As Canada’s capital, Ottawa is a city in Eastern Ontario right on the border of Quebec. Only a five hour drive to Toronto, a two hour drive to Montreal and a one hour drive to the U.S. Border to cross the St. Lawrence River right into New York State, this Nation’s Capital is a place many happy people call home.
The Ottawa Region has a population of 1.5 million and is considered one of the world’s cleanest and safest cities. It has always performed well in Quality of Life surveys and has crime rates which are lower in comparison to many other Canadian cities. But what is it like to live in Ottawa? Find out below
Climate in Ottawa
The local climate of Ottawa is one that must be embraced as the winters can be cold and long, and the summers are humid and hot. You can experience large swings in temperature in the spring and fall, having warm weather one day and snow falling the next. For some, the Ottawa winters are too cold and last too long.
From December to March you can expect snowfalls. The active truly embrace these conditions as snowshoeing, hiking, skiing and snowboarding are all very accessible within 20 minutes of the city. Summer will last from June to September with extremely hot temperatures, greatly due to high humidity levels. Summers are enjoyed by many who bike and like to get moving outdoors with Ottawa having many bike-friendly main roads and plenty of green space.
Education and Employment
Ottawa is composed of a highly educated population, many of which achieve their education at the two large universities in the core of the city. With a slightly lower unemployment rate than the average for Canadian cities, Ottawa is by far the largest employer of the Federal Government, employing over one hundred thousand people.
Ottawa is also recognized as a high-tech mecca in Canada, boasting a number of high-tech companies. The nation’s capital is officially a bilingual city and many of the education services, tourist services and civil services are provided in both French and English.
Transportation in Ottawa
Getting around in Ottawa is quite easy given how many unique neighborhoods cover the city. Public transportation is highly accessible with the urban transit service OC Transpo busses providing stops along fixed routes throughout the majority of the busy main streets and popular suburban areas.
A light rail transit system the O-Train provides quick and affordable transportation running North to South from Little Italy to South Keys. The second stage of the O-Train is being built and will provide additional routes running East to West from Blair Road to Tunney’s Pasture.
If you’re looking to live in one of the world’s most beautiful, clean, intelligent and thriving cities and you’re open to enjoying multiple seasons ranging from cold to hot, Ottawa may be the perfect place for you to call home.
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