Ottawa

Etymology and Indigenous History

The name Ottawa, chosen in 1855, is derived from the Ottawa River, which takes its name from the Algonquin word 'adawe', meaning 'to trade'. In modern Algonquin, the city is known as Odàwàg. Human presence in the Ottawa Valley dates back approximately 10,000 years, following the draining of the Champlain Sea. The first evidence consists of spearpoints from 8000 to 8500 years before present. By 6000 years before present, there were extensive trading and communications networks throughout the region. Approximately 3000 to 3500 years before present, definitive evidence of continuously existing settlements emerged, including specific sites at the mouth of the Gatineau River featuring likely hearths and heavy tools. The confluence of the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau rivers made the area a crucial hub for travel, trade, foraging, hunting, and fishing for Algonquin peoples for millennia prior to European contact, with these activities well established before the 15th century.

European Settlement and Early Development

The first documented European to travel the Ottawa River was Étienne Brûlé in 1610, passing the future site of Ottawa on his way to the Great Lakes. Permanent non-Indigenous settlement began when Philemon Wright, a New Englander, founded a lumber town on the north side of the river on 7 March 1800, across from present-day Ottawa in the area that became Hull. Wright, along with five other families and twenty-five labourers, also created an agricultural community called Wright's Town, pioneering the Ottawa Valley timber trade by transporting lumber to Quebec City. The modern city's origin stems from the construction of the Rideau Canal, a strategic waterway project initiated after the War of 1812 to provide a secure route between Montreal and Kingston. Colonel John By of the British Royal Engineers oversaw the canal's construction starting in 1826, establishing military barracks on Parliament Hill and laying out the town's streets into 'Upper Town' west of the canal and 'Lower Town' east of it, with the settlement named Bytown in his honour in 1827. Bytown's population grew to 1,000 as the Rideau Canal was completed in 1832, and the settlement was incorporated as a town in 1850. In 1855, Bytown was renamed Ottawa and obtained city status, with William Pittman Lett installed as the first city clerk, a role he held from 1844 to 1891. The lumber industry expanded dramatically from the 1850s, with entrepreneurs known as lumber barons building large sawmills. For example, Ottawa produced 39 million board feet of timber in 1855 alone. Rail lines built in 1854 connected Ottawa to areas south, and by 1885 Ottawa was the only city in Canada whose downtown street-lights were powered entirely by electricity.

Selection as the National Capital

The choice of a permanent capital for the Province of Canada was highly contentious, with the legislature holding more than 200 votes over several decades. After the 1849 burning of the Parliament building in Montreal by an Orange mob and the failure of a perambulation scheme alternating between Toronto and Quebec City, the legislature asked Queen Victoria to decide. Governor General Edmund Head reviewed proposals from various cities and recommended Ottawa. Acting on this advice, the Queen selected Ottawa in a letter dated 31 December 1857, a decision Parliament ratified in 1859. Ottawa was seen as a compromise palatable to both Upper and Lower Canada. Its defensible, isolated location on a cliff, surrounded by dense forest and far from the American border, was a key strategic consideration. The city had water transportation access from spring to fall via the Ottawa River to Montreal and the Rideau Waterway to Kingston, and by 1854 it also had a modern all-season railway, the Bytown and Prescott Railway, running 82 kilometres to Prescott on the Saint Lawrence River. The government already owned the land that became Parliament Hill, and Ottawa's small size was thought to make it less prone to the politically motivated mob violence that had affected previous capitals like Montreal and Toronto. Construction of the original Gothic Revival Parliament Buildings, including the Centre, East and West Blocks, began in 1859, though initial construction delays occurred due to challenges with the shallow-lying bedrock. The first parliamentary session was held in the new buildings in 1866, with the Library of Parliament and Parliament Hill landscaping completed a decade later in 1876.

Growth and Transformation Post-Confederation

The city witnessed significant events, including the 1868 assassination of Father of Confederation Thomas D'Arcy McGee on Sparks Street, the only assassination of a federal Canadian politician, for which Patrick James Whelan was later convicted and hanged. In 1874, Métis leader Louis Riel attempted to take his seat in Parliament despite an active warrant for his arrest. A major disaster struck in 1900 when the Great Fire of Hull spread across the river, destroying about one-fifth of Ottawa's buildings from Lebreton Flats to Booth Street and Dow's Lake, resulting in an estimated 3,200 buildings lost and leaving 14% of Ottawans homeless. Public infrastructure advanced with the introduction of a horsecar system in 1870, overtaken by an extensive electric streetcar system in the 1890s that operated until 1959 and peaked at 90.5 kilometres of track, including an extension to Hull. The city faced public health crises, including a severe typhoid outbreak in 1911 linked to sewage contamination of the water supply at Nepean Bay, causing over 80 deaths, followed by another 1,400 cases and 98 deaths in 1912. The Grand Trunk Railway opened both the Château Laurier hotel and its neighbouring downtown Union Station on 1 June 1912. A devastating fire destroyed the Centre Block of Parliament on 3 February 1916, leading to its reconstruction. The House of Commons and Senate temporarily relocated to the Victoria Memorial Museum until the new Centre Block, featuring the Peace Tower, was completed in 1927. The federal public service expanded dramatically during the Second World War, roughly tripling in size from 12,000 to 36,000 employees, which prompted the erection of new government buildings across the city.

The post-war era was defined by a comprehensive plan to reshape the capital. Prime Minister Mackenzie King commissioned French planner Jacques Gréber, whose 1950 Gréber Plan aimed to create a more beautiful and ceremonial capital. Key implementations included the creation of the National Capital Greenbelt, the construction of the Queensway highway and the Kichi Zibi Mikan parkway, the development of parkways along the Ottawa River, and the removal of rail lines and industry from the downtown core. The plan also called for the relocation of Union Station to the suburbs, the elimination of the streetcar system, and the decentralization of selected government offices. The 1958 National Capital Act established the National Capital Commission as a crown corporation to oversee planning for the region, supplanting the earlier Federal District Commission. A new city hall opened on Green Island near Rideau Falls in 1958, and in 2001, city hall returned downtown to 110 Laurier Avenue West. From the 1960s through the 1990s, Ottawa experienced a construction boom and the rise of a major high-tech sector, earning the nickname Silicon Valley North, driven by companies like Bell Northern Research (later Nortel), Newbridge Networks, Mitel, and Corel, supported by federal research facilities such as the National Research Council.

Geography and Demographics

Ottawa is situated in southeastern Ontario on the southern bank of the Ottawa River, directly opposite the city of Gatineau, Quebec. The Rideau River flows into the Ottawa River within the city, and the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, connects downtown Ottawa to Lake Ontario. The city forms the heart of the National Capital Region and the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area. According to the 2021 census, the city proper had a population of 1,017,449, while the metropolitan area population was 1,488,307, making it the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Canada and the second-largest in Ontario. Ottawa has the highest proportion of university-educated residents among Canadian cities, a fact supported by the presence of multiple post-secondary institutions including the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Algonquin College, and Collège La Cité. The city's standard of living is high, and it is one of the most visited cities in the country, with tourism bolstered by its political significance and cultural attractions.

Government and Politics

Ottawa is a single-tier municipality governed by the City of Ottawa Act of the Government of Ontario. The municipal government consists of a mayor elected city-wide and 24 councillors elected from individual wards using a first-past-the-post system. The city's political significance is primarily derived from its status as the national capital. It houses the headquarters of the federal government, including the Parliament of Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the official residence of the governor general, Rideau Hall. The physical centre of federal politics is Parliament Hill and the surrounding precinct, which includes major government buildings and the ceremonial Confederation Square, redeveloped in 1938 as part of the City Beautiful Movement and designated a National Historic Site in 1984. Confederation Square is the site of the National War Memorial, unveiled in 1939, and is flanked by buildings such as the Central Post Office, now housing the Privy Council of Canada, which was constructed in 1939 after the original post office on the square was demolished.

Economy and Major Employers

Ottawa's economy is dominated by the public sector and technology. The federal government is the city's largest employer, with a vast public service operating out of numerous departments and agencies. This is complemented by a strong and diversified high-tech sector that grew significantly from the 1980s onward, specializing in telecommunications, software development, and defence technology. Major post-secondary institutions like the University of Ottawa and Carleton University are also substantial employers and drivers of research and innovation. Tourism represents another key economic pillar, with over 11 million visitors annually drawn to national sites, festivals, and conferences. The city's historical economic foundation in the timber trade, which saw tens of millions of board feet produced annually and peaked at 613 million board feet in the early 20th century, has given way to a knowledge-based economy supported by a highly educated workforce. The 1900 fire had a disproportionate effect on the west-end lower-income neighbourhoods and the many lumber yards that were central to the economy at the time.

Ottawa's economy is historically rooted in the timber trade, which was its most significant economic activity in the 19th century. The city is the political centre of Canada and the headquarters of the federal government, which is a major employer. Key sectors include education and research, supported by institutions like the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. The city also has a high standard of living and is a major tourism destination, with over 11 million visitors annually.

• The Federal Public Service (largest overall employer, with significant expansion during the Second World War)
• High Technology (historically led by Bell Northern Research/Nortel, with subsequent firms like Newbridge Networks, Mitel, and Corel)
• Healthcare (The Ottawa Hospital, Queensway Carleton Hospital)
• Post-Secondary Education (University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Algonquin College, Collège La Cité)
• Tourism and Hospitality (supported by major attractions like Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, and national museums)
• Research and Development (National Research Council Canada, contributing to the technology boom)
• Cultural Institutions (National Arts Centre, National Gallery of Canada, Canadian Museum of Nature)

Culture, Education, and Landmarks

Ottawa is a major centre for Canadian culture and education. The city is home to numerous national institutions, including the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History (in Gatineau), and the Canadian Museum of Nature, which temporarily housed Parliament after the 1916 fire. The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as a recreational hub in summer and the world's largest skating rink in winter. Major annual events that draw national attention include Winterlude, Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill, and the Canadian Tulip Festival. The city's educational landscape is anchored by two major universities, the University of Ottawa (bilingual) and Carleton University, as well as Algonquin College and Collège La Cité. The city's cultural infrastructure was significantly shaped by the Gréber Plan, which called for the creation of the National Arts Centre and the preservation of open spaces like the Rideau Canal pathways. Early civic development was guided by figures like city clerk William Pittman Lett, who served for 36 years and helped found civic organizations.

Ottawa houses the Parliament of Canada, the Supreme Court, and the residence of Canada's viceroy on Parliament Hill. The city is home to the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Canada, as well as numerous national museums, monuments, and historic sites. The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a key landmark. Other notable institutions include the Canadian Museum of Nature, located in the former Victoria Memorial Museum, and the National War Memorial in Confederation Square.

• Parliament Hill and the Peace Tower (Centre Block rebuilt 1916 to 1927)
• The Rideau Canal and its pathways (completed 1832)
• ByWard Market, one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets
• National War Memorial and Confederation Square (redeveloped 1938)
• Supreme Court of Canada building
• Rideau Hall, the governor general's residence
• Major museums such as the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of History
• The Château Laurier hotel (opened 1912)
• The former Union Station (1912), now the Senate of Canada Building

Infrastructure and Transportation

Public transit is primarily provided by OC Transpo, which operates a network of buses and the O-Train light rail system. Ottawa's historical streetcar system operated from 1891 to 1959 and was ultimately removed as per the Gréber Plan's recommendations. The city is accessible by air via the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Active transportation is supported by an extensive network of multi-use pathways along the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River, also a legacy of the Gréber Plan. The city's infrastructure also includes major hospitals like The Ottawa Hospital and the Queensway Carleton Hospital, serving the broader region. A key precondition for creating the Rideau Canal pathway was the elimination of direct rail service into downtown, leading to the abandonment of the Ottawa Train Station as the city's main station. Early industrial development was supported by 60 'water leases' distributed in 1889, allowing local industrialists to generate electricity using hydroelectric generators at Chaudière Falls, which powered the city's early electric streetlights.

Questions about Ottawa

What is the population of Ottawa?

According to the 2021 Canadian census, the city of Ottawa had a population of 1,017,449. The larger Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area, which includes the city of Gatineau in Quebec, had a population of 1,488,307. This makes the metropolitan area the fourth-largest in Canada and the second-largest in Ontario after Toronto. The city's population first reached 1,000 upon the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832 when it was still known as Bytown.

What was the Great Fire of 1900?

Driven by high winds, it quickly destroyed two-thirds of Hull before crossing the river to Ottawa. In Ottawa, the fire devastated the Lebreton Flats area, destroying about one-fifth of the city's buildings from Booth Street to Dow's Lake. An estimated 3,200 buildings were lost, causing approximately $300 million in damage in 2020 Canadian dollars and leaving roughly 14% of Ottawans and 40% of Hull residents homeless. The fire had a severe impact on lower-income neighbourhoods and the lumber yards that were central to the local economy.

What is the Gréber Plan?

The Gréber Plan was a comprehensive urban plan for the National Capital Region developed by French architect-planner Jacques Gréber and commissioned by Prime Minister Mackenzie King, officially presented in 1950. Its goal was to transform Ottawa into a more beautiful and functional capital. Major elements implemented included creating the National Capital Greenbelt, constructing the Queensway highway and the Kichi Zibi Mikan parkway, building parkways along the Ottawa River, removing rail lines and the streetcar system from the downtown core, relocating Union Station to the suburbs, and decentralizing some government offices. It led to the creation of the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River pathways.

Why was Ottawa chosen as the capital of Canada?

Ottawa was chosen as the capital of Canada because Queen Victoria, acting on the advice of Governor General Edmund Head, selected it effective 31 December 1857 to resolve a prolonged political dispute. This decision ended decades of contentious votes within the Parliament of the United Province of Canada, which had failed to settle on a permanent capital location. Ottawa was recommended as a compromise palatable to both Upper and Lower Canada. Key factors in its favour included its defensible location, situated on a cliff and surrounded by dense forest far from the Canada US border. Other considerations were its accessibility via the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal, its existing railway link established in 1854, and the fact the government already owned the land that became Parliament Hill. Its relatively small size was also thought to make it less prone to the politically motivated mob violence that had affected previous capitals like Montreal.

What are the major universities in Ottawa?

The major universities in Ottawa are the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. The city is also home to several colleges and research institutions, including Algonquin College and Collège La Cité. Ottawa has the highest proportion of university educated residents among Canadian cities. These institutions contribute to the city's status as a centre for education and research. The presence of these schools supports a high standard of living and a knowledgeable workforce. They are part of a broader cultural scene that includes the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Canada.

What is Ottawa known for?

Ottawa is known primarily as the capital city of Canada and the political centre of the federal government. It houses the Parliament of Canada, the Supreme Court, the residence of Canada's viceroy, and the Office of the Prime Minister, along with numerous foreign embassies. The city is famous for national institutions like the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Canada, as well as historic sites such as Parliament Hill. Ottawa has a high standard of living and attracts over 11 million visitors annually to its museums, monuments, and festivals. It is also recognized for its highly educated population and was historically nicknamed Silicon Valley North due to its significant high tech industry growth from the 1980s onward, driven by companies like Nortel and federal research facilities.

Sources and further reading

• Ottawa (Wikipedia)
• About Ottawa (ottawatourism.ca)

Checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-18.