WHY OTTAWA

Global network

As a G7 capital, Ottawa is the political heartbeat of Canada, with proximity to a large concentration of policy makers, government departments, and 65 federal research labs.

The award-winning Ottawa International Airport is within a two-hour flight of over 200 million North Americans. As the Nation’s Capital, Ottawa is host to 130 embassies, consulates and high commissions representing countries from around the world, offering you a global network right in your backyard!

POINTS OF INTEREST

• Parliament Hill
  Canada's Parliament Hill isn't just home to the country's government; it's also a cultural and community hub whose activities are hosted in an incredible setting. You can, for example, do yoga on Parliament Hill.
• Canadian War Museum
  Sitting on the shore of the Ottawa River, it's hard to miss the Canadian War Museum. The museum's distinct building is largely flat, but shoots up 25m into the air along one side, like a waving hand calling you over.
• Rideau Canal
  Many people know the Rideau Canal as the world’s largest naturally frozen skating rink (at 7.8 kilometres long). But the Canal is actually a year-round destination for outdoor entertainment.
• National Gallery of Canada
  The National Gallery of Canada seems to get a lot of attention thanks to a 10m spider statue that sits in front of the magnificent glass building. But once you get past your arachnophobia, the inside of the gallery is an incredible institution of all things art.
• Canadian Museum of Nature
  The museum takes on the entire natural world in a handful of exhibits that will leave you wondering where the time went. And if you're after that one big draw, it's hard to describe just how impressive it is to see the entire skeleton of a blue whale--the biggest animal on earth--hanging over your head.
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum
  Discover what life is like aboard the International Space Station from the astronauts who've lived there, and see what it's like to wear a space helmet and climb inside the station. 
• ByWard Market Neighborhood
  For nearly two centuries, farmers, and craft merchants have taken to the ByWard Market to share the fruits (literal and metaphorical) of their labour. What was once a simple market has turned into a hub of food, shopping, and entertainment. Over 260 stands fill the market, while more than 500 businesses call the surrounding neighbourhood home.
• The National Arts Centre
  The National Arts Centre is one of the largest and most popular performing arts venues in Canada, hosting an impressive 600 performances each year. 

QUICK FACTS

• In 1857 Queen Victoria of Britain chose Ottawa to be the capital of Canada.
• The name Ottawa comes from the Algonquin word adawe – which means to trade, so it’s always been an important business centre.
• Ottawa is the seventh coldest capital in the world. Others that are colder include in order of coldest first are Ulaan-Baatar in Mongolia, Astana in Kazakhastan, Helsinki, Reykjavik in Iceland and Tallin in Estonia.
• In winter, the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa, becomes the longest skating rink in the world (7.8 km).
• There are 4 distinct seasons, though, with temperatures ranging from 33C in summer (average is 25C) to -25C (average is -10C).
• Nearly half the population is under the age of 35 – making it one of the youngest cities in the country.
• There are more than 14 museums in Ottawa, but the Canadian Museum of Civilization is the most visited museum in Canada.
• There are 35 major festivals in Ottawa. The Canadian Tulip Festival, held every May, is one of the most famous.
• The beautiful Château Laurier Hotel is said to be haunted by the ghost of Charles Melville Hays, the president of the company that built the hotel. Hays died on the Titanic, 12 days before the hotel's opening.
• Visitors to Ottawa can stay in a hostel that used to be a jail in the 19th Century.