About Ottawa
Ottawa lies in northeast North America, in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, while the historic Rideau River and Rideau Canal meander north to south through the city. Directly across the Ottawa River are the City of Gatineau and the picturesque Outaouais region in the Province of Québec.
Ottawa is a “Bright City”. It is one of the world’s safest and most beautiful communities in which to live, work, learn, play, and raise a family. The city prides itself on its quality of life. It is home to a wide range of age groups from families with children to adult professionals to university students and senior citizens. As a G8 capital city, Ottawa is Canada’s showcase city to the world. It is endowed with a number of national museums and performing arts institutions, as well as a rich local cultural and heritage fabric. The city is graced with a civic design that places high priority on green spaces, parklands and trails, making Ottawa a bright and beautiful landscape for all to enjoy.
Ottawa’s four seasons provide an exhilarating canvas of colour, beauty, and recreational activity. Spring, summer, fall and winter are welcomed, and the changing seasons are an integral part of living in our city. Temperatures can range from 33° C (91° F) in summer to –40° C (-40° F) in winter, with average summer temperatures around 20°C (68° F) and average winter temperatures around –10° C (14° F). In summer, it is hot enough for residents to seek the nearest lake or swimming pool to cool off, while in winter, warm clothing is required. Both spring and fall are cool, and residents usually wear a sweater or light jacket. While cycling, swimming, tennis, golf and whitewater rafting are favoured activities in summer, winter’s white beauty offers its own recreational opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, skating, tobogganing and snowmobiling.
