Neighbourhoods

Ottawa has several neighbourhoods, each with their own features and fun things to do. Here we discuss many of the regions and what they have to offer!

Zoom in on this map to see where neighbourhoods are located in relation to all the hospitals and academic family health teams!

Central Ottawa

Lowertown/Byward Market
  • North east downtown neighbourhood with restaurants, bars, small businesses
  • Historically French Canadian and Irish, undergoing gentrification. Currently lots of government employees and diplomats, embassies.
  • Also houses many of Ottawa’s goodwill shelters (Mission, Salvation Army, Shepherds…)
  • Bordered to the north, west and east by the Ottawa river, to the south Rideau street
Sandy Hill
  • One of Ottawa’s most historical neighbourhoods, just south of the Byward/Lowertown
  • Lots of student housing and community housing, includes the University of Ottawa
Centretown
  • Downtown core north of Lisgar and Gloucester
  • A combination of both commercial and residential buildings with shops, restaurants, pubs, museums, historic churches, high rise buildings, and government offices
Glebe
  • South of downtown (Centretown) bordered by the Queensway (Hwy 417) to the North, Rideau Canal to the East and South, and Bronson Street to the West
  • Eclectic shops, cute restaurants, includes Landsdowne Park, TD Place Stadium
  • The Glebe community is generally younger, wealthier families and there has been significant gentrification in recent years
Dow’s Lake/Little Italy
  • Bordered by the Glebe to the East, Dows Lake and the Rideau Canal, and the O-train to the West, and Somerset St and Chinatown to the North
  • Plenty of greenery, large houses, delicious restaurants, and small businesses
Old Ottawa South
  • Upper middle class, character-filled neighbourhood
  • Bordered to the south and east by the Rideau River, to the west by Carleton University, and to the north by Rideau Canal

Eastern Ottawa

New Edinburgh
  • East of Downtown and Byward, bordered to the West by Rideau River, to the North by the Ottawa River, and to the South by Beechwood avenue, and Rockcliffe Park area in the East
  • Relatively affluent, but less so than Rockcliffe, includes Governor General’s residence (Rideau Hall)
Rockcliffe Manor/Park
  • One of Ottawa’s wealthiest and historic neighbourhoods northeast of Downtown Ottawa, north of New Edinburgh
  • Many embassies, ambassadors, dignitaries, politicians
Vanier
  • Home to most of Ottawa’s Francophone population, as well as a very multi-ethnic immigrant population
  • Bordered to the South by the Queensway (Hwy 417), to the North by New Edinburgh, to the West by the Rideau River, and to the East by Hwy 138
  • Inexpensive housing, strip malls, ethnic groceries, lots of language and culture
Alta Vista
  • Large neighbourhood in east Ottawa largely south of the Queensway (Hwy 417) and includes multiple smaller neighbourhoods including Applewood Acres, Billings Bridge, Elmvale Acres, Rideau Park, Urbandale, etc.Home to Ottawa General Hospital, multiple parks, very residential

Western Ottawa

Mechanicsville
  • Historically this neighbourhood was populated by manual labourers, now undergoing gentrification
  • West of downtown, to the east of Ottawa River and to the north of Queensway (Hwy 417)
Hintonburg
  • Working class neighbourhood to the West of Mechanicsville, dynamic and being gentrified.
  • Southern Hintonburg is adjacent to Civic Hospital and is upper-middle class, bordered to the West by Westboro and the South by the Queensway (Hwy 417)
  • Close to trendy Wellington Village filled with great restaurants and cute shops
Island Park/Westboro
  • Trendy and vibrant residential neighbourhood West of Hintonburg and North of Queensway, also contains Bushtukah and MEC for outdoor enthusiasts
  • Lively street and food scene, upscale housing and family-oriented
Civic Hospital/Central Park
  • Bordered to the east by Dows Lake, to the west by Carlington, to the North by Queensway. Surrounds the Central Experimental Farm, mixed housing developments including townhouses, high rise apartments, and bungalows
Carlington
  • Quiet, mostly community housing, bordered by Carling Avenue to the north, Fisher avenue to the west, Merivale to the south

Southern Ottawa

Hunt Club Woods
  • Originally part of Gloucester Township prior to the amalgamation in 2001
  • Named after the Hunt and Golf Club in the area
  • The Ottawa International Airport is found here
Heron Gate/South Keys
  • Found in Southern Ottawa. South Keys has a few larger strip malls
Nepean
  • Located close to Algonquin and Carleton Universities, lots of student housing.