102153/https://books.google.com/books?id=1Go5p_CN8UQC&pg=PA34 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Victory in Europe Day|VE Day]] was marked with a large celebration on 8 May 1945,<ref name="Granatstein2005n">{{cite book |author=J. L. Granatstein |title=The last good war: an illustrated history of Canada in the Second World War, 1939–1945 |url=https://archive.org/details/lastgoodwarillus0000gran |url-access=registration |date=21 March 2005 |publisher=Douglas & McIntyre |isbn=978-1-55054-913-3 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lastgoodwarillus0000gran/page/223 223]– |access-date=15 November 2015}}</ref> the first raising of [[Flag of Canada|the country's new national flag]] took place on 15 February 1965,<ref name="Solski2006">{{cite book |author=Ruth Solski |title=Big Book of Canadian Celebrations: Grades 4–6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8s7-m6yOnwC&pg=PA83 |year=2006 |publisher=S&S Learning Materials |isbn=978-1-55035-851-3 |page=83 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425091723/https://books.google.com/books?id=w8s7-m6yOnwC&pg=PA83 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Canadian Centennial|centennial of Confederation]] was celebrated on 1 July 1967.<ref name="Ord2003">{{cite book |author=Douglas Ord |title=The National Gallery of Canada: ideas, art, architecture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lIUPghtfGyIC&pg=PA369 |year=2003 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP |isbn=978-0-7735-2509-2 |page=369 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502120811/https://books.google.com/books?id=lIUPghtfGyIC&pg=PA369 |archive-date=2 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Queen [[Elizabeth II]] was in Ottawa on 17 April 1982, to issue a [[Proclamation|royal proclamation]] of the enactment of the [[Constitution Act, 1982|Constitution Act]].<ref name="Hayes2008">{{cite book |author=Derek Hayes |title=Canada: an illustrated history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hrkq7t_4080C&pg=PA271 |year=2008 |publisher=Douglas & McIntyre |isbn=978-1-55365-259-5 |page=271 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505020500/https://books.google.com/books?id=hrkq7t_4080C&pg=PA271 |archive-date=5 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1983, [[Prince Charles]] and [[Diana Princess of Wales]] came to Ottawa for a state dinner hosted by then Prime Minister [[Pierre Trudeau]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/princess-di-across-canada/article2060598/ |title=Princess Di across Canada |work=Globe and Mail |date=22 June 2011 |access-date=25 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625121249/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/princess-di-across-canada/article2060598/ |archive-date=25 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, Ottawa was selected as the first city to receive [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], and [[Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge]] during their [[2011 royal tour of Canada|tour of Canada]].<ref name="2011-06-30-HCH">{{cite news |title=Royal tour begins with unhurried walkabout |url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9021323.html |access-date=30 June 2011 |newspaper=The Chronicle-Herald |date=30 June 2011 |agency=The Canadian Press |location=Halifax NS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702195512/http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9021323.html |archive-date=2 July 2011}}</ref>

Ottawa was featured in the short story collection ''[[For Your Eyes Only (short story collection)|For Your Eyes Only]]'', by [[Ian Fleming]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew King: For Our Eyes Only, tracking Bond in Ottawa |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/andrew-king-for-our-eyes-only-tracking-bond-in-ottawa |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA |archive-date=16 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316053149/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/andrew-king-for-our-eyes-only-tracking-bond-in-ottawa |url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:War Memorial Guards Ottawa.jpg|alt=The National War Memorial|thumb|upright|The [[National War Memorial (Canada)|National War Memorial]]]]

===Landmarks===
{{main|List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Ottawa|List of designated heritage properties in Ottawa}}

There is one [[World Heritage Site]] in Ottawa, the [[Rideau Canal]], along with 25 [[National Historic Site of Canada|National Historic Sites of Canada]] in Ottawa, including the Château Laurier, the [[Parliament of Canada]], Confederation Square, the former Ottawa Teachers' College and [[Laurier House]]. Many other properties of cultural value have been designated as having "heritage elements" by the City of Ottawa under Part IV of the ''[[Ontario Heritage Act]]''.<ref>{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Heritage Designation Program |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/planning/built_heritage/designation/index_en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617044338/http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/planning/built_heritage/designation/index_en.html |archive-date=17 June 2011 |access-date=8 June 2011 |publisher=City of Ottawa}}</ref>

===Arts===
{{See also|List of attractions in Ottawa|List of museums in Ottawa}}
[[File:CanadianMuseumofNature2010-05-19.JPG|thumb|The [[Canadian Museum of Nature]] is Canada's national museum of [[natural history]] and [[natural science]].]]

==== Performing and visual arts ====
The [[Ottawa Little Theatre]], founded in 1913 as the Ottawa Drama League, is Ottawa's longest-running community theatre company.{{sfn|Hale|2011|p=60}} Since 1969, Ottawa has been the home of the National Arts Centre, a major performing arts venue that houses four stages and is home to the [[National Arts Centre Orchestra]], the [[Ottawa Symphony Orchestra]] and [[Opera Lyra Ottawa]].<ref>{{cite web |date=17 March 1970 |title=NAC History |url=http://www.nac-cna.ca/en/about/nachistory/index.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621090354/http://nac-cna.ca/en/about/nachistory/index.cfm |archive-date=21 June 2011 |access-date=7 June 2011 |publisher=National Arts Centre}}</ref>

Established in 1975, the [[Great Canadian Theatre Company]] specializes in the production of Canadian plays at a local level.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 January 2011 |title=Great Canadian Theatre Company |url=http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Great%20Canadian%20Theatre%20Company |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204044118/http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Great%20Canadian%20Theatre%20Company |archive-date=4 February 2012 |access-date=1 September 2011 |publisher=Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia}}</ref> The cities museum landscape is notable for containing six of Canada's nine national museums, the [[Canada Agriculture Museum|Canada Agriculture and Food Museum]], the [[Canada Aviation and Space Museum]], the [[Canada Science and Technology Museum]], Canadian Museum of Nature, [[Canadian War Museum]] and National Gallery of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |title=City of Ottawa – Museums and History |url=http://ottawa.ca/visitors/what_to_do/museums_history_en.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530162324/http://www.ottawa.ca/visitors/what_to_do/museums_history_en.html |archive-date=30 May 2011 |access-date=7 June 2011 |publisher=City of Ottawa}}</ref> The [[National Gallery of Canada]]; designed by famous architect [[Moshe Safdie]], it is a permanent home to the [[Maman (sculpture)|''Maman'']] sculpture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ottawatourism.ca/old/de/visitors/attractions/fast-facts-ottawa/366-fast-facts-national-gallery |title=National Gallery of Canada – Ottawa Tourism Official Site |publisher=Ottawatourism.ca |access-date=7 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006194316/http://www.ottawatourism.ca/old/de/visitors/attractions/fast-facts-ottawa/366-fast-facts-national-gallery |archive-date=6 October 2011}}</ref> The [[Canadian War Museum]] houses over 3.75&nbsp;million artifacts and was moved to an expanded facility in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.warmuseum.ca/about-us/corporation/about-the-corporation/about-the-canadian-museum-of-civilization-corporation/ |title=WarMuseum.ca – About the Museum – Mission |publisher=Civilization.ca |access-date=7 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027150013/http://www.warmuseum.ca/about-us/corporation/about-the-corporation/about-the-canadian-museum-of-civilization-corporation/ |archive-date=27 October 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Canadian Museum of Nature was built in 1905, and underwent a major renovation between 2004 and 2010, leading to a centrepiece Blue Whale skeleton, and the creation of a monthly nightclub experience, ''Nature Nocturne''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Canada |url=http://nature.ca/en/about-us/history-buildings/museum-history |title=Museum History &#124; Canadian Museum of Nature |publisher=Nature.ca |date=19 January 2011 |access-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109032533/http://nature.ca/en/about-us/history-buildings/museum-history |archive-date=9 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=CBC News Ottawa |date=2012 |title=Museum of Nature to transform into nightclub |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/museum-of-nature-to-transform-into-nightclub-1.1242324 |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725022939/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/museum-of-nature-to-transform-into-nightclub-1.1242324 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 June 2010 |title=Rare blue whale skeleton on display at Ottawa's Canadian Museum of Nature |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2010/06/04/rare_blue_whale_skeleton_on_display_at_ottawas_canadian_museum_of_nature.html |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=thestar.com |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725022939/https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2010/06/04/rare_blue_whale_skeleton_on_display_at_ottawas_canadian_museum_of_nature.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cuisine===
Ottawa is home to several regional dishes. As a city with traditional French-Canadian roots, staples such as [[poutine]] are served throughout the city. However, many consider [[shawarma]] Ottawa's official dish;<ref name="Official dish">{{cite news |title=Ottawa's official food: What dish defines us? |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-official-food-donair-shawarma-1.3356996 |access-date=20 August 2022 |agency=CBC |publisher=CBC News |date=9 December 2015 |archive-date=20 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820051943/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-official-food-donair-shawarma-1.3356996 |url-status=live}}</ref> the city contains more shawarma restaurants than anywhere else in Canada.<ref name="Shawarma Capital">{{cite web |last1=Deachman |first1=Bruce |title=Shawarma: the staple of Ottawa cuisine |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/shawarma-the-staple-of-ottawa-cuisine |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=20 August 2022 |archive-date=19 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119004455/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/shawarma-the-staple-of-ottawa-cuisine |url-status=live}}</ref> The city is also home to "Ottawa-style" [[pizza]], consisting usually of a thicker doughy crust and slightly spicy pizza sauce, with the toppings baked under a heavy layer of cheese, keeping the toppings soft.<ref name="Ottawa style pizza.">{{cite web |last1=Gankina |first1=Sonya |title=Ottawa Pizza Podcast celebrates the uniqueness of Ottawa-style pizza |url=https://apt613.ca/ottawa-pizza-podcast-celebrates-the-uniqueness-of-ottawa-style-pizza/ |website=Apt 613 |access-date=20 August 2022 |archive-date=10 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810070716/https://apt613.ca/ottawa-pizza-podcast-celebrates-the-uniqueness-of-ottawa-style-pizza/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Fried dough|Beaver tails]], a fried dough pastry, were first created in Ottawa in the 1970s. [[Le Cordon Bleu]] has a long-established culinary arts institute in the central Ottawa neighbourhood of Sandy Hill, the only Le Cordon Bleu campus in North America.<ref name="Le Cordon Bleu">{{cite web |title=Le Cordon Bleu |url=https://www.cordonbleu.edu/ottawa/en |website=Le Cordon Bleu |access-date=22 August 2022 |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816035134/https://www.cordonbleu.edu/ottawa/en |url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Ice slide Winterlude Ottawa 2007.jpg|thumb|[[Winterlude]] is an annual [[winter festival]] held in Ottawa.]]

===Festivals===
{{See also|List of festivals in Ottawa}}

Ottawa hosts a variety of annual seasonal activities—such as [[Winterlude]], the largest festival in Canada,<ref>{{cite web |last=Buckland |first=Jason |date=4 July 2010 |title=2. Winterlude – Biggest festivals in Canada |url=http://money.ca.msn.com/savings-debt/gallery/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=24740236&page=7 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009153634/http://money.ca.msn.com/savings-debt/gallery/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=24740236&page=7 |archive-date=9 October 2011 |access-date=13 July 2011 |publisher=Money.ca.msn.com}}</ref> and [[Canada Day]] celebrations on Parliament Hill and surrounding downtown area, as well as [[Ottawa Bluesfest|Bluesfest]], [[Canadian Tulip Festival]], [[Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival]], [[Ottawa International Jazz Festival]], [[Ottawa Fringe Festival|Fringe Festival]], [[Capital Pride (Ottawa)|Capital Pride]], and [[CityFolk Festival]], that have grown to become some of the largest festivals of their kind in the world.<ref>{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Ottawa Bluesfest |url=http://www.ottawa-information-guide.com/ottawa-bluesfest.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704093409/http://www.ottawa-information-guide.com/ottawa-bluesfest.html |archive-date=4 July 2011 |access-date=29 June 2011 |publisher=Ottawa-Information-Guide}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Clapperton |first1=Nina |title=Ottawa Tulip Festival |url=https://ninaoutandabout.ca/canadian-ottawa-tulip-festival/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410012548/https://ninaoutandabout.ca/canadian-ottawa-tulip-festival/ |archive-date=10 April 2022 |access-date=10 April 2022 |website=Nina Out and About}}</ref> In 2010, Ottawa's Festival industry received the [[International Festivals and Events Association|IFEA]] "World Festival and Event City Award" for the category of North American cities with a population between 500,000 and 1,000,000.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 September 2010 |title=2010 IFEA World Festival & Event City Award |url=http://www.ifea.com/joomla1_5/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=244&Itemid=476 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713003630/http://www.ifea.com/joomla1_5/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=244&Itemid=476 |archive-date=13 July 2011 |access-date=29 June 2011 |publisher=International Festivals and Events Association}}</ref>

== Sports ==
{{further|Sport in Ottawa|List of Ottawa parks}}
[[File:TD Place Canal.jpg|thumb|[[TD Place Stadium]] is home to the [[Canadian Football League|CFL]]'s [[Ottawa Redblacks]], the [[Canadian Premier League|CPL]]'s [[Atlético Ottawa]], and the [[Northern Super League|NSL]]'s [[Ottawa Rapid FC]].]]

=== Professional sports ===
[[Sport in Ottawa]] has a history dating back to the 19th century. The city is currently home to six professional sports teams. The [[Ottawa Senators]] are a professional ice hockey team playing in the [[National Hockey League]]. The Senators history in Ottawa dates back to 1883; the franchise would go on to win the [[Stanley Cup]] eleven times by 1927. The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Division and play their home games at the [[Canadian Tire Centre]].<ref name="WeekesBanks2002">{{cite book |author1=Don Weekes |author2=Kerry Banks |title=The Unofficial Guide to Hockey's Most Unusual Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbihEP6nuKcC&pg=PA122 |year=2002 |publisher=Greystone Books |isbn=978-1-55054-942-3 |pages=122– |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513073714/https://books.google.com/books?id=jbihEP6nuKcC&pg=PA122 |archive-date=13 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2023, the [[Ottawa Charge]] became one of the six charter franchises of the [[Professional Women's Hockey League]] (PWHL).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Donkin |first=Karissa |date=12 November 2023 |title=A new era |url=https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/Ottawa-PWHL-womens-hockey-the-next-chapter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113103154/https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/Ottawa-PWHL-womens-hockey-the-next-chapter |archive-date=13 November 2023 |access-date=5 January 2024 |work=[[CBC Sports]]}}</ref> The Charge play home games at [[TD Place Arena]].

The [[Ottawa Redblacks]] are a professional Canadian Football team playing in the [[Canadian Football League]].<ref name="Ottawa CFL">{{cite news |title=Political hurdles all but cleared for team to hit field in 2013 |url=http://www.torontosun.com/sports/football/2010/06/29/14551341.html |date=29 June 2011 |newspaper=Toronto Sun – Sports |access-date=29 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607101050/http://www.torontosun.com/sports/football/2010/06/29/14551341.html |archive-date=7 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Formerly the [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] represented the city until 1996. With a history dating back to 1876, the team was one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America. The professional soccer club, [[Atlético Ottawa]], plays in the [[Canadian Premier League]]. The team was founded in by Spanish club [[Atlético Madrid]], and along with the Redblacks, play their home games at [[TD Place Stadium]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stadium Profile |url=https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/stadium-profile/ |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=Atlético Ottawa |language=en-CA |archive-date=13 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213085312/https://atleticoottawa.canpl.ca/stadium-profile/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ottawa Rapid FC]] of the [[Northern Super League]] also play at TD Place Stadium. The [[Ottawa Black Bears]], founded in 2024, compete in the [[National Lacrosse League]] and play at the [[Canadian Tire Centre]] in [[Kanata, Ontario|Kanata]]. The [[Ottawa Blackjacks]] are a professional basketball team, playing in the [[Canadian Elite Basketball League]], out of the TD Place Arena.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-basketball-team-name-schedule-1.5366182 |title=Ottawa Blackjacks to leap into action next spring |publisher=CBC News |date=20 November 2019 |access-date=11 March 2020 |archive-date=28 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128200505/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5366182 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Ottawa SkyHawks kicked out of National Basketball League of Canada |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-skyhawks-kicked-out-of-national-basketball-league-of-canada-1.2724097 |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307040523/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-skyhawks-kicked-out-of-national-basketball-league-of-canada-1.2724097 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Ottawa Titans (baseball)|Ottawa Titans]] play professional baseball in the [[Frontier League]] at [[Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ottawa Stadium {{!}} Ottawa Titans Baseball Club |url=https://ottawatitans.com/rcgt-park/ |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=ottawatitans.com |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307132127/https://ottawatitans.com/rcgt-park/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Ottawa was previously home to the [[Ottawa Lynx]], a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] club, as well as the [[Ottawa Champions]], an independent baseball team in the [[Can-Am League]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ottawa Champions left off new league's 2020 roster |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-champions-left-off-2020-roster-1.5323308 |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307022727/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-champions-left-off-2020-roster-1.5323308 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Collegiate sports ===
The University of Ottawa and Carleton University [[varsity team]]s compete in [[U Sports]] in various sports. Algonquin College and Collège La Cité teams compete in the [[Ontario Colleges Athletic Association|OCAA]].

The [[Carleton Ravens]] are nationally ranked in [[basketball]] and soccer.<ref>{{cite web |title=- NATIONALLY RANKED MEN'S TEAMS PREVAIL |url=http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=1&id=2833 |publisher=Canada Basketball |year=2009 |access-date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727105410/http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=1&id=2833 |archive-date=27 July 2011}}</ref> [[Carleton Ravens men's basketball|Carleton's men's basketball]] program is regarded as the greatest of all time, having won 17 of the last 20 [[W. P. McGee Trophy|national championships]].<ref name="Carleton Ravens dynasty">{{cite web |last1=Baines |first1=Tim |title=DYNASTY? There's nothing quite like what Carleton Ravens men's basketball team has done |url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/basketball/dynasty-theres-nothing-quite-like-what-carleton-ravens-mens-basketball-team-has-done |website=Ottawa Sun |access-date=14 August 2022 |archive-date=19 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919144616/https://ottawasun.com/sports/basketball/dynasty-theres-nothing-quite-like-what-carleton-ravens-mens-basketball-team-has-done |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Ottawa Gee-Gees]] are nationally ranked in basketball and soccer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 January 2020 |title=National Top Ten Update: Five teams remain ranked |url=https://www.teams.geegees.ca/general/2019-20/releases/20200114mx1ij7 |language=en |journal= |access-date=13 July 2022 |archive-date=24 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124011041/https://teams.geegees.ca/general/2019-20/releases/20200114mx1ij7 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Non-professional and amateur sports ===
Several non-professional teams also play in Ottawa, including the [[Ottawa 67's]] [[junior ice hockey]] team.<ref name="KearneyRay2009">{{cite book |author1=Mark Kearney |author2=Randy Ray |title=The Big Book of Canadian Trivia |url=https://archive.org/details/bigbookofcanadia0000kear |url-access=registration |year=2009 |publisher=Dundurn Press |isbn=978-1-55488-417-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bigbookofcanadia0000kear/page/241 241]– |access-date=15 November 2015}}</ref>
The city is home to an assortment of amateur organized team sports such as [[soccer]], [[basketball]], [[baseball]], [[curling]], [[rowing (sport)|rowing]], [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]], and [[horse racing]].<ref name=Sports>{{cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/visitors/what_to_do/sports_outdoor_en.html |title=Sports and Outdoor |publisher=City of Ottawa |access-date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906052719/http://www.ottawa.ca/visitors/what_to_do/sports_outdoor_en.html |archive-date=6 September 2011}}</ref> Casual recreational activities, such as [[Ice skating|skating]], [[cycling]], [[tennis]], [[hiking]], [[sailing]], [[golfing]], [[skiing]], and [[fishing]]/[[ice fishing]] are also popular.<ref name=Sports/>

Starting in 2025 a new [[Ironman Triathlon]] will be starting in Ottawa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 IRONMAN Canada - Ottawa - Sunday, August 3, 2025 |url=https://regca.ironman.com/event/2025-ironman-canada-ottawa |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=Triathlons, marathons, half-marathons, mountain bike & running races}}</ref>

==Government and politics==
{{further|List of Ottawa municipal elections|Canadian federal election results in Ottawa|List of embassies and high commissions in Ottawa}}
[[File:Ottawa City Hall Hotel de ville d'Ottawa.jpg|thumb|[[Ottawa City Hall]] houses the [[Ottawa City Council|seat of the local government]].]]
The [[City of Ottawa]] is a [[Census divisions of Ontario#Single-tier municipalities|single-tier municipality]], meaning it is in itself a [[census division]] and has no county or regional municipality government above it, and has no subsidiary municipalities to provide municipal services.<ref name="SlackChattopadhyay2009">{{cite book |author1=Enid Slack |author2=Rupak Chattopadhyay |title=Finance and Governance of Capital Cities in Federal Systems |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2RBv66RWYHQC&pg=PA61 |year=2009 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP |isbn=978-0-7735-3565-7 |page=61 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429113526/https://books.google.com/books?id=2RBv66RWYHQC&pg=PA61 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ontario Municipalities {{!}} AMO |url=https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/ontario-municipalities#Single |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412221617/https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/ontario-municipalities#Single |archive-date=12 April 2022 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=www.amo.on.ca}}</ref> Ottawa is governed by the 25-member [[Ottawa City Council]] consisting of 24 councillors each representing one [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]] and the mayor, [[Mark Sutcliffe]] as of the [[2022 Ottawa municipal election]], is elected in a citywide vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor and City Councillors {{!}} City of Ottawa |url=https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/mayor-and-city-councillors |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ottawa.ca |archive-date=2 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802214459/https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/mayor-and-city-councillors |url-status=live}}</ref> 

Along with being the capital of Canada, Ottawa is politically diverse in local politics. Most of the city has traditionally supported the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] in federal elections.<ref name="Hill2002">{{cite book |author=Tony L. Hill |title=Canadian politics, riding by riding: an in-depth analysis of Canada's 301 federal electoral districts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=opvmE2AExc8C&pg=PA184 |year=2002 |publisher=Prospect Park Press |isbn=978-0-9723436-0-2 |page=184 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609194025/https://books.google.com/books?id=opvmE2AExc8C&pg=PA184 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Jillian |date=21 September 2021 |title=In stand-pat federal vote, Ottawa remains Liberal stronghold |url=https://capitalcurrent.ca/in-stand-pat-federal-vote-that-changes-little-nationwide-ottawa-remains-the-liberal-stronghold-it-was-in-2019/ |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=Capital Current |language=en-CA |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529044810/https://capitalcurrent.ca/in-stand-pat-federal-vote-that-changes-little-nationwide-ottawa-remains-the-liberal-stronghold-it-was-in-2019/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The safest areas for the Liberals are the ones dominated by [[Francophones]], especially in Vanier and central Gloucester.<ref name="Hill2002" /> Central Ottawa is usually more [[Left-wing politics|left]]-leaning, and the [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]] have won ridings there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar: 1963-2019 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/former-ottawa-centre-mp-paul-dewar-has-died |access-date=14 August 2022 |website=ottawacitizen |language=en-CA |archive-date=5 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205222224/https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/former-ottawa-centre-mp-paul-dewar-has-died |url-status=live}}</ref> Some of Ottawa's suburbs are swing areas, such as central Nepean. Another example of a swing area is Orleans, despite its often Liberal Party-aligned francophone population.<ref name="Hill2002" /> Ridings further outside the city centre, such as those including Kanata, Barrhaven and rural areas, tend to be more conservative, fiscally and socially.<ref name="Hill2002"/> This is especially true in the former Townships of [[West Carleton Township, Ontario|West Carleton]], [[Goulbourn Township, Ontario|Goulbourn]], [[Rideau Township, Ontario|Rideau]] and [[Osgoode Township, Ontario|Osgoode]], which are more in line with the conservative areas in the surrounding [[county|counties]].<ref name="Hill2002"/> Rural parts of the former township of [[Cumberland Township, Ontario|Cumberland]], with a large number of Francophones, traditionally support the Liberal Party, though their support has recently weakened.<ref name="Hill2002"/>

At present, Ottawa is host to [[List of diplomatic missions in Canada|130 embassies]].<ref name="international1">{{cite web |url=http://w01.international.gc.ca/Protocol-Protocole/Heads-Chefs.aspx?lang=eng |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318010712/http://w01.international.gc.ca/Protocol-Protocole/Heads-Chefs.aspx?lang=eng |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 March 2009 |title=Heads of Missions |publisher=W01.international.gc.ca |date=27 October 2009 |access-date=3 November 2010}}</ref> A further 49 countries accredit their [[List of diplomatic missions in Canada#Accredited Embassies and High Commissions|embassies and missions in the United States]] to Canada.<ref name="international1"/>

==Transportation==
{{See also|OC Transpo|O-Train|List of airports in the Ottawa area|List of Ottawa roads|List of numbered roads in Ottawa|List of bridges in Ottawa}}

===Public transportation===
{{Main|OC Transpo}}
[[File:O Train 15773300606.jpg|thumb|An [[O-Train]] crossing the [[Rideau River]]. The O-Train is a [[light rail]] [[public transportation]] service provided by [[OC Transpo]].]]

[[File:Stage2South.png|thumb|Map of Ottawa's rapid transit network.]]

Ottawa's public transit system is managed by [[OC Transpo]].<ref name="oct">{{cite web |url=http://www.octranspo1.com/about-octranspo |title=About OC Transpo |year=2009 |publisher=OC Transpo |access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113035431/http://www.octranspo1.com/about-octranspo/ |archive-date=13 November 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> OC Transpo operates an integrated, multi-modal rapid transit system which includes:
* The [[O-Train]] light rail system. The four-line public rail system includes three existing lines and one currently under construction.
** [[Line 1 (O-Train)|Line 1]] is an east–west line which operates medium-capacity light rail vehicles and travels under the city's downtown core.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our services |url=https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/ |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=OC Transpo |archive-date=17 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217130833/http://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
** [[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]] is a north–south rail transit corridor which utilizes a mix of Stadler FLIRTs and Alstom Coradia LINTs connecting the south end of Ottawa to Line 1 at [[Bayview station (Ottawa)|Bayview station]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.octranspo.com/en/ready-for-rail/transforming-the-service/expanding-o-train-service |title=Expanding O-Train service |website=OC Transpo |access-date=16 February 2020 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216190331/http://www.octranspo.com/en/ready-for-rail/transforming-the-service/expanding-o-train-service |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/bus-o-train-network/vehicles/ |title=Vehicles |publisher=OC Transpo |access-date=28 September 2023 |archive-date=6 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906201722/https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/bus-o-train-network/vehicles/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
** [[Line 3 (O-Train)|Line 3]] is an under construction branch of Line 1, splitting at [[Lincoln Fields station]] and continuing west.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stage2lrt.ca/ |title=Stage 2 Ottawa |website=Stage2lrt.ca |date=22 July 2015 |access-date=16 April 2016 |url-status=live |archive-date=22 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322133748/http://www.stage2lrt.ca/}}</ref>
** [[Line 4 (O-Train)|Line 4]] is a {{cvt|4|km|mi}} airport link connecting Line 2 to the [[Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport]]
* A vast [[bus rapid transit]] (BRT) system that uses a series of dedicated bus-only roadways named the [[Transitway (Ottawa)|Transitway]] and reserved lanes on city streets and highways. The Transitway has long distances between stops and full station amenities (including platforms, walkways, fare gates, ticket booths, elevators and convenience stores). It connects Ottawa's suburbs to the inner city. The Rapid bus service network operates all day, seven days a week, reaching the suburban communities of Kanata to the West, Barrhaven to the South-West, Orléans to the East, and South Keys to the South.<ref name=":1" />
* Over 190 local bus routes are served by a fleet of ordinary, articulated and double-decker buses.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/bus-o-train-network/service-types/ |title=Service types |website=OC Transpo |access-date=16 February 2020 |archive-date=17 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217184613/http://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/bus-o-train-network/service-types |url-status=live}}</ref> Both OC Transpo and the Quebec-based [[Société de transport de l'Outaouais]] (STO) operate bus transit services between Ottawa and Gatineau. OC Transpo also operates a door-to-door bus service for disabled individuals known as ParaTranspo.<ref name="oct" /> There is a [[Gatineau LRT|proposed LRT system]] that could link Ottawa with Gatineau.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843 |access-date=20 December 2018 |title=Gatineau reveals $2.1B LRT plan, eyes 2028 launch |work=CBC |date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114184041/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843 |archive-date=14 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Airports===
The [[Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport]] is the city's principal airport. There are also three main regional airports [[Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport]], [[Carp Airport|Ottawa/Carp Airport]], and [[Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport]].<ref name="PurdomCarroll2003f">{{cite book |author1=Laura Purdom |author2=Donald Carroll |author3=Robert Holmes |title=Traveler's Companion Eastern Canada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nD6yjUail9AC&pg=PA70 |year=2003 |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=978-0-7627-2332-4 |page=70 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429031340/https://books.google.com/books?id=nD6yjUail9AC&pg=PA70 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Inter-city transportation===
[[Ottawa station]] is the [[Central station|main]] [[Inter-city rail|inter-city]] train station operated by [[Via Rail]]. It is located {{convert|4|km}} to the east of [[downtown Ottawa|downtown]] in [[Eastway Gardens]] (adjacent to [[O-Train]] [[Tremblay station]]) and serves Via Rail's [[Québec City–Windsor Corridor (Via Rail)|Corridor]] Route.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tremblay |url=https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/stations1/tremblay1 |website=OC Transpo |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=7 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007014942/https://www.octranspo.com/en/our-services/stations1/tremblay1/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ottawa train station |url=https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/ottawa/station |website=Via Rail Canada |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=3 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603051627/https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/ottawa/station |url-status=live}}</ref> The city is also served by inter-city passenger rail service at [[Fallowfield station (Ontario)|Fallowfield station]] in the southwestern suburban community of [[Barrhaven]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Fallowfield train station |url=https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/fallowfield |website=Via Rail Canada |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=4 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604142937/https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/fallowfield |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Intercity bus service]]s are currently provided by several carriers at various stops throughout the city, following the closure of the former [[Ottawa Central Station]] [[bus station|bus terminal]] on 1 June 2021. Major carriers include: [[Megabus (North America)|Megabus]], [[Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services|Ontario Northland]], Autobus Gatineau,<ref>{{cite web |title=Bus Stops {{!}} megabus |url=https://ca.megabus.com/stops |website=ca.megabus.com |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=23 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523161240/https://ca.megabus.com/stops |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ottawa Agency - Change in Pick-Up and Drop-off {{!}} Ontario Northland |url=https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/ottawa-agency-change-pick-and-drop |website=ontarionorthland.ca |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=4 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604140713/https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/ottawa-agency-change-pick-and-drop |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Autobus Gatineau Schedule - Grand Remous / Ottawa - Ottawa / Grand Remous |website=autobusgatineau.com |url=http://nebula.wsimg.com/5319e6b801e78b710fbe67c96a31724a?AccessKeyId=A8F7318CB6209AF92A92&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516154044/https://nebula.wsimg.com/5319e6b801e78b710fbe67c96a31724a?AccessKeyId=A8F7318CB6209AF92A92&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Orléans Express]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Travelling from Montreal to Ottawa |website=Orleans Express |date=9 July 2021 |url=https://www.orleansexpress.com/en/travelling-montreal-ottawa/ |access-date=23 February 2022 |archive-date=23 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223222927/https://www.orleansexpress.com/en/travelling-montreal-ottawa/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Streets and highways===
The City of Ottawa has over {{cvt|12200|km|mi}} lane-kilometres of road and a series of freeways. The primary freeways are the east–west provincial [[Ontario Highway 417|Highway 417]] (designated as the Queensway and part of the [[Trans-Canada Highway]]), Ottawa-Carleton [[Regional Road 174|Highway 174]] (formerly Provincial Highway 17), [[Ontario Highway 7|Highway 7]], and the north–south provincial [[Ontario Highway 416|Highway 416]] (designated as Veterans' Memorial Highway), which connects to other [[400-series highways (Ontario)|400-Series highways]] via the 401.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Highway |first=Trans-Canada |title=Ontario Trans-Canada Highway itineraries and towns |url=https://transcanadahighway.com/ontario/ |access-date=13 July 2022 |website=Trans-Canada Highway |language=en-CA |archive-date=19 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119121351/https://www.transcanadahighway.com/ontario/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ontario Highway 416 History - The King's Highways of Ontario |url=http://www.thekingshighway.ca/Highway416.htm |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.thekingshighway.ca |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725035305/http://www.thekingshighway.ca/Highway416.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> From downtown there are also freeway connections to [[Quebec Autoroute 5|Autoroute 5]] and [[Quebec Autoroute 50|Autoroute 50]], in neighbouring Gatineau.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Story Map Series |url=https://ncc-ccn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4ace0d0442c4d35b9a3e90f0c632450 |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=ncc-ccn.maps.arcgis.com |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523111942/https://ncc-ccn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4ace0d0442c4d35b9a3e90f0c632450 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The city also has several scenic parkways and promenades, such as the [[Kichi Zibi Mikan]] (formerly the Macdonald Parkway), [[Colonel By Drive]], [[Queen Elizabeth Driveway]], the [[Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway]] (formerly the Rockcliffe Parkway), and the [[Aviation Parkway (Ottawa)|Aviation Parkway]]. The National Capital Commission manages ceremonial routes linking key attractions on both sides of the Ottawa River, including [[Confederation Boulevard]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20444-20505&lang=1 |title=Confederation Boulevard, National Capital Commission Web site |access-date=11 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209090858/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20444-20505&lang=1 |archive-date=9 February 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Cycling and pedestrian network===
[[File:CapitalPathway2019.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Capital Pathway]] is a multi-use [[trail]] interlinking sites throughout the [[National Capital Region (Canada)|National Capital Region]].]]

Numerous paved [[multi-use trail]]s, mostly operated by the [[National Capital Commission]] and the city, wind their way through much of the capital, including along the Ottawa River, Rideau River, and Rideau Canal. [[Capital Pathway|These pathways]] are used for transportation, tourism, and recreation. Because many streets either have wide curb lanes or bicycle lanes, cycling is a mode of transportation used by up to 2.5% of citizens, including in winter. This is the largest percentage of any major Canadian city.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ottawainsights.ca/themes/environment-and-sustainability/transportation/ |title=Transportation Environment & Sustainability |publisher=Ottawa Insights |access-date=5 August 2022 |archive-date=5 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805182033/https://www.ottawainsights.ca/themes/environment-and-sustainability/transportation/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/statistics/counts/counts_apr_04/index_en.shtml |title=Statistics – Ottawa Counts |publisher=Ottawa.ca |access-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519010548/http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/statistics/counts/counts_apr_04/index_en.shtml |archive-date=19 May 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Capital Pathway Strategic Plan |url=https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-plans/capital-pathway-strategic-plan |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=NCC-CCN |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725035305/https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-plans/capital-pathway-strategic-plan |url-status=live}}</ref> As of 31 December 2015, over {{cvt|900|km}} of cycling facilities are found in Ottawa, including {{cvt|435|km}} of multi-use pathways, {{cvt|8|km}} of cycle tracks, {{cvt|200|km}} of on-road bicycle lanes, and {{cvt|257|km}} of paved shoulders.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/transportation-and-parking/cycling/cycling-network-information |title=Cycling Network Information |website=Ottawa.ca |publisher=City of Ottawa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918065653/http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/transportation-and-parking/cycling/cycling-network-information |archive-date=18 September 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> {{cvt|204|km}} of new cycling facilities were added between 2011 and 2014.<ref name=":0" />

The entire length of [[Sparks Street]] was turned into a [[Pedestrian zone|pedestrian mall]] in 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nccwatch.org/blunders/sparks.htm |title=Sparks Street |publisher=NCC Watch |access-date=8 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617100655/http://www.nccwatch.org/blunders/sparks.htm |archive-date=17 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1960, additional avenues, streets, and parkways, are reserved for pedestrian and bicycle use only on Saturdays, Sundays and on selected holidays and events.<ref name="NCC Bike Paths">{{cite web |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-9970-9971&lang=1 |title=The Capital Pathway |date=10 June 2010 |publisher=[[National Capital Commission]] |access-date=23 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708173631/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-9970-9971&lang=1 |archive-date=8 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2021 city council unanimously approved the [[Byward Market]] Public Realm Plan to make the market area more [[Carfree city|car-free]] and pedestrian friendly.<ref name="Public Realm Plan">{{cite web |url=https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-engagement/projects/byward-market-public-realm-plan |title=ByWard Market Public Realm Plan |date=1 October 2021 |publisher=City of Ottawa |access-date=5 August 2022 |archive-date=5 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805191635/https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-engagement/projects/byward-market-public-realm-plan |url-status=live}}</ref> From 2009 to 2015 the NCC introduced the [[Capital Bixi]] [[bicycle-sharing system]]. This continued until the company VeloGo took over the program from 2015 to 2018 when the partnership ceased.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HistoricPlaces.ca - Capital BIXI Takes Ottawa: Pedal into the Past! |url=https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/20_bixi.aspx |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=www.historicplaces.ca |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725075708/https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/20_bixi.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 March 2021 |title=Ottawa parks the return of a bike-sharing program on city streets |url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-parks-the-return-of-a-bike-sharing-program-on-city-streets-1.5362549 |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=Ottawa |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725035305/https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-parks-the-return-of-a-bike-sharing-program-on-city-streets-1.5362549 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Scooter-sharing system]]s have since been introduced in the downtown and inner-city areas.{{When|date=December 2023}}

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of people from Ottawa}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Ontario}}
* [[Outline of Ottawa]]
* [[List of francophone communities in Ontario]]
* [[List of national capitals| World national capitals]]
* [[List of Ottawa buildings]]
* [[Geography of Ottawa]]
* [[Mark Sutcliffe]], Current [[Mayor of Ottawa]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Brault |first=Lucien |title=Ottawa Old and New |url=https://archive.org/details/ottawaoldnew0000unse |url-access=registration |year=1946 |publisher=Ottawa Historical Information Institute |oclc=2947504}}
* {{cite book |first=David L.A. |last=Gordon |title=Town and Crown an illustrated history of Canada's capital |url=https://www.townandcrown.ca |year=2015 |publisher=University of Ottawa Press |isbn=978-0-470-68158-9 |access-date=1 November 2022}} [https://press.uottawa.ca/en/9780776638850/town-and-crown/ Alt URL]
* {{cite book |first=James |last=Hale |title=Frommer's Ottawa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D-xZXkWpWtIC&pg=PT1 |year=2011 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-0-470-68158-9 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=18 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518051438/https://books.google.com/books?id=D-xZXkWpWtIC&pg=PT1 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |first1=Jeff |last1=Keshen |first2=Nicole |last2=St-Onge |title=Ottawa—making a capital |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Q9Bb4EiAyoC&pg=PP1 |year=2001 |publisher=University of Ottawa Press |isbn=978-0-7766-0521-0 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=24 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424090752/https://books.google.com/books?id=_Q9Bb4EiAyoC&pg=PP1 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |first=David |last=Lee |title=Lumber kings & shantymen: logging and lumbering in the Ottawa Valley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZLSf-I0XgIC&pg=PA1 |year=2006 |publisher=James Lorimer & Company |isbn=978-1-55028-922-0 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512120704/https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZLSf-I0XgIC&pg=PA1 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Legget |first=Robert |title=Rideau Waterway |year=1986 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=0-8020-6591-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CaA4OpW4Ao0C&pg=PA252 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=14 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514110242/https://books.google.com/books?id=CaA4OpW4Ao0C&pg=PA252 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |first=Carol |last=Martin |title=Ottawa: a colourguide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjUoa_r4LOIC&pg=PA1 |year=1997 |publisher=Formac Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-88780-396-3 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=6 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506090703/https://books.google.com/books?id=gjUoa_r4LOIC&pg=PA1 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last1=Mika |first1=Nick |last2=Mika |first2=Helma |title=Bytown: The Early Days of Ottawa |year=1982 |publisher=Mika Publishing Company |isbn=0-919303-60-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Taylor |first=John H. |title=Ottawa: An Illustrated History |year=1986 |publisher=J. Lorimer |isbn=978-0-88862-981-4}}
* {{cite book |first=Marion |last=Van de Wetering |title=An Ottawa album: glimpses of the way we were |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jRkxGw291AcC&pg=PA1 |year=1997 |publisher=Dundurn Press Ltd. |isbn=978-0-88882-195-9 |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512123505/https://books.google.com/books?id=jRkxGw291AcC&pg=PA1 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |last=Woods |first=Shirley E. Jr. |title=Ottawa: The Capital of Canada |year=1980 |publisher=Doubleday Canada |isbn=0-385-14722-8}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links | Ottawa | wikt=no | commons=Ottawa | b=no | n=Ottawa | q=no | s=no | v=no | voy=Ottawa | species=no | d=no | display=Ottawa}}
* {{official website}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre = Ottawa
| North = {{flagicon|QC}} [[Pontiac, Quebec|Pontiac]], [[Gatineau]]<br />''[[Ottawa River]]''
| Northeast = {{flagicon|QC}} [[Lochaber-Partie-Ouest, Quebec|Lochaber-Partie-Ouest]]<br />''[[Ottawa River]]''
| East = [[Clarence-Rockland]]
| Southeast = [[Russell, Ontario|Russell]], [[The Nation, Ontario|The Nation]]
| South = [[North Grenville, Ontario|North Grenville]], [[North Dundas, Ontario|North Dundas]]
| Southwest = [[Merrickville-Wolford, Ontario|Merrickville-Wolford]]
| West = [[Mississippi Mills, Ontario|Mississippi Mills]]<br />[[Beckwith, Ontario|Beckwith]]<br />[[Montague, Ontario|Montague]]
| Northwest = [[Arnprior, Ontario|Arnprior]]
}}
{{Ottawa}}
{{Navboxes|list = 
{{Ottawa landmarks}}
{{Subdivisions of Ontario}}
{{Canada capitals}}
{{Census metropolitan areas by size}}
{{List of North American capitals}}
{{Great Lakes Megalopolis}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ottawa| ]]
[[Category:1826 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Capitals in North America]]
[[Category:Cities in Ontario]]
[[Category:High-technology business districts in Canada]]
[[Category:Planned capitals]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1826]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Ottawa River]]
[[Category:Single-tier municipalities in Ontario]]