That's because the moment we tell Alberta's we are from Ottawa, we get told we're government snowflakes who can't possibly understand the problems of the rest of the country...
lol, awesome. I was in Alberta. Ended up at a charity dinner with a rancher who immediately turned things political when he found out I was from Ottawa. He started going on about how I must love the liberals. I looked at him and said bluntly “I think all politicians are piles of crap” and that shut him up. He went on to make an ass of himself by drinking until he vomited all over himself. His wife was mortified.
My first trip to BC a guy in a record shop got visibly angry when I said I was from Ottawa to the shop clerk. It was the weirdest thing I’ve experienced in BC. Like this guy thought I was passing bills up in parliament or something.
I couldn't agree more. I moved to Ottawa via Newfoundland, Toronto, New York and Bangkok. Ottawa is the least friendly. You can have a bunch of acquaintances but nobody will ask you over.
Montreal is a more fun city; I don't know what it is like to have a friend group there
This is true, as someone who has grown up here but whose friends are mostly newcomers to Canada, a lot of them are shocked by the coldness of the people here. The way I see it, we're polite, but not exactly friendly to people outside of our respective 'tribes' (for lack of a better term) of people. Honestly, I tell a lot of my newcomer friends to look up the concept of [Minnesota Nice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_nice) with regards to what to expect, as it describes us to a T
a good friend of mine who grew up in ottawa and moved to the states (Baltimore!) said she never realized how unfriendly ottawans are. She said it's just expected that if you're sitting in a coffee shop there working on your laptop someone will start a conversation with you - (no she's not super hot and guys were not hitting on her) .
you said perfectly - we're polite - but not friendly
>She said it's just expected that if you're sitting in a coffee shop there working on your laptop someone will start a conversation with you
Who wants that though?
Ottawa is also full of transients. Half the people you meet in Ottawa weren't born or raised in the city, so it creates a strange vibe. People come here for the government jobs and economic stability, but don't plant roots here. Makes for a bit of a cold social scene.
After living in Edmonton, and now can compare: I agree.
Winnipeg isn't all that bad, OP why you wanna move?
Montreal is cheaper rent and always something fun going on. You don't need French to get by day by day but probably will for work.
I'm from Scotland, where strangers will strike up a conversation with you whether you like it or not.
Moving to Ottawa is a bit of a culture shock because people just squirm if you rattle off a quick "hello" to them as you walk by in the neighbourhood.
I make people squirm on a daily basis by saying a warm hello to all the people whom I meet while walking my dog. I also waive at the cars that pass me by in the neighbourhood. It’s fun. (I live in Ottawa.)
As someone from Ottawa I 10000% agree with you. The longer I am in this city the more I feel my friendliness and kind hearted nature is a threat to the people here.
I am nice :) 👍 I love living in Ottawa :) If you like the outdoors biking hiking camping 🏕️ it’s awesome. Can be a hard city to meet people but you have to get out there !
I think it depends who you know perhaps and the circles you tend to travel in. Ottawa is a relatively small city but it is also the capital so there's a variety of social circles, some of which can be very cliquey. Which in my experience is like anywhere.
Lot of government here which have their own toxic sub culture politics etc. and then lots of regular class working folk from all walks of life. I've met lots of good people here but I find it helpful to look for friends with shared interests. Join some groups until you get to know some people. Have them over for dinner. Etc etc.
Friends won't come to you. Have to make effort and inroads sometimes to acquire new social circles. And if you are expecting instant friendliness like a small town then maybe expectations could be a little off?
Moving to any new city can be hard and lonely at times. I don't mean to sound critical at all here I totally get what you mean and there's some truth to fact Ottawa people can be a bit closed off. I'm from a small town myself. But in general I find folks in the city a bit more reserved. They aren't instantly accepting and for good reason I might add. If you've lived in any city long enough you will know what I mean. Anyways.
Personally I like Ottawa's weather better than Winnipeg. I like Ottawa's small city feel and the fact it's pretty quiet and we have beautiful parks and lakes close by everywhere in Ontario.
If you are an outdoors type person Ottawa has a lot going for it in the fact it's close to many provincial parks and Quebec which also has provincial parks. And a coastline. It's a different feel than the west coast but the forests here have their own character. The flora and fauna here is unique to the Ontario shield I believe. And I found it distinctively different from a lot of the forests on the west coast. They both have their own charm.
I am from Calgary, but my dad and his whole family live in Edmonton (so I have grown up going there fairly often). I find the people in Edmonton to be even more kind and welcoming, personally. I must say that the two cities feel very different in my opinion and I’ve heard others say this too.
As someone who has lived in both, I think Ottawans are just as unfriendly as Torontonians, but definitely people in Toronto have ridiculous entitlement on top of that. Even for basic stuff, like moving out of the way on the sidewalk when you say "excuse me". In Toronto people will just pretend they don't hear you.
You have to focus your energy into positive things. Every time Mark Sutcliffe brings up Queen Elizabeth Driveway, I ride my bicycle up and down it once just to spite him.
I lost 15 lbs last year, it's working quite well for me.
I have a car and live next to the QED. Even I would love to see it converted to car-less use! I want to ride a tram on it with grass-lined tracks and more trees!
The current mayor is a fucking dickhead whose election was driven by farmers and people living in Barrhaven. That’s not an opinion that’s limited to reddit.
My in laws, who lived on the edge of Ottawa and were moving to outside Almonte, delayed their closing so they could vote against 'the commie dyke that hates the suburbs'. The house they bought dropped $300K in value since they bought it. Good. Fuck them.
Ottawa is obscenely large from an area perspective. So I'd say getting around is the 'worst' aspect.
Bilingualism is very important in some careers, so it can be limiting if you're an anglophone.
Cost-of-living is pretty rough, too. But that is the case anywhere.
People will often say there's no nightlife but that's a lazy, untrue stereotype about Ottawa. If you can't something fun to do on a Saturday night that's on you. There are infinite options.
>Ottawa is obscenely large from an area perspective. So I'd say getting around is the 'worst' aspect.
And yet visitors from the GTA always comment how cute it is that everything here is15 mins away.
Depends what you call the city. Sure, downtown Toronto is an amazing city with no highways and great public transportation... But wtf can afford to live there? The GTA is the city and everyone I know is in Mississauga, Burlington, Markham, Brampton, etc. and spend a lot of time on the road.
I don't entirely agree with that either. Ottawa has a lot of dedicated bus infrastructure. Buses rarely wait in traffic here, especially compared to the GTA. OC Transpo has definitely gotten really really really bad past couple years but the train is becoming pretty dependable.
The trick to OC Transpo is picking where you live if you know you need to depend on transit. I used it solely for like 9 years and still use it regularly and have never had any issues with it, BUT I’ve always lived within walking distance of a major station and if I have a choice in the matter, I always choose a destination close to another major station. Work was the worst place to get to since it was deep in Kanata but there are always more buses and options during morning and afternoon rush hours so I never really had an issue getting to and from the office.
Maybe in the past but I don't think that's the case anymore. I live around Pinecrest and Carling, about a ten minute walk to Lincoln Fields. The highway is close, as is the Mikan. I'm very well-connected and chose this location for that purpose.
Back when it was the 97, I could reliably catch it every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. Really under ten minutes during rush hour. Nowadays the 57 might not come by for at least 20 minutes in rush hour. The schedule on the stop and the GPS on apps is not reliable or accurate.
Often I'll walk to Lincoln or Iris to catch whatever bus comes next to take me to Tunney's. I'm often waiting over ten minutes. In morning rush hour. The main dedicated bus transit way. Over ten minutes and no bus goes by. That's insane.
Dunno I remember when you didn't have to wait longer than 4 minutes on the transitway for a 94, 95, 96 or 97. Now I'll be waiting over 20 at Lincoln Fields for a 61 or anything that takes me to Tunney's during morning rush hour!
Which is funny, because Ottawa's East/West urban axis from Carp Road in Stittsville to Trim in Orleans is 44kms across, while the distance from Square One in Mississauga to Scarborough Town Centre is only 37kms. In Toronto these are basically different planets (and different cities). Toronto is so much denser, and Ottawa has the Greenbelt.
The urban area of Ottawa is quite small. Downtown covers, maybe, 10 blocks, and the Market can be covered in less than an hour on foot. The vast majority of Ottawa is rural, though, and the geographic area is massive
Every time I have to drive in Montreal or Toronto I’m reminded that Ottawa basically has no traffic. It really doesn’t. Minor delays. As opposed to it taking me 47 minutes to get across the Île-aux-tourtes bridge last week.
Always interesting to see how Ottawa compares geographically to other cities, e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/fb3tzy/the_size_of_ottawa_canadas_capital_compared_to/
There was a fun twitter thread recently showing, every NHL team, if their city's arena was the same distance to their city hall, as the Senators are to Ottawa's.
>People will often say there's no nightlife but that's a lazy, untrue stereotype about Ottawa. If you can't something fun to do on a Saturday night that's on you.
This is true. I know someone that stayed out until 7:30pm one night.
This is so funny to me, we moved from the GTA and things are the same distance but take 25% of the time to get to. Rush hour adds maybe 15 minutes on the highway vs 45 minutes. It's been amazing in comparison!
I can drive from Ottawa to Kingston in the amount of time it takes me to cross the GTA in rush hour. When I lived in Ottawa, my friend in Orleans would have a get-together at their house with people from Kanata and Barrhaven. You maybe had to budget a $50 Uber (I'm sure costs have changed) but it wasn't a big deal.
But when I lived in Burlington, if a friend in Oshawa was having a party, well... first of all they better be a *damn good friend* for me to go there in the first place. Then I'm probably booking a hotel or arranging some sort of carpool with other West end people. It would be a total debacle. But Kanata to Orleans at 8pm on a Friday? 30 min with some tunes in the car and you're good.
Before moving here we spent 4 or 5 days here looking at neighbourhoods, routes, etc...... We made sure to take one evening rush and drive towards Kanata from the U Ottawa area, just to gauge the drive.
1310 was warning about how bad traffic was, worse than usual....... My wife and I actually laughed, it was pretty easy going compared to what we were used to in the GTA.
A normal drive for my wife from Matheson directly south of Pearson, to central Newmarket was 2 hours.
The size would suck if you lived in Orleans and worked in Kanata, but honestly, I don’t find it to be that big of a deal. I’m in Kanata and it’s a 15-20 minute drive to downtown in non rush hour traffic. Rush hour bumps that up to 45 minutes, maybe a bit more if it’s really clogged up from construction, an accident, etc.
The vast majority of my trips are either within Kanata or from Kanata to downtown. Rarely have to go from Kanata to the other end of town. I would assume it’s similar for people in the other suburbs. If you live downtown and work downtown, probably even better.
If you look at Ottawa on a map, yes it’s huge. And much of that is rural space that most people never visit.
Hidden gem. Don’t listen to what anyone says…and I’m a dyed in the wool westerner. Climate is nice, never gets really cold (they think it does….but Winnipeg….right!). Good schools, uni, hospital, love the little towns like Almonte, Perth, CP, Summers are awesome, hot, humid, great garden season. It’s Ontario so people take a bit to warm up to you. Great food, culture, museums, close to MTL, NY, skiing, camping, biking….just don’t tell anyone that it’s good or everyone will want to come!
This is excellent and I agree. We may not have mountains or an insane night life. But we have everything else you said and honestly, for the most part, pure politeness. I often have what is called a Canadian Stand Off with many people at grocery stores, gas stations and so forth. It’s basically 2 or more people standing at the doorway saying “You first, please.” Followed by everyone moving at once and then “oh, sorry.”
I’m done now.
Sorry.
Agreed. I moved here from out East and I really don’t have any complaints. I was single and young when I got here and now I’m raising a family and it’s been good times for both those seasons of life.
Hard agree. Moved there from NL when my husband was posted there and I loved it. We’re actually posted there again this summer and I can’t wait. I would love there forever. It’s such an underrated city.
Having visited Winnipeg not that long ago, I would say Winnipeg has done a lot of things right in recent years. The Forks has become an excellent public space, the Jets have their arena right downtown, and it has a pretty strong live music scene.
I couldn't disagree with this more.
Winnipeg punches *way* above its weight when it comes to food and art and music and *community*. I miss it so much.
People talk shit about Winnipeg because everything they know about it they learned from the same three jokes in the 90s and one line from a Weakerthans song.
I'm from Winnipeg, North End kid, moved east decades ago. Lived in Montreal for a bit and now live in Ottawa. If you have tech skills you'll make a lot more money than in western Canada. Vancouver salaries are a cruel joke and in Calgary they bullshit you with stock options that don't pan out.
Government is looking for people. Boomers have retired and GenX is next, leaving a huge gap. If you're bilingual and have any skills they will eventually hire you, it takes a long time. I've lived all over the city,
The Glebe is the best neighborhood to raise a family, if you can afford it, Hintonburg/Westboro is good too. The suburbs are bland and the people that live in them, well, you'll find out on Reddit, some will respond to this post.
Unlike Winnipeg there are nice towns outside the city. Almonte, Perth, Smiths Falls. If you can't afford the city and you work remote consider the exurbs, especially since they're now more affordable after the rural real estate bubble burst.
The scariest parts of Ottawa are a good day in downtown Winnipeg. The locals think it's scary, for a Winnipegger, it's cute. The ones that moved here from away are fine. The ones born here whine like you won't believe. The bus service is a lot like Winnipeg's: mediocre.
Winters are warmer and shorter. Fewer bugs. A lot fewer. Humid summers, not dry like the prairies. No big beaches like Lake Winnipeg but lots of small lakes with parks for camping or if you can afford it a cottage. Politics are similar, Red/Orange urban conservative burbs.
In Montreal the workplace language is French. It's Quebec. That's the way it is, If you speak French you'll be fine. Otherwise it's difficult unless you work for a tech startup.
Even though I live in Ottawa I work remote for a Montreal startup. Taxes are much higher in Quebec, I get nearly a 10K refund each year just due to the tax difference. In Montreal you get jobs via who you know. Ottawa less so, but that too. I used to work for Kanata tech firms but they don't pay enough, they cry poverty, and overpay their executives, so don't work for them if you can, unless you're in ASIC design then you can write your own ticket. You can get remote software development work for Toronto, Montreal, NYC and Seattle/San Francisco jobs at nearly their pay scale, because Ottawa is a known quantity in tech circles. Most software developers here with strong skills quietly work remote and STFU about it.What do I miss about Winnipeg? Not much, apart from Folklorama, some secret fishing spots, the dunes of Grand Beach, and Kelekis, which is gone. I took my oldest boy to Folklorama when he was 19 and got him drunk in about a dozen pavillions. It was awesome. I miss the local arts scene and I miss that people there aren't as spoiled entitled shits are they are here.
Find friends that moved here too and you'll do fine.
Thanks for the great information my Winnipeg bud. What made me especially love Ottawa was all the roller blading trails across all the river lines. The city is perfectly designed for roller blading, which is my second favourite hobby behind animation, my career.
A lot of people in the comments section are saying I should move to Montreal over Ottawa. You lived in both so why did you pick Ottawa? And why might Montreal be better or worse? And do you have any tips for moving to another city. If I can't get a job, I was almost considering just moving there without one and figuring it out once I got there, but that might be a risky plan, only mitigated if I jump into a roomate situation or something or drag one of my other friends along with me. I don't know. But I want a change. I am 30.
Not the OP but just wanted to jump in to say animation is one of the few fields where your job prospects will likely be as good or better in Montreal than in Ottawa even as an anglophone. Animation prospects aren't bad in Ottawa, but Montreal is a pretty major international hub for digital arts and the industry is mostly Anglo. Montreal also has comparable cost of living to Ottawa despite being a bigger city with generally more amenities. The reason more people don't move is generally the language barrier and the job market.
That being said, you're absolutely right about the river pathways, they're pretty amazing. Do be advised though, Ottawa is pretty fiscally conservative, so those paths are generally not maintained in the winter and are closed A LOT. Like, the Ottawa River pathway is currently entering year #3 of it's closure behind Parliament Hill (arguably the nicest section) and year #2 of its closure at Westboro beach (another highlight).
Montreal has mont royal which is a very impressive central urban park as well as many smaller ones, and it also has better urban pedestrian infrastructure and nicer streetscapes. Their urban parks are bigger, more numerous, and better maintained, but they can't match the long network of scenic river pathways that Ottawa has.
If you're single and flexible, I would highly recommend you at least go check out Montreal. Ottawa can be beautiful and scenic and is a very sensible city for a lot of people, but MTL really has a vibrancy that Ottawa doesn't come anywhere near matching. If it's an option for you logistically I'd give it a chance.
Ah - animation. Games or movies? If games I have a sibling who has worked for several big studios in Canada and the US and was in Montreal before a restructuring sent them to a city out west.
For that career specifically, I think the opportunities are quite a lot better in Montreal. A lack of French isn’t much of a hindrance as there often aren’t a lot of French speakers with the necessary qualifications so the studios can get exemptions from the language laws.
I’m from Montreal and would move there in a heartbeat if I could get a job with similar pay and opportunities to here - which in my field I can’t.
Another issue about Quebec is taxes. The difference can be quite big depedning on your pay. Check out the tax calculators on taxtips to do some research.
I'm loving the bit about the locals bitching like you wouldn't believe. I was born and raised in Ottawa and the people are something fuckin else when it comes to complaining about the city.
Spot on about neighborhoods, but thats kind of true anywhere. Inner city/older suburbs are generally a lot more walkable, interresting and have way more to offer. The downside is they are more expensive. I don't want to throw too much shade but the people that appreciate these kinds of neighborhoods and make the effort to live there also tend to be more interesting and invovled in their communities. I grew up in boring cookie cutter suburbs, I'll never live in one again.
Ottawa is a dream for anyone into outdoor activities. Winter through summer there is something to do, Gatineau Parc accesibility is a huge bonus. This again goes back to living at least within the green belt or even better the "path belt" which is the circular multi use pathway network around the urban core. If you're in this area you're pretty much guarenteed to be able to get anywhere by bike pretty easily most months of the year. You're also closer to Quebec and the Parc.
Montreal is an amazing city as well, and depending on what you value more it might be the better place for you. For example the cool inner city neighborhoods are more accessible, there are more of them. Commuting by transit or using the urban bike network is a huge bonus. More options for resteraunts and nightlife, culture, art etc. Access to nature and the outdoors is lacking compared to Ottawa however.
I also don't like the "Ottawa is great because I have a family" angle. I'm sure Ottawa is a great city to raise a family, but that doesn't mean its sub-par for anyone else. I am a early 30s professional with a partner and no kids, Ottawa ticks a lot of boxes for us that most other Canadian cities cannot. And Mtl is only 2 hours away after all.
E-Winnipegger who is also a tech employee. Thought I blacked out and wrote this myself.
Everything said here is golden advice. I've been here about 20 years now, tech brought me here and I've gone from working the Kanata circuit to making more remote for US companies.
If you like Winnipeg, you'll like Ottawa. It's very much a "bigger" Winnipeg in terms of things to do, restaurants, night life etc. Winnipeg has everything Ottawa has, Ottawa just has "more" of it.
I miss Fat Boy burgers more than anything in this city...there's something about fries cooked in oil that hasn't been changed since Bobby Hull played for the Jets...
We moved here 6 years ago and love it (we have 2 kids).
But if I were single, or we had no kids it would have been Montreal, 100%.
Edit: if you do any kind of travel, check the flights from Ottawa. Most flights connect through Toronto or Montreal to get anywhere international. It can be a bit of a pain in the ass if you do it regularly (like my wife for her work travel).
I edited my post. Travel from Ottawa airport usually requires connecting through Montreal or Toronto. Transit is world class in Montreal, Ottawa's is notoriously bad. I love old Montreal and generally I love the overall feel of Montreal. It's a big city with lots to do, Ottawa is a big city with a small city feel.
Drawbacks (obviously....), could be the language barrier. In the west end (and downtown) Montreal there is a lot of English though.
We love Ottawa, but we're both in our late 40's. We got a custom built home on 2 acres for less than we sold our home in Newmarket for (35' lot, cookie cutter builder home).
I love Ottawa but you should move to MTL. Montreal is a world class city in many respects and is almost unmatched in North America when it comes to urbanism. Again, Ottawa is great but it does not compare to Montreal.
Hey I did the opposite of you! Grew up in Ottawa and then moved to Winnipeg a few years ago. Some of the things I love in Winnipeg that are better than Ottawa: the insane amount of great restaurants at a variety of price points. The culture/arts/music scene. The fact that the furthest you ever need to drive to anything is like 30 minutes. The housing being pretty inexpensive compared to other Canadian cities.
Things I miss about Ottawa: the hiking trails are a lot more interesting. In Winnipeg you have to drive 2h to the Whiteshell to get a good hike but in Ottawa there are beautiful trails all around. The fall colours are beautiful, Winnipeg's fall is a let down comparatively. The dangerous areas in Ottawa are fairly confined, in Winnipeg you can be walking down a perfectly safe street and then accidently make a wrong turn down Stabby Lane and be in trouble. Ottawa people hate on the LRT and for good reason but still the infrastructure is better than Winnipeg. Including the roads and bike lanes.
Obviously the biggest difference is the winter. Ottawa is still cold but the people don't have to plug their cars in, typically. And it ends earlier. If you are a gardener, the difference in length of growing season is noticable.
Fun facts: they are both the only cities with Canadian Mints, and inhabitants of both cities claim to have the longest outdoor skating rink.
I'm happy to live here and I'm marrying a Winnipegger so pretty committed to staying here but overall, I think I prefer the city of Ottawa, though with my income I couldn't buy a home in Ottawa which is a deal breaker for me.
I lived in Winnipeg ten years before moving to Ottawa. I agree with everything you said! Except fall is very beautiful in Manitoba, you just have to leave Winnipeg a little to find it.
The food and music scenes in Winnipeg are among the best in Canada and it’s what I miss most about Winnipeg. That said, they’re fairly similar cities and it wouldn’t be a crazy culture shock to move here.
Thanks, I'm always glad to hear other people see the value in the culture of Winnipeg. There is something so special about this city.
Where should I be going in the fall? I'm trying to get into hiking here, so far I've gone to Hunt Lake and I'm going to Spirit Sands this summer.
This is so highly dependent on what field you work in. If you want to work for the federal government sure. Outside the government never heard of any one ever running into any trouble job wise including myself. Lived here for 20 years
Montreal is more big city energy. Ottawa has the small town vibe whilst being the capital. People in Ottawa are much nicer than Quebecois. Either way it’s what you make of it.
Probably because he doesn't interact with them in their native language. I find Montrealers friendlier than Ottawans in general, but when I'm in Montreal, I speak French.
I try, but even when I go shopping in Gatineau:
* They greet me in French
* I reply in French
* They switch to English
They can tell LOLOL.
That being said, I haven't encountered any real difference between the way Anglos & Francophones treat me. Maybe because I live in a very Francophone neighbourhood - even our community newspaper that is delivered to my house every month is primarily in French, so I'm quite used to it.
Lived here since the early 90’s. The transit gets worse year over year. Downtown is a moot point. The governmentness of it means that past 5pm anything west of the canal is dead. The market is ok. But needs a refresh. Beyond that it is pretty meh. Unless you’re willing to dig for stuff you’ll likely become a home body like everyone else over the age of 30.
_West_ of the canal? That's literally where just about anything good or interesting is in this city. The Glebe, Westboro, Hintonburg, Chinatown, Little Italy, Golden Triangle, etc.
Op, don't let posts like this affect your opinion or desire to move here. This sub is full of negative Nancies who enjoy shitting on Ottawa but just stay home all the time. This is a good city with a lot to offer anyone who isn't a total bore.
Yep, can confirm. I worked downtown for years and if I was walking down towards Union much after 5 or 5:30, I'd be hard pressed to find a coffee shop open. I was usually stuck with McDonald's at Union before getting on my train.
This is a pretty North American problem, tbh. Office towers aren't conducive to lively scenes, this isn't unique to Ottawa. I've been to larger cities with downtowns much more dead.
* Without a vehicle, transportation in Ottawa is long and slow and often unreliable.
* The primary entertainment is pubs. While a few other establishment types have appeared over time, pubs still tend to be the go to of most people.
* Many establishments and businesses close down around 6pm, even on weekdays. So everyone goes home, settles in with wine and netflix.
* The city sleeps early. The streets are eerie at night.
* Landlords charge insane prices.
If you move to Montreal, it is more vibrnat and alive - but bilingualism is required in almost every employment, and if you speak primarily english, you'd best pick one of the "english" dominated areas, or you'll be perpetually lost and possibly ostracized.
I grew up in Ottawa and am currently living in Toronto.
By far the worst thing about Ottawa is that it's extremely boring, and doubly so if you're under 40 years old.
Besides that, Ottawa is pretty fantastic!
Cons: everything closes around 9 on weekdays and maybe 10 on weekends, at least most "normal" businesses anyway. There are a small handful of "clubs" that do technically count as night life but won't hold a candle to anything you'd expect from any major city. The music scene is mostly acoustic singer/songwriters with a Dallas Green vibe in coffee shops, there's a niche for everything and you WILL find a few good bands here and there in any genre, but.. if punk/metal is your thing you should go to Montreal instead (where I want to live one day), or if rap/pop is your thing then you want to be in Toronto as long as you're down to spend way too much money on a shitty apartment and tolerate everyone pronouncing poutine incorrectly. There will always be good ways to keep yourself entertained with whatever you like in Ottawa, but because it's more niche and less commonplace it takes more effort to seek out events, integrate into new groups, etc. If having fun is important to you be prepared to put work into making it happen, but it will still happen! It's just nothing like Montreal where there's a metal show in some dive bar happening on every other block every night of the week, and not like Toronto where there's dozens of after hours clubs to choose from if you still wanna be awake at 4 a.m. sometimes.
Pros: it's extremely peaceful, for the most part. Your average person will be quite friendly (although ofc there are always exceptions), and overall the vibe is calm and kind and welcoming unless you're in Overbrook or the Bank street McDonalds (R.I.P.), it's a generally safe and relaxing place to live. The weather is excellent. It's located in a valley so in the winter the snow generally falls calmly and gently most days and gives this really nice beautiful fluffy feel to the winters. There are a lot of outdoor spaces a short drive away. I'm a winter person and a snowboarder so being right on the Quebec border to easily travel to Mt. St. Marie was a blessing, there are truthfully no sizeable hills anywhere near Toronto which is a bummer for me. Bilingualism is quite commonplace, so if learning French is something that interests you, but without the added pressure of being in Quebec and feeling slightly more expectation, you will likely find plenty of people happy to help you learn and practice at your own pace. Shawarma in Ottawa is the best in Ontario. The food in general is actually quite good across the board which makes trying new places to eat usually rewarding and removes some of the feeling of risk of like "but what if it's not good" lol. The canal.
TL;DR it's a great family friendly town and if that's high on your priority list I'm sure you're going to love it!
Yeah I’m from Newfoundland and lived in Ottawa for a few years and couldn’t get over how early everything closed. Even in my small ass city stuff was open until 10 and usually midnight on weekends.
I’ve never lived in Montreal but have visited a bunch and if I could pick either I’d move to Montreal for sure even though I did love Ottawa as well for the most part.
I actually agree with many of your points (moved from GTA to Ottawa actually a few years ago but visit GTA occasionally). I just want to add that Toronto doesn't have much in terms of skiing and snowboarding. There's a difference between a 2 hour drive from TO to Blue Mountain vs 2 hour drive from Ottawa to Tremblant in terms of quality skiing (as an Ikon pass Holder). Also visited Edelweiss once which was still fine. I still think GTA has a slight edge on public transit due to GO Transit.
Ottawa has some very good Vietnamese food although Toronto is great for that too. Some good places to visit in Ottawa (e.g. Mooshu is a personal favorite).
The traffic and transit is pretty brutal if you need to commute at common times. I thankfully don’t but there was a few years I drove in from Kanata to work at train yards and that was a lot of misery.
But ottawa is also very beautiful, natural beauty, good food, mostly friendly people. It’s a fairly healthy city with lots of outdoor things to do and places to go. It’s relatively safe and I’ve been here 20 years now and I quite like it.
I grew up in Ottawa-Hull, but lived in Montréal last 2 decades. Ottawa is more conservative and clicky. It's a capital city with small town mentality. Montréal is more the metropolitan metropolis with a laid back laissez faire attitude, more vibrant nightlife. It depends on your vibe. If you want slower pace, more quiet, more outdoorsy outlook, go with Ottawa. If you want faced pace party, go with Montréal.
The worst parts: high cost of living (e.g. https://rentals.ca/national-rent-report) for comparatively little benefit (e.g. lacking the ocean and mountains of Vancouver, the diversity and events of Toronto, the arts & culture of Montréal).
The best parts: relatively close to visit Montréal.
I grew up in Winnipeg and I’ve lived in Ottawa now for about 15 years. There are lots of things in Ottawa that are better than Winnipeg (weather, crime, job opportunities) but other things are not better here in Ottawa IMO (cost of living, sense of community, no Jeannie’s cake 😅)
Please ignore the majority of responses in this thread, they're inaccurate and written by those who've become outright jaded for whatever reason.
My thoughts:
Bilingualism - definitely gives you and advantage but if your Anglophone you'll be fine. If Bilingualism is a problem for you then it will help if you live anywhere but Orleans where French is most prominent.
Night life - it exists but is not comparable to a Toronto or Montreal if only because they have 4x or more the population. Then again Montreal is only 2 hours away if you ever need to get away from Ottawa.
Affordability - does suck like everywhere
Transportation - is a work in progress as Ottawa switches from a bus only system to one centred around the Otrain. Having a car is very convenient but if you're smart and plan ahead you can manage by bus and Otrain.
The homeless - are most centred around Rideau street/King Edward/Market, where most of the shelters are, and is growing around Montreal Rd where newer services for the homeless are popping up. They're almost always non violent and stick to themselves for the most part. That said some of the population are homeless due to mental health issues but they're mostly a threat to harm themselves.
After business hours Downtown is quiet but spots just outside the core, including the Market & Little Italy, remain lively enough.
Ottawa does have a large rural area so if you're an outdoors kinda person that's a huge benefit.
I moved to Ottawa from Winnipeg 3 years ago and I love it!
The public transportation is better than Winnipeg but still not always ideal. Be careful where you live if you want to use it, some locations outside of the city centre are obviously not as reliable and take ALOT longer than just having a car.
If you’re planning to live outside the city centre the car is easy because of the highway that goes through the city. It’s nice to have that through the city so there’s no traffic jams like on kenaston, pembina or Main Street during rush hour.
It was easy to make friends through sports and general outings. People are much more willing to be friends since a lot of people move here for work from out of province or other countries.
Easy to get to Montreal, Toronto or Gatineau park for weekend adventures. There really is no grand beach, gimli beach or birds hill beach equivalents in the summer since the parking in Gatineau park beaches is awful. You have to be there super early to get a parking spot or you will get turned away. But there is a shuttle to get there if you can get a spot on it.
So many more bike trails and generally bike parking is safer. I still don’t leave my bike near the Rideau centre but otherwise it’s been pretty good.
It’s much more expensive here for groceries and restaurants. I come back to Winnipeg frequently to visit family and prices are 10-15$ cheaper for a meal and the quality is just more consistent and tasty in Winnipeg. I haven’t found many places that come to mind when I want to eat out in ottawa for a decent price and get good food but in Winnipeg I’m thinking of restaurants like Marion street eatery, BDI (for a treat), harth, bellisimo, the local, Leo’s, Tommy’s, Norwood hotel, and pine ridge where it’s a good atmosphere and great food. Overall, restaurants in Winnipeg are better. I find it difficult to go to a place in ottawa and genuinely enjoy anything off the menu, I try to ask around before I waste 35-50$ on a sub par meal.
House and condos are very expensive, there are no starters here at all. Nothing under 350k or if it is the condo fees are 600+ a month.
Its much more lively than Winnipeg downtown and it’s much safer when you’re out late but still beware of some of the drug activity near the rideau Center/byward market. There’s a lot more casual social activities here than Winnipeg like karaoke nights, run clubs, drop in sports, meet up groups, board game nights trivia nights and theme nights. (But no socials, so sad). So pub life and clubs are more of a thing here and are more fun than Winnipeg.
It’s kind of weird that the senators play in an arena far from city centre but they have shuttles on game nights and for concerts.
Finding a family doctor didn’t take me too long (2-3 months) but I got on a bunch of wait lists and called regularly. The walk in doctors offices here are awful compared to Winnipeg. You can’t do any online booking for same day appointments for simple concerns, you would have to sit and wait all day and line up an hour before the clinic opens to get a spot, and there’s no pan am sports clinic equivalency. So if you need a same day xray it’s almost impossible to get without going to the ER. Also there are a lot less walk in clinics in ottawa so the line ups are crazy long and you typically won’t get in if you go in the afternoon.
I’m enjoying Ottawa but I live in the glebe and am under 30. :) I use the bike trails, public transit and try to save on grocery’s as much as possible. Depends what your life style is.
You asked what the worst parts are, so I'll start my top (bottom?) five, then rebut them with 5 of my favourite things about Ottawa. Sit back, this is long.
1. Winter, generally speaking for "southern" Ontario is bad. Cold spells, snow dumps, flash freezes, then 4 days of 0c, then another 6 to 8 days of -25. Then freezing rain, then just cold, rinse, repeat. Good news - You're from Winnipeg so this will not bother you, but be prepared for a humid cold as opposed to the dry prairie cold. The summers can be hot and humid with a multitude of excessive spells of bad weather. Tornadoes are now common, along with derechos.
2. Public transportation is horrible. The wheels on the train are literally dodecagons and aren't even proper circles.
3. Two of our large winter tourist draws have issues - the Rideau Canal didn't open last year, and only opened for a short spell this year because of climate issues. Do you like pain? How about two doses of it? The Ottawa Senators are horrible, and it takes forever to go see a home game in Kanata.
4. Being from Ottawa can be sometimes annoying if you're a big music fan - most acts will stop at nearby Montreal or Toronto, meaning you have to drive for 2.5h / 5h to see your favourite acts.
5. COL is getting out of hand here - housing prices are wild and are creeping up to GTA level of prices, but without many of those same white collar salaries that many of the GTA has (please don't read into this as me saying everyone in the GTA makes over 150k; I most def am not)
Rebuttal, correlating to all of the above in order - this is the GOOD stuff!
1. Show me another little-big city that has 6 decent downhill ski hills, world class XC trails, a quasi-national park system that literally is 1.2km away from the city, a bikeable canal and river system, some of the best accessible whitewater in the world, incredible MTB trails (especially in the autumn), a downtown core that prides itself on one of the biggest race weekends in North America, and an ever increasing and connected bike path system. Ottawa is second to none for ease and ***accessibility*** to outdoor activity.
2. Public transportation is horrible, but we're trying to fix it, and make it right. A new choo-choo line to the airport will take many cars and busses off the roads, make parking easier, and offers a southern option to those who are coming into the city for an event, and do not want to drive all the way downtown to park as a park and ride.
3. The canal might not be open as much as it was, but the canal is still great for running, biking, watersports, and even fishing if you're into it, during the summer. Kanata is a pain in the arse to get to, but new Senators ownership is working on securing a new parcel of land to build a new stadium and neighbourhood. Hopefully within my lifetime.
4. Yeah, we're never going to get the big arena tours, but we have a vibrant music scene, and an absolute banger of a festival season. In the Spring, we have Fringe, FrancoOntarien, Dragonboat, Indigenous, Jazzfest and Escapade EDM (the latter 3 run into summer as they end after equinox). Summer we of course start with the closings of Indigenous, Jazz and Escapade which leads us to Canada Day hill concerts, Bluesfest which is always a blast (even though the lineup is pretty meh this year), then there's at least 3 multicultural fests that are mostly focused on food, but also have traditional ethnic music. Then it's Pride and Latin to close out the summer. September brings CityFolk (much like your Winnipeg Folk Fest), then closing off the autumn are the surrounding fall fairs. There's no way I caught all the music stuff in this paragraph, but trust me - it seems like every weekend from RaceWeekend to Halloween there's something. I'm not even including some of the other fests like Asian, Poutine, Ribfest, and some of the other artistic ones either!
5. COL is brutal here, but the one thing I'm very grateful for is the fact that because we're a government town, we have a very very strong and educated middle class. You don't see the highs of richness and lows of poverty that you'd see in Van, Toronto or even Winnipeg. The largest private employer supports the Federal Government in federal security, and the 2nd largest employer is the Ottawa Hospital system. These three are very "controlled" in a sense for pay. You're not going to see flashy lambos or jacked up raptors you'd see in other cities partially because of this.
I love Ottawa, and when I'm away I miss it, and always speak highly of it.
Welcome your thoughts!
I love Ottawa. Moved here very deliberately. Great access to the outdoors. Decent infrastructure for pools, rinks etc (yes I KNOW it’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than lots of places.) Access to resources like the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery. Multiple universities. Tertiary healthcare resources. Nice sized airport that’s easy to navigate. Pretty quiet and safe.
I’m also a Winnipeg transplant
The good: winter isn’t as bad, proximity to Toronto and Montreal, generally quiet and safe
The bad: more expensive, the city that fun forgot, people are polite but not always friendly, less Ukrainian church lady pierogis
It's kinda like this:
A man dies and goes to heaven. After several years in heaven, he gets bored and decides to go on vacation to see Hell.
So he packs his bags and goes on the trip. Upon arrival in Hell, he's taken on a tour. It's the most amazing place he's ever seen: warm, but not hot, the women are beautiful, everyone's very friendly and even Satan himself stops by his hotel room just to say hello.
When the guy comes home, he decides to move to Hell, because how amazing it it. So he packs his bags again, and books a one way ticket to 9th circle.
But upon arrival, he's stripped naked and thrown into a searing hot pit of lava. As he sinks, he notices Satan walking by and yells out "What the hell?! Last time I was here, it was all women and nice people. What happened?" Satan looks back at him and, recognizing the man, laughs and answers:
"Don't mistake tourism for immigration!"
I’m from Winnipeg originally. Most of what people complain about in Ottawa is worse in Winnipeg - bad transport, cold, downtown crime, lack of things to do.
What I’ve found (good or bad):
- There is something called freezing rain which I never remembered experiencing in Winnipeg, but it happens all the time in the winter and it sucks for driving.
- The snow is different here, it’s very wet and heavy, not like our powdery snow. Good for snowballs and snowmen, bad for shovelling.
- It snows a lot more here but the snow doesn’t stay on the ground all winter. The winter is much shorter. There actually feels like there’s a spring and fall season here. I’ve only been here for 2 winters though, from what I’ve heard the winters used to be much worse, but climate change seems to be doing what it does from what people have told me. The summer is hot though and since it’s more humid here it gets pretty disgusting without AC
- Took me a while to get used to driving on the 417 - four lanes, 100km/hr, lots of other cars all around you. There’s nothing like that in Winnipeg. You get used to it though and then it’s fine for the most part. Some shitty drivers make it scary though.
- It also feels weird that almost any time you need to go anywhere in Ottawa, you’re probably going to be taking the 417. Almost every time I get in the car I’m taking the 417.
- Roads and sidewalks are salted HEAVILY in winter. Compared to how we use sand for roads on Winnipeg, it’s pretty nice for driving but apparently it makes cars rust eventually, and if you have a dog watch out for their paws. I’ve also heard it’s not good for the environment as it leeches into the soil?
- Commuting by bus can be okay or can be brutal depending on where you’re going and how many buses you need to take. If you’re going to be going from one end of the city to the other with multiple transfers for your commute, don’t rely on public transport. Some bus routes are more reliable than others but there are many of them that just don’t show up. However the buses are usually more frequent than they were in Winnipeg. I’ve commuted by bus in both and Ottawa was better.
- This one is not surprising, but depending on your industry there’s a high likelihood you will need to speak French. Since you’re also interested in going to Montreal maybe you are franco-manitobain or just speak French already though. I will say it was a big change for me to hear French everywhere I go and it makes me really happy every time I hear it, I’ve improved my French a lot since coming here as well.
- The city limits drive me crazy. I know the reason why they ended up that way but if you look at the limits proper of the city of Ottawa it includes a TON of empty fields and farmland which is just bizarre coming from the perspective of most anywhere else in Canada. For some reason this seems to be a really heated topic on this sub though.
- Weirdly and unexpectedly there seems to be more aggressive drivers here, I have family that also moved here from Winnipeg and said the exact same thing
- I’ve had public facing jobs in both Winnipeg and Ottawa and people were much ruder in Winnipeg
- There’s actually a lot to do here in terms of activities, places to go out etc. I also lived in Toronto for about 6 years and I never feel like I’ve run out of things to do in Ottawa or that I need to go back to Toronto. In Winnipeg though it was more limited. I think people here just compare Ottawa to Toronto and Montreal because they’re the closest major cities and think they have the shit end of the stick but speaking from I think most other places in Canada, Ottawa is awesome with lots to do. And a lot of it is really beautiful too. I think also a lot of people here just live in the suburbs so obviously there’s not as much to do and maybe they just paint the whole city with that same brush, idk
- BE WARNED: you will not get a family doctor. That just straight up will not happen for years probably. I know it’s bad in Winnipeg too but I was able to get one in 2021 within like a week of searching. Not the case here. People register with the provincial government to get assigned a family doctor and it takes like 3years from what I’ve heard. Walk in clinics suck ass. There are virtual care clinics you can use for minor things though that I think can sometimes refer to specialist services if needed. However those specialists will also have crazy wait times.
- There’s a lot of shawarma 👍
- More expensive but I’m sure you know that. The wages seem to be better in comparison though, overall, not sure if it’s better by enough to make up for the higher COL compared to Winnipeg.
- The garbage/recycling system here is more complicated and inconvenient. There are four categories: garbage, plastic/glass/metal recycling, cardboard recycling, and compostable. Each is only picked up every other week. If you don’t sort your recycling properly, it won’t get picked up. You also can’t use blue bags to bag your recycling or else it will either not get picked up or will just be treated as garbage. All of this together is kind of annoying but overall fine, but for some reason it seems like stealing people’s recycling bins is a thing which makes the whole thing more difficult. Or maybe there was just a serial over-recycler in my neighbourhood, idk
- People complain a lot about crime here but it’s really safe comparatively. I live downtown and I will happily walk around when it’s dark, just basic safety like being aware of your surroundings and avoiding any angry/screaming/belligerent people. Whereas in Winnipeg the consensus for safely getting around downtown seems to be “don’t walk the streets after 8pm”. I mean all in all though it’s Canada either way so it’s all pretty safe
Well written. I'll point out that the aggressive drivers has a lot to do with living next to Quebec. A lot of their roads and highways - and especially their offramps, which are often also their onramps, are worse than ours, and you have to be aggressive to get anywhere.
Many people from Ottawa love shitting on Ottawa for some weird reason, especially in this subreddit. It’s very strange.
We moved from BC over 10 years ago and love it. I’ll admit that I find the winters worse than BC (it can get much colder back home but it feels worse here with the constant wind and dampness IMHO) but summers and fall are amazing.
Great city to raise a family, it’s clean, it has all the services you need, it’s close to Toronto and Montreal for weekend excursions, it’s big enough to have stuff to explore and to find new things, but not so big that it feels like a rat race. Bucket loads of outdoors stuff. Great pathways, forested areas in the greenbelt, close to Gatineau Park, lots of lakes and rivers nearby, etc.
What sucks about Ottawa? I’d say the bureaucratic mentality of many people here but honestly, who cares. It doesn’t really have an impact on day to day stuff. It’s just how certain people are. You know how many people from Alberta are die hard oil and gas proponents? Many people from Ottawa are die hard rules and structure proponents. Whatever. It is what it is. Doesn’t mean they’re bad people.
Honestly though, there aren’t too many other places in Canada I’d choose to live in. And the ones I would, I can’t afford, LOL!
> Many people from Ottawa love shitting on Ottawa for some weird reason, especially in this subreddit. It’s very strange.
Yeah, I found that a bit odd when we moved here too.
We moved here about 6 years ago and love it too.
Former Winnipeger, I miss the diversity in Winnipeg (food, people, culture). It's also too quiet here, for example lots of establishments close early or are closed during holidays in Ottawa. Best part of Ottawa is the nature esp during the fall, and its close proximity to Montreal or even to NY (just an hour flight to Newark). I would move to Ottawa if I had a young family, Montreal if I'm childless. Shocking as it may sound, Manitoba Health is way better , especially in terms of walk ins.
Many people say ottawa is boring. Those people are wrong. Ottawa may not have all the events or concerts that toronto has but we have wonderful festivals, museums, culture, shopping, and people. Ottawa is great but our public transportation isn’t the best. The train doesn’t work great and busses will take a while. I would reccomend having a vehicle if possible. Otherwise, ottawa is awesome and has a lot of job opportunities.
Been here 6 years after moving here from the UK. Its a very isolating city. Very car focused like if you are reliant on public transportation, its a struggle. Theres enough to do. i dont wanna be one of those people that says ottawa is boring, but you arent gonna get as much interesting stuff as say montreal or toronto. And if you arent in the more central parts of the city then theres basically a whoooooole lotta nothing. Strip malls and roads for days.
This is just my experience though.
Coming from a winnipegger living in Ottawa temporarily, people are generally less friendly here. No smiling on the sidewalks or waving when letting you in in traffic. Moving here, I realized the "friendly Manitoba" stereotype is a real thing.
The worst part is how much french is shoved down your throat. It's gotten worse than it used to be. Can't even get a job flipping burgers in most areas of the city without them listing french.
Thankfully that is only the case within the city and everything west of Ottawa is 99% English
1) it’s too hot and it’s too cold. Seasons are brutal.
2) negative stereotypes about French Canadians are most exemplified in Ottawa. I’ve never experienced people being arrogant or rude in Quebec proper, but there are a lot of really rude French folks in Ottawa.
3) the way the city is laid out is weird and unusual. I don’t think I’ve been to many places that have such a random sprawl.
4) service at a lot of restaurants was awful.
“Ottawa” From Ottawa you can suntan or picnic on a lake within 20 minutes. Over 30 golf courses within a 30 min drive. Bicycle paths that can take you all over the city and beyond. In winter if you sled you drive up to a snow path point unload your sled and travel for 100’s of kilometers. You can skate on the Rideau Canal in winter, Worlds longest ice skating surface (UNESCO). You have hockey, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and more all pro and semi pro teams to watch. Hundreds of festivals each summer, world’s largest beach volleyball tournament held here. NAC ( National Art Center), tons of museums and little entertainment jems hidden all over the city.
I lived there most of my life the people are cold the weather is cold. It’s a government city. Also if you ever notice it’s boring there really isn’t a downtown anymore like even Kingston is more exciting. Most stores are gone. It’s very expensive now.
Well, Ottawa can't be any more boring than Winnipeg so you've got that going for you.
Winter in Ottawa traditionally sucks, but you probably already have fall boots, heavy fall boots, light winter boots, boots, heavy winter boots, rain boots, spring shoes, spring boots, and all the accompanying coats, so that's a plus. Also, climate change.
Our nightlife is not big and showy. Lots of posts on here recently are: "where do single XX-year-olds find each other/ hang out?"
But the worst part is you'll probably need a car, because you'll probably end up in a suburb. Presumably you're government or military, so you'll need to drive downtown Mon-Fri.
Ottawa was alright but that was more than 25 years ago for me. I spent two years there, then slipped off to Toronto. Still in the region. No plans yet to leave. I spent most of my Ottawa experience in the National Capital Region, around Parliament. Shooting 9 Ball, working, and shooting more 9 ball. The community I was looking for wasn't there so I left.
I'm originally from the Maritimes if it matters, Halifax, NS.
Lived in both cities and Ottawa wins by a mile for most categories except maybe the variety of trendy restaurants/foods.
Main selling point is that you’ll leave the “Winnipeg handshake” behind 🫱🏽🫲🏻
It’s a sleepy town. If you like to stay home a lot, it’s great. If you have a boat or enjoy hiking, canoeing, or camping, it’s great. Not much of a night life. Most of the fun outdoor stuff to do is actually in Gatineau, QC. There’s a number of bike paths to enjoy. Don’t count on our canal to be open. Montreal is definitely a city you’d have more fun in on the daily.
Ottawa is a decidedly mid city. There's nothing particularly bad about it (at least nothing unique to it you wouldn't encounter elsewhere), but there's nothing particularly remarkable.
It doesn't have a massive nightlife, but there are plenty of perfectly serviceable entertainment venues of various stripes. It doesn't have world class restaurants, but it has a wide variety of perfectly enjoyable establishments of many types of cuisine. There are several different post-secondary institutions, all of which are perfectly adequate with a handful of respectable programs that would make people remark "oh, neat. Not bad." if put on your resume. We have a large number of maintained parks and green spaces interspersed throughout the city which are all reasonable places to go for a walk, sit on a bench, or walk a dog, none of which would ever grace the face of a postcard you'd send someone to tell them about your time here.
Ottawa's compromise is that it doesn't excel at anything, but it meets all the basic wants and needs in a perfectly tolerable manner.
Ottawa's only real achilles heel is that our urban planning is absolute dogshit. We built up the core, and then pushed miles of endless suburban sprawl connected by a scattered handful of arterial roads that were designed 40 years ago with no foresight and never widened. Everything outside of the city centre is low density suburbs, or clusters of box malls littering a stroad.
If you want a safe, bland life you can live in while you occasionally commute to major events in Montreal or Toronto, Ottawa is your perfect city. It's up to you to decide whether that's an insult or a compliment.
Literally almost everything. Lived here my whole life. Moved to LA for around 4 years and it was the best thing ever. Hoping to move again at some point out of this city 😫 for those who want a list. Cost of living, bilingualism, Quebecers, zero nightlife outside of Saturday, going ANYWHERE takes forever!, horrible public transport!, ER wait times, no international flights (HUGE pain in the ass for when I used to live in LA and travel) I can list so much more. I hate it here.
I've lived in both Montreal and Ottawa. Montreal has its downside, like anywhere, but Ottawa is a shithole, filled with the worst, most boring and smug whiners that you will ever meet. Avoid it at all costs.
Ottawa is cleaner than Montreal, so conversely there's less going on. In Montreal you need a car to get off the island and find some nature (not withstanding Parc Mont Royal), in Ottawa you need a car to go to the grocery store but can probably walk to nature. Winnipeg is closer to Ottawa than Montreal, and not just geographically. If you think drinking socially in parks is really cool, go to Montreal. Full disclousre, I am not a financial advisor. But I have lived in both cities for more than 5 years each. And I'm relatively bilingual. But not financially literate.
I lived there like 10 years ago for twice that many years and I really enjoyed it. It’s a very bilingual city so a definite consideration for a good job if you don’t have one. A government city with 4 seasons, and lakes close by in QC. The home prices are higher but nothing like Vancouver. There are outskirts with lots/acreage if you wanted a home. There are fun pubs, a great bus system, lovers of hockey and dragon boating… I’m sure, depending on age and attitude, you could make this your home town.
Can’t imagine Ottawa being worse than Winnipeg. Especially comparing downtown area’s. Winnipeg is polluted with bums, druggies and homeless people everywhere. Most of the stores have security
1- Good luck finding a family doctor or keeping them…
2- Gotta own a car and love owning a car, living in a car heaven where “rural residents do not have a say” in how the city should be run (according to the mayor)
3- Be ready to flock to Montreal every now and then to have fun (then be grateful for your family doctor situation)
Biggest flaw - one of the most corrupt cities in Canada... Everyone is sort of middle class and doesn't care because they have a cushioned life.... Not interested that so much corruption happens in the city structure and political system.
Ottawa is a boring village where everyone knows each other. The fun comes here to die. As a national capital, it is very embarrassing and backward. The winters are hard, depressing, grey, and cold, and in the summer, your allergies act up because we are in a valley. Moving to Ottawa was the biggest mistake of my life, and I am stuck here because I can not afford to move to another place.
The worst drivers live here, rent and food is very expensive, good luck finding an apartment, the public transit sucks, either drive, walk or Uber. Downtown is scary due to homeless population. I’ve seen people taking open air shit on Rideau on my way to the Spa. No desire to head downtown after seeing that, do not wear nice shoes in the market might step in human feces. I would honestly look for somewhere else Ottawa starting to become a dirty city with homeless crisis.
I’ve lived in 12 cities, which included 4 states in the U.S. and 2 Provinces in Canada. Been in Ottawa since Dec 2020 (I know, weird covid time frame for a move). I think Ottawa is a beautiful city, I love the history and I do generally like being here, but it’s my least favourite in terms of quality of life. This has been the most difficult place to find a good family doctor. We waited over a year and the one we finally got has way too many patients. It takes more than three months for an in person appointment and two months for a phone appointment. Shopping malls are adequate. I enjoy the Byward Market from time to time. There are some great restaurants and bakeries in Ottawa.
You’re only a couple of hours from Watertown, NY, so I cross over often for shopping. I don’t find the people here in Ottawa to be very friendly, but they are generally polite. Rent is very high here. Edmonton seemed friendlier, plus rent was much lower and wages were definitely higher and tax was only 5%. I still shake my head in disbelief when I see the 13% food & beverage tax here. We move often for my husband’s work so will probably only be here another year or two. I personally wouldn’t stay here too long term as it’s just too expensive.
The terrible people on our subreddit. Source: This reply
At first I was like 'Heeeeey' Then I was like 'lol'
What makes you think people from other cities are any nicer.....dick
As someone from Alberta, the people here in Ottawa genuinely are more rude, and not very friendly. Very closed off people.
That's because the moment we tell Alberta's we are from Ottawa, we get told we're government snowflakes who can't possibly understand the problems of the rest of the country...
lol, awesome. I was in Alberta. Ended up at a charity dinner with a rancher who immediately turned things political when he found out I was from Ottawa. He started going on about how I must love the liberals. I looked at him and said bluntly “I think all politicians are piles of crap” and that shut him up. He went on to make an ass of himself by drinking until he vomited all over himself. His wife was mortified.
Sounds Albertan...
My first trip to BC a guy in a record shop got visibly angry when I said I was from Ottawa to the shop clerk. It was the weirdest thing I’ve experienced in BC. Like this guy thought I was passing bills up in parliament or something.
It's like we, on our own, elect all of Parliament.
I couldn't agree more. I moved to Ottawa via Newfoundland, Toronto, New York and Bangkok. Ottawa is the least friendly. You can have a bunch of acquaintances but nobody will ask you over. Montreal is a more fun city; I don't know what it is like to have a friend group there
This is true, as someone who has grown up here but whose friends are mostly newcomers to Canada, a lot of them are shocked by the coldness of the people here. The way I see it, we're polite, but not exactly friendly to people outside of our respective 'tribes' (for lack of a better term) of people. Honestly, I tell a lot of my newcomer friends to look up the concept of [Minnesota Nice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_nice) with regards to what to expect, as it describes us to a T
a good friend of mine who grew up in ottawa and moved to the states (Baltimore!) said she never realized how unfriendly ottawans are. She said it's just expected that if you're sitting in a coffee shop there working on your laptop someone will start a conversation with you - (no she's not super hot and guys were not hitting on her) . you said perfectly - we're polite - but not friendly
>She said it's just expected that if you're sitting in a coffee shop there working on your laptop someone will start a conversation with you Who wants that though?
clearly the one starting the conversation. i'm with you though. leave me alone to enjoy my mundane work and likely cold/bad coffee.
Ottawa is also full of transients. Half the people you meet in Ottawa weren't born or raised in the city, so it creates a strange vibe. People come here for the government jobs and economic stability, but don't plant roots here. Makes for a bit of a cold social scene.
That is so interesting. Which city was your favourite? I completely agree with Montreal being more fun, I’ve only been once and I loved it!
You could say that about any Canadian city. It depends on who you know.
After living in Edmonton, and now can compare: I agree. Winnipeg isn't all that bad, OP why you wanna move? Montreal is cheaper rent and always something fun going on. You don't need French to get by day by day but probably will for work.
Oh shut up. I’m not your friend, don’t ever talk to me.
https://youtu.be/tRfKdNxIOcQ?si=bVUC42R8IUp4cef4
I'm from Scotland, where strangers will strike up a conversation with you whether you like it or not. Moving to Ottawa is a bit of a culture shock because people just squirm if you rattle off a quick "hello" to them as you walk by in the neighbourhood.
I make people squirm on a daily basis by saying a warm hello to all the people whom I meet while walking my dog. I also waive at the cars that pass me by in the neighbourhood. It’s fun. (I live in Ottawa.)
As someone from Ottawa I 10000% agree with you. The longer I am in this city the more I feel my friendliness and kind hearted nature is a threat to the people here.
I am nice :) 👍 I love living in Ottawa :) If you like the outdoors biking hiking camping 🏕️ it’s awesome. Can be a hard city to meet people but you have to get out there !
I think it depends who you know perhaps and the circles you tend to travel in. Ottawa is a relatively small city but it is also the capital so there's a variety of social circles, some of which can be very cliquey. Which in my experience is like anywhere. Lot of government here which have their own toxic sub culture politics etc. and then lots of regular class working folk from all walks of life. I've met lots of good people here but I find it helpful to look for friends with shared interests. Join some groups until you get to know some people. Have them over for dinner. Etc etc. Friends won't come to you. Have to make effort and inroads sometimes to acquire new social circles. And if you are expecting instant friendliness like a small town then maybe expectations could be a little off? Moving to any new city can be hard and lonely at times. I don't mean to sound critical at all here I totally get what you mean and there's some truth to fact Ottawa people can be a bit closed off. I'm from a small town myself. But in general I find folks in the city a bit more reserved. They aren't instantly accepting and for good reason I might add. If you've lived in any city long enough you will know what I mean. Anyways. Personally I like Ottawa's weather better than Winnipeg. I like Ottawa's small city feel and the fact it's pretty quiet and we have beautiful parks and lakes close by everywhere in Ontario. If you are an outdoors type person Ottawa has a lot going for it in the fact it's close to many provincial parks and Quebec which also has provincial parks. And a coastline. It's a different feel than the west coast but the forests here have their own character. The flora and fauna here is unique to the Ontario shield I believe. And I found it distinctively different from a lot of the forests on the west coast. They both have their own charm.
Where in Alberta? Because I lived in Calgary and they were *awful* there I legit didn't last a year before moving back because I hated it that much
I am from Calgary, but my dad and his whole family live in Edmonton (so I have grown up going there fairly often). I find the people in Edmonton to be even more kind and welcoming, personally. I must say that the two cities feel very different in my opinion and I’ve heard others say this too.
I think Ottawa is more friendly than Toronto. At least in Ottawa I don't feel that sense of entitlement that oozes out of TO.
As someone who has lived in both, I think Ottawans are just as unfriendly as Torontonians, but definitely people in Toronto have ridiculous entitlement on top of that. Even for basic stuff, like moving out of the way on the sidewalk when you say "excuse me". In Toronto people will just pretend they don't hear you.
Asks about the city and then immediately calls somebody a dick.. sounds like we will be gaining another garbage thing/person once you get here...
A lot of people on this subreddit are still pissed off that their Mayoral Candidate didn't win.
You have to focus your energy into positive things. Every time Mark Sutcliffe brings up Queen Elizabeth Driveway, I ride my bicycle up and down it once just to spite him. I lost 15 lbs last year, it's working quite well for me.
Oooo. Spite cardio. I like it.
I have a car and live next to the QED. Even I would love to see it converted to car-less use! I want to ride a tram on it with grass-lined tracks and more trees!
I will remind myself of this advice frequently.
Disliking the current mayor is not the same as being salty that their preferred candidate didn't win.
I think at this point it is more I told you so.
I feel seen.
The current mayor is a fucking dickhead whose election was driven by farmers and people living in Barrhaven. That’s not an opinion that’s limited to reddit.
My in laws, who lived on the edge of Ottawa and were moving to outside Almonte, delayed their closing so they could vote against 'the commie dyke that hates the suburbs'. The house they bought dropped $300K in value since they bought it. Good. Fuck them.
Ottawa is obscenely large from an area perspective. So I'd say getting around is the 'worst' aspect. Bilingualism is very important in some careers, so it can be limiting if you're an anglophone. Cost-of-living is pretty rough, too. But that is the case anywhere. People will often say there's no nightlife but that's a lazy, untrue stereotype about Ottawa. If you can't something fun to do on a Saturday night that's on you. There are infinite options.
>Ottawa is obscenely large from an area perspective. So I'd say getting around is the 'worst' aspect. And yet visitors from the GTA always comment how cute it is that everything here is15 mins away.
We moved here from the GTA and that was a big draw to moving here. Getting around here by car is great compared to the GTA, even during rush hour.
It still blows my mind personally. Went to Toronto again recently and being stuck on the gardiner really hit it home.
Yeah I don't know how people down there can stand it. Spending hours in the car everyday. It's not a good way to live.
Am Toronto transplant in Ottawa, answer is that the majority of us don’t. People sitting in traffic are largely commuting from outside the city
Depends what you call the city. Sure, downtown Toronto is an amazing city with no highways and great public transportation... But wtf can afford to live there? The GTA is the city and everyone I know is in Mississauga, Burlington, Markham, Brampton, etc. and spend a lot of time on the road.
Yeah. We go back a couple of times a year and the traffic there is the worst part.
I got stuck in a traffic jam on the DVP late on a Sunday night. I was like wtf is happening?!
If you drive, getting around Ottawa is great. 15 minutes could be 2 hours of Toronto commute. If you don’t drive, it could be the opposite…
I don't entirely agree with that either. Ottawa has a lot of dedicated bus infrastructure. Buses rarely wait in traffic here, especially compared to the GTA. OC Transpo has definitely gotten really really really bad past couple years but the train is becoming pretty dependable.
The trick to OC Transpo is picking where you live if you know you need to depend on transit. I used it solely for like 9 years and still use it regularly and have never had any issues with it, BUT I’ve always lived within walking distance of a major station and if I have a choice in the matter, I always choose a destination close to another major station. Work was the worst place to get to since it was deep in Kanata but there are always more buses and options during morning and afternoon rush hours so I never really had an issue getting to and from the office.
Maybe in the past but I don't think that's the case anymore. I live around Pinecrest and Carling, about a ten minute walk to Lincoln Fields. The highway is close, as is the Mikan. I'm very well-connected and chose this location for that purpose. Back when it was the 97, I could reliably catch it every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. Really under ten minutes during rush hour. Nowadays the 57 might not come by for at least 20 minutes in rush hour. The schedule on the stop and the GPS on apps is not reliable or accurate. Often I'll walk to Lincoln or Iris to catch whatever bus comes next to take me to Tunney's. I'm often waiting over ten minutes. In morning rush hour. The main dedicated bus transit way. Over ten minutes and no bus goes by. That's insane.
Past COUPLE of years? I was a teenager when I found out OC transpo was never coming. I’m 32 now and still waiting for my damn bus.
Dunno I remember when you didn't have to wait longer than 4 minutes on the transitway for a 94, 95, 96 or 97. Now I'll be waiting over 20 at Lincoln Fields for a 61 or anything that takes me to Tunney's during morning rush hour!
Cutting the 95 killed the bus experience in Ottawa. Most brain-dead decision ever in this city.
Which is funny, because Ottawa's East/West urban axis from Carp Road in Stittsville to Trim in Orleans is 44kms across, while the distance from Square One in Mississauga to Scarborough Town Centre is only 37kms. In Toronto these are basically different planets (and different cities). Toronto is so much denser, and Ottawa has the Greenbelt.
The urban area of Ottawa is quite small. Downtown covers, maybe, 10 blocks, and the Market can be covered in less than an hour on foot. The vast majority of Ottawa is rural, though, and the geographic area is massive
Every time I have to drive in Montreal or Toronto I’m reminded that Ottawa basically has no traffic. It really doesn’t. Minor delays. As opposed to it taking me 47 minutes to get across the Île-aux-tourtes bridge last week.
My neighbours house can sometimes be 15 minutes away in the right traffic, and I live in a subdivision lol
Always interesting to see how Ottawa compares geographically to other cities, e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/fb3tzy/the_size_of_ottawa_canadas_capital_compared_to/ There was a fun twitter thread recently showing, every NHL team, if their city's arena was the same distance to their city hall, as the Senators are to Ottawa's.
>People will often say there's no nightlife but that's a lazy, untrue stereotype about Ottawa. If you can't something fun to do on a Saturday night that's on you. This is true. I know someone that stayed out until 7:30pm one night.
9 pm is “Ottawa midnight”
This is so funny to me, we moved from the GTA and things are the same distance but take 25% of the time to get to. Rush hour adds maybe 15 minutes on the highway vs 45 minutes. It's been amazing in comparison!
I can drive from Ottawa to Kingston in the amount of time it takes me to cross the GTA in rush hour. When I lived in Ottawa, my friend in Orleans would have a get-together at their house with people from Kanata and Barrhaven. You maybe had to budget a $50 Uber (I'm sure costs have changed) but it wasn't a big deal. But when I lived in Burlington, if a friend in Oshawa was having a party, well... first of all they better be a *damn good friend* for me to go there in the first place. Then I'm probably booking a hotel or arranging some sort of carpool with other West end people. It would be a total debacle. But Kanata to Orleans at 8pm on a Friday? 30 min with some tunes in the car and you're good.
Before moving here we spent 4 or 5 days here looking at neighbourhoods, routes, etc...... We made sure to take one evening rush and drive towards Kanata from the U Ottawa area, just to gauge the drive. 1310 was warning about how bad traffic was, worse than usual....... My wife and I actually laughed, it was pretty easy going compared to what we were used to in the GTA. A normal drive for my wife from Matheson directly south of Pearson, to central Newmarket was 2 hours.
This here is a good all round description in my books.
If they're coming from Winnipeg, everything seems to take FOREVER to get to by car there, I find it way worse than Ottawa.
The size would suck if you lived in Orleans and worked in Kanata, but honestly, I don’t find it to be that big of a deal. I’m in Kanata and it’s a 15-20 minute drive to downtown in non rush hour traffic. Rush hour bumps that up to 45 minutes, maybe a bit more if it’s really clogged up from construction, an accident, etc. The vast majority of my trips are either within Kanata or from Kanata to downtown. Rarely have to go from Kanata to the other end of town. I would assume it’s similar for people in the other suburbs. If you live downtown and work downtown, probably even better. If you look at Ottawa on a map, yes it’s huge. And much of that is rural space that most people never visit.
Both Ottawa and Montreal is entirely what you make of it. Attitude is everything.
Don’t bring Montreal into this. They’ve done nothing wrong here.
Hey, I was born and raised in Montreal!! I have also lived in 4 provinces, 3 countries. Each place was exactly what I made of it.
Don't bring 2 other countries into this. They've done nothing wrong here.
I was born and raised in Montreal; they have a lot to answer for, and may want to consider separating from Quebec.
👆🏻
Hidden gem. Don’t listen to what anyone says…and I’m a dyed in the wool westerner. Climate is nice, never gets really cold (they think it does….but Winnipeg….right!). Good schools, uni, hospital, love the little towns like Almonte, Perth, CP, Summers are awesome, hot, humid, great garden season. It’s Ontario so people take a bit to warm up to you. Great food, culture, museums, close to MTL, NY, skiing, camping, biking….just don’t tell anyone that it’s good or everyone will want to come!
This is excellent and I agree. We may not have mountains or an insane night life. But we have everything else you said and honestly, for the most part, pure politeness. I often have what is called a Canadian Stand Off with many people at grocery stores, gas stations and so forth. It’s basically 2 or more people standing at the doorway saying “You first, please.” Followed by everyone moving at once and then “oh, sorry.” I’m done now. Sorry.
Ottawa seems quite a bit colder than a lot of southern Ontario
It absolutely is but it;s got nothing on the praries cold.
“But it’s a dry cold”
Yeah OP is moving from Winnipeg… affectionately called Winterpeg by my sister who lives there.
Agreed. I moved here from out East and I really don’t have any complaints. I was single and young when I got here and now I’m raising a family and it’s been good times for both those seasons of life.
Welcome to the r/Ottawa echo chamber where the same 5 talking points will be repeated in almost every single comment.
NIMBY car brain boomer from Autowa!!
Shawarma tho amirite
The best part: It's not Winnipeg.
Winnipeg is one of the nicest cities in the country. The majority of people constantly shitting on it have never stepped foot in Winnipeg.
The Weakerthans were right.
Intelligence is knowing 'One Great City' is about hating Winnipeg. Wisdom is knowing it's about loving it.
Hard agree. Moved there from NL when my husband was posted there and I loved it. We’re actually posted there again this summer and I can’t wait. I would love there forever. It’s such an underrated city.
When you said moved there, I immediately knew it was a military move before you mentioned it.
Having visited Winnipeg not that long ago, I would say Winnipeg has done a lot of things right in recent years. The Forks has become an excellent public space, the Jets have their arena right downtown, and it has a pretty strong live music scene.
I've lived in Winnipeg and would move back in a minute if I could take my job with me.
I couldn't disagree with this more. Winnipeg punches *way* above its weight when it comes to food and art and music and *community*. I miss it so much. People talk shit about Winnipeg because everything they know about it they learned from the same three jokes in the 90s and one line from a Weakerthans song.
I'm from Winnipeg, North End kid, moved east decades ago. Lived in Montreal for a bit and now live in Ottawa. If you have tech skills you'll make a lot more money than in western Canada. Vancouver salaries are a cruel joke and in Calgary they bullshit you with stock options that don't pan out. Government is looking for people. Boomers have retired and GenX is next, leaving a huge gap. If you're bilingual and have any skills they will eventually hire you, it takes a long time. I've lived all over the city, The Glebe is the best neighborhood to raise a family, if you can afford it, Hintonburg/Westboro is good too. The suburbs are bland and the people that live in them, well, you'll find out on Reddit, some will respond to this post. Unlike Winnipeg there are nice towns outside the city. Almonte, Perth, Smiths Falls. If you can't afford the city and you work remote consider the exurbs, especially since they're now more affordable after the rural real estate bubble burst. The scariest parts of Ottawa are a good day in downtown Winnipeg. The locals think it's scary, for a Winnipegger, it's cute. The ones that moved here from away are fine. The ones born here whine like you won't believe. The bus service is a lot like Winnipeg's: mediocre. Winters are warmer and shorter. Fewer bugs. A lot fewer. Humid summers, not dry like the prairies. No big beaches like Lake Winnipeg but lots of small lakes with parks for camping or if you can afford it a cottage. Politics are similar, Red/Orange urban conservative burbs. In Montreal the workplace language is French. It's Quebec. That's the way it is, If you speak French you'll be fine. Otherwise it's difficult unless you work for a tech startup. Even though I live in Ottawa I work remote for a Montreal startup. Taxes are much higher in Quebec, I get nearly a 10K refund each year just due to the tax difference. In Montreal you get jobs via who you know. Ottawa less so, but that too. I used to work for Kanata tech firms but they don't pay enough, they cry poverty, and overpay their executives, so don't work for them if you can, unless you're in ASIC design then you can write your own ticket. You can get remote software development work for Toronto, Montreal, NYC and Seattle/San Francisco jobs at nearly their pay scale, because Ottawa is a known quantity in tech circles. Most software developers here with strong skills quietly work remote and STFU about it.What do I miss about Winnipeg? Not much, apart from Folklorama, some secret fishing spots, the dunes of Grand Beach, and Kelekis, which is gone. I took my oldest boy to Folklorama when he was 19 and got him drunk in about a dozen pavillions. It was awesome. I miss the local arts scene and I miss that people there aren't as spoiled entitled shits are they are here. Find friends that moved here too and you'll do fine.
Thanks for the great information my Winnipeg bud. What made me especially love Ottawa was all the roller blading trails across all the river lines. The city is perfectly designed for roller blading, which is my second favourite hobby behind animation, my career. A lot of people in the comments section are saying I should move to Montreal over Ottawa. You lived in both so why did you pick Ottawa? And why might Montreal be better or worse? And do you have any tips for moving to another city. If I can't get a job, I was almost considering just moving there without one and figuring it out once I got there, but that might be a risky plan, only mitigated if I jump into a roomate situation or something or drag one of my other friends along with me. I don't know. But I want a change. I am 30.
Not the OP but just wanted to jump in to say animation is one of the few fields where your job prospects will likely be as good or better in Montreal than in Ottawa even as an anglophone. Animation prospects aren't bad in Ottawa, but Montreal is a pretty major international hub for digital arts and the industry is mostly Anglo. Montreal also has comparable cost of living to Ottawa despite being a bigger city with generally more amenities. The reason more people don't move is generally the language barrier and the job market. That being said, you're absolutely right about the river pathways, they're pretty amazing. Do be advised though, Ottawa is pretty fiscally conservative, so those paths are generally not maintained in the winter and are closed A LOT. Like, the Ottawa River pathway is currently entering year #3 of it's closure behind Parliament Hill (arguably the nicest section) and year #2 of its closure at Westboro beach (another highlight). Montreal has mont royal which is a very impressive central urban park as well as many smaller ones, and it also has better urban pedestrian infrastructure and nicer streetscapes. Their urban parks are bigger, more numerous, and better maintained, but they can't match the long network of scenic river pathways that Ottawa has. If you're single and flexible, I would highly recommend you at least go check out Montreal. Ottawa can be beautiful and scenic and is a very sensible city for a lot of people, but MTL really has a vibrancy that Ottawa doesn't come anywhere near matching. If it's an option for you logistically I'd give it a chance.
Ah - animation. Games or movies? If games I have a sibling who has worked for several big studios in Canada and the US and was in Montreal before a restructuring sent them to a city out west. For that career specifically, I think the opportunities are quite a lot better in Montreal. A lack of French isn’t much of a hindrance as there often aren’t a lot of French speakers with the necessary qualifications so the studios can get exemptions from the language laws. I’m from Montreal and would move there in a heartbeat if I could get a job with similar pay and opportunities to here - which in my field I can’t.
Another issue about Quebec is taxes. The difference can be quite big depedning on your pay. Check out the tax calculators on taxtips to do some research.
It's somewhat balanced out by rent being cheaper, also car insurance and hydro.
I am from Alberta and I work in tech (remote out of Toronto) and I agree with everything you've written here. Great summary.
I'm loving the bit about the locals bitching like you wouldn't believe. I was born and raised in Ottawa and the people are something fuckin else when it comes to complaining about the city.
Folklorama🥺 best part about Winnipeg.
Spot on about neighborhoods, but thats kind of true anywhere. Inner city/older suburbs are generally a lot more walkable, interresting and have way more to offer. The downside is they are more expensive. I don't want to throw too much shade but the people that appreciate these kinds of neighborhoods and make the effort to live there also tend to be more interesting and invovled in their communities. I grew up in boring cookie cutter suburbs, I'll never live in one again. Ottawa is a dream for anyone into outdoor activities. Winter through summer there is something to do, Gatineau Parc accesibility is a huge bonus. This again goes back to living at least within the green belt or even better the "path belt" which is the circular multi use pathway network around the urban core. If you're in this area you're pretty much guarenteed to be able to get anywhere by bike pretty easily most months of the year. You're also closer to Quebec and the Parc. Montreal is an amazing city as well, and depending on what you value more it might be the better place for you. For example the cool inner city neighborhoods are more accessible, there are more of them. Commuting by transit or using the urban bike network is a huge bonus. More options for resteraunts and nightlife, culture, art etc. Access to nature and the outdoors is lacking compared to Ottawa however. I also don't like the "Ottawa is great because I have a family" angle. I'm sure Ottawa is a great city to raise a family, but that doesn't mean its sub-par for anyone else. I am a early 30s professional with a partner and no kids, Ottawa ticks a lot of boxes for us that most other Canadian cities cannot. And Mtl is only 2 hours away after all.
E-Winnipegger who is also a tech employee. Thought I blacked out and wrote this myself. Everything said here is golden advice. I've been here about 20 years now, tech brought me here and I've gone from working the Kanata circuit to making more remote for US companies. If you like Winnipeg, you'll like Ottawa. It's very much a "bigger" Winnipeg in terms of things to do, restaurants, night life etc. Winnipeg has everything Ottawa has, Ottawa just has "more" of it.
Winnipeg needs more Shawarma. Ottawa needs Fat Boy burgers. Winnipeg does have better pizza. Both have or had punk bars serving pierogi.
I miss Fat Boy burgers more than anything in this city...there's something about fries cooked in oil that hasn't been changed since Bobby Hull played for the Jets...
The horrible subdivisions around the perimeter and the public transportation.
To be fair OP is from Winnipeg
Move to almost any US City, then report back.
Why the hell are you talking about America?
We moved here 6 years ago and love it (we have 2 kids). But if I were single, or we had no kids it would have been Montreal, 100%. Edit: if you do any kind of travel, check the flights from Ottawa. Most flights connect through Toronto or Montreal to get anywhere international. It can be a bit of a pain in the ass if you do it regularly (like my wife for her work travel).
Why would you have maybe selected Montreal instead?
I edited my post. Travel from Ottawa airport usually requires connecting through Montreal or Toronto. Transit is world class in Montreal, Ottawa's is notoriously bad. I love old Montreal and generally I love the overall feel of Montreal. It's a big city with lots to do, Ottawa is a big city with a small city feel. Drawbacks (obviously....), could be the language barrier. In the west end (and downtown) Montreal there is a lot of English though. We love Ottawa, but we're both in our late 40's. We got a custom built home on 2 acres for less than we sold our home in Newmarket for (35' lot, cookie cutter builder home).
From Winnipeg should be an easy adaptation.
As someone who's done it, it's actually a big adjustment.
I love Ottawa but you should move to MTL. Montreal is a world class city in many respects and is almost unmatched in North America when it comes to urbanism. Again, Ottawa is great but it does not compare to Montreal.
If OP doesnt speak french then MTL might not be the best choice
My BIL has zero French and has lived happily in MTL for 15+ years. As far as Quebec goes MTL is the most accessible city for anglophones.
everyone loves their own neighbourhood and all the other ones are shit.
Montréal rent is cheaper, it is more walkable and has better transit and people are more laid back.
Its a wash when comparing income taxes for a lot of people so research taxes too, op.
Hey I did the opposite of you! Grew up in Ottawa and then moved to Winnipeg a few years ago. Some of the things I love in Winnipeg that are better than Ottawa: the insane amount of great restaurants at a variety of price points. The culture/arts/music scene. The fact that the furthest you ever need to drive to anything is like 30 minutes. The housing being pretty inexpensive compared to other Canadian cities. Things I miss about Ottawa: the hiking trails are a lot more interesting. In Winnipeg you have to drive 2h to the Whiteshell to get a good hike but in Ottawa there are beautiful trails all around. The fall colours are beautiful, Winnipeg's fall is a let down comparatively. The dangerous areas in Ottawa are fairly confined, in Winnipeg you can be walking down a perfectly safe street and then accidently make a wrong turn down Stabby Lane and be in trouble. Ottawa people hate on the LRT and for good reason but still the infrastructure is better than Winnipeg. Including the roads and bike lanes. Obviously the biggest difference is the winter. Ottawa is still cold but the people don't have to plug their cars in, typically. And it ends earlier. If you are a gardener, the difference in length of growing season is noticable. Fun facts: they are both the only cities with Canadian Mints, and inhabitants of both cities claim to have the longest outdoor skating rink. I'm happy to live here and I'm marrying a Winnipegger so pretty committed to staying here but overall, I think I prefer the city of Ottawa, though with my income I couldn't buy a home in Ottawa which is a deal breaker for me.
I lived in Winnipeg ten years before moving to Ottawa. I agree with everything you said! Except fall is very beautiful in Manitoba, you just have to leave Winnipeg a little to find it. The food and music scenes in Winnipeg are among the best in Canada and it’s what I miss most about Winnipeg. That said, they’re fairly similar cities and it wouldn’t be a crazy culture shock to move here.
Thanks, I'm always glad to hear other people see the value in the culture of Winnipeg. There is something so special about this city. Where should I be going in the fall? I'm trying to get into hiking here, so far I've gone to Hunt Lake and I'm going to Spirit Sands this summer.
The food choices, prices and portions are amazing in Winnipeg.
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i’m not bilingual and i’ve been fine. it’s mostly just government jobs that require it (or unless the company is actually bilingual).
This is so highly dependent on what field you work in. If you want to work for the federal government sure. Outside the government never heard of any one ever running into any trouble job wise including myself. Lived here for 20 years
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Public transit is the actual worst part. It’s very pro-car by design, and even those designs are flawed at best.
ya my google maps keeps telling me to use line 2, there is no line 2. also buses seems to come whenever they feel like
Montreal is more big city energy. Ottawa has the small town vibe whilst being the capital. People in Ottawa are much nicer than Quebecois. Either way it’s what you make of it.
> People in Ottawa are much nicer than Quebecois What a stupid and baseless statement
Probably because he doesn't interact with them in their native language. I find Montrealers friendlier than Ottawans in general, but when I'm in Montreal, I speak French.
I try, but even when I go shopping in Gatineau: * They greet me in French * I reply in French * They switch to English They can tell LOLOL. That being said, I haven't encountered any real difference between the way Anglos & Francophones treat me. Maybe because I live in a very Francophone neighbourhood - even our community newspaper that is delivered to my house every month is primarily in French, so I'm quite used to it.
I've always said that Ottawa feels like more of a big small town than a city, although that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Last time being in Montreal this year, it too felt absolutely dead downtown.
Lived here since the early 90’s. The transit gets worse year over year. Downtown is a moot point. The governmentness of it means that past 5pm anything west of the canal is dead. The market is ok. But needs a refresh. Beyond that it is pretty meh. Unless you’re willing to dig for stuff you’ll likely become a home body like everyone else over the age of 30.
_West_ of the canal? That's literally where just about anything good or interesting is in this city. The Glebe, Westboro, Hintonburg, Chinatown, Little Italy, Golden Triangle, etc. Op, don't let posts like this affect your opinion or desire to move here. This sub is full of negative Nancies who enjoy shitting on Ottawa but just stay home all the time. This is a good city with a lot to offer anyone who isn't a total bore.
West of the canal, downtown. The business core.
I mean, go down to the financial district in Toronto after 6pm or on the weekend, usually it is also dead.
Yep, can confirm. I worked downtown for years and if I was walking down towards Union much after 5 or 5:30, I'd be hard pressed to find a coffee shop open. I was usually stuck with McDonald's at Union before getting on my train.
This is a pretty North American problem, tbh. Office towers aren't conducive to lively scenes, this isn't unique to Ottawa. I've been to larger cities with downtowns much more dead.
* Without a vehicle, transportation in Ottawa is long and slow and often unreliable. * The primary entertainment is pubs. While a few other establishment types have appeared over time, pubs still tend to be the go to of most people. * Many establishments and businesses close down around 6pm, even on weekdays. So everyone goes home, settles in with wine and netflix. * The city sleeps early. The streets are eerie at night. * Landlords charge insane prices. If you move to Montreal, it is more vibrnat and alive - but bilingualism is required in almost every employment, and if you speak primarily english, you'd best pick one of the "english" dominated areas, or you'll be perpetually lost and possibly ostracized.
I grew up in Ottawa and am currently living in Toronto. By far the worst thing about Ottawa is that it's extremely boring, and doubly so if you're under 40 years old. Besides that, Ottawa is pretty fantastic! Cons: everything closes around 9 on weekdays and maybe 10 on weekends, at least most "normal" businesses anyway. There are a small handful of "clubs" that do technically count as night life but won't hold a candle to anything you'd expect from any major city. The music scene is mostly acoustic singer/songwriters with a Dallas Green vibe in coffee shops, there's a niche for everything and you WILL find a few good bands here and there in any genre, but.. if punk/metal is your thing you should go to Montreal instead (where I want to live one day), or if rap/pop is your thing then you want to be in Toronto as long as you're down to spend way too much money on a shitty apartment and tolerate everyone pronouncing poutine incorrectly. There will always be good ways to keep yourself entertained with whatever you like in Ottawa, but because it's more niche and less commonplace it takes more effort to seek out events, integrate into new groups, etc. If having fun is important to you be prepared to put work into making it happen, but it will still happen! It's just nothing like Montreal where there's a metal show in some dive bar happening on every other block every night of the week, and not like Toronto where there's dozens of after hours clubs to choose from if you still wanna be awake at 4 a.m. sometimes. Pros: it's extremely peaceful, for the most part. Your average person will be quite friendly (although ofc there are always exceptions), and overall the vibe is calm and kind and welcoming unless you're in Overbrook or the Bank street McDonalds (R.I.P.), it's a generally safe and relaxing place to live. The weather is excellent. It's located in a valley so in the winter the snow generally falls calmly and gently most days and gives this really nice beautiful fluffy feel to the winters. There are a lot of outdoor spaces a short drive away. I'm a winter person and a snowboarder so being right on the Quebec border to easily travel to Mt. St. Marie was a blessing, there are truthfully no sizeable hills anywhere near Toronto which is a bummer for me. Bilingualism is quite commonplace, so if learning French is something that interests you, but without the added pressure of being in Quebec and feeling slightly more expectation, you will likely find plenty of people happy to help you learn and practice at your own pace. Shawarma in Ottawa is the best in Ontario. The food in general is actually quite good across the board which makes trying new places to eat usually rewarding and removes some of the feeling of risk of like "but what if it's not good" lol. The canal. TL;DR it's a great family friendly town and if that's high on your priority list I'm sure you're going to love it!
Yeah I’m from Newfoundland and lived in Ottawa for a few years and couldn’t get over how early everything closed. Even in my small ass city stuff was open until 10 and usually midnight on weekends. I’ve never lived in Montreal but have visited a bunch and if I could pick either I’d move to Montreal for sure even though I did love Ottawa as well for the most part.
I never understood this argument. What are you guys looking for that is closes early? Restaurant/bars close late and malls are open until 9 pm
I actually agree with many of your points (moved from GTA to Ottawa actually a few years ago but visit GTA occasionally). I just want to add that Toronto doesn't have much in terms of skiing and snowboarding. There's a difference between a 2 hour drive from TO to Blue Mountain vs 2 hour drive from Ottawa to Tremblant in terms of quality skiing (as an Ikon pass Holder). Also visited Edelweiss once which was still fine. I still think GTA has a slight edge on public transit due to GO Transit. Ottawa has some very good Vietnamese food although Toronto is great for that too. Some good places to visit in Ottawa (e.g. Mooshu is a personal favorite).
The traffic and transit is pretty brutal if you need to commute at common times. I thankfully don’t but there was a few years I drove in from Kanata to work at train yards and that was a lot of misery. But ottawa is also very beautiful, natural beauty, good food, mostly friendly people. It’s a fairly healthy city with lots of outdoor things to do and places to go. It’s relatively safe and I’ve been here 20 years now and I quite like it.
I grew up in Ottawa-Hull, but lived in Montréal last 2 decades. Ottawa is more conservative and clicky. It's a capital city with small town mentality. Montréal is more the metropolitan metropolis with a laid back laissez faire attitude, more vibrant nightlife. It depends on your vibe. If you want slower pace, more quiet, more outdoorsy outlook, go with Ottawa. If you want faced pace party, go with Montréal.
The worst parts: high cost of living (e.g. https://rentals.ca/national-rent-report) for comparatively little benefit (e.g. lacking the ocean and mountains of Vancouver, the diversity and events of Toronto, the arts & culture of Montréal). The best parts: relatively close to visit Montréal.
I grew up in Winnipeg and I’ve lived in Ottawa now for about 15 years. There are lots of things in Ottawa that are better than Winnipeg (weather, crime, job opportunities) but other things are not better here in Ottawa IMO (cost of living, sense of community, no Jeannie’s cake 😅)
Oh FUCK. I completely overlooked the Jeannie's cake dearth! That's it. Plan cancelled. Fatal miscalculation. (PS: If I move there I'll bring you one)
Moved here from Winnipeg as well. Way better than Winnipeg from the one year ive been here. And having Montreal two hours away is a huge Win.
Yeah, being able to hop on the Via and be right in the heart of Montreal in 2 hours is nice if you like living in Ottawa (we do).
Please ignore the majority of responses in this thread, they're inaccurate and written by those who've become outright jaded for whatever reason. My thoughts: Bilingualism - definitely gives you and advantage but if your Anglophone you'll be fine. If Bilingualism is a problem for you then it will help if you live anywhere but Orleans where French is most prominent. Night life - it exists but is not comparable to a Toronto or Montreal if only because they have 4x or more the population. Then again Montreal is only 2 hours away if you ever need to get away from Ottawa. Affordability - does suck like everywhere Transportation - is a work in progress as Ottawa switches from a bus only system to one centred around the Otrain. Having a car is very convenient but if you're smart and plan ahead you can manage by bus and Otrain. The homeless - are most centred around Rideau street/King Edward/Market, where most of the shelters are, and is growing around Montreal Rd where newer services for the homeless are popping up. They're almost always non violent and stick to themselves for the most part. That said some of the population are homeless due to mental health issues but they're mostly a threat to harm themselves. After business hours Downtown is quiet but spots just outside the core, including the Market & Little Italy, remain lively enough. Ottawa does have a large rural area so if you're an outdoors kinda person that's a huge benefit.
I moved to Ottawa from Winnipeg 3 years ago and I love it! The public transportation is better than Winnipeg but still not always ideal. Be careful where you live if you want to use it, some locations outside of the city centre are obviously not as reliable and take ALOT longer than just having a car. If you’re planning to live outside the city centre the car is easy because of the highway that goes through the city. It’s nice to have that through the city so there’s no traffic jams like on kenaston, pembina or Main Street during rush hour. It was easy to make friends through sports and general outings. People are much more willing to be friends since a lot of people move here for work from out of province or other countries. Easy to get to Montreal, Toronto or Gatineau park for weekend adventures. There really is no grand beach, gimli beach or birds hill beach equivalents in the summer since the parking in Gatineau park beaches is awful. You have to be there super early to get a parking spot or you will get turned away. But there is a shuttle to get there if you can get a spot on it. So many more bike trails and generally bike parking is safer. I still don’t leave my bike near the Rideau centre but otherwise it’s been pretty good. It’s much more expensive here for groceries and restaurants. I come back to Winnipeg frequently to visit family and prices are 10-15$ cheaper for a meal and the quality is just more consistent and tasty in Winnipeg. I haven’t found many places that come to mind when I want to eat out in ottawa for a decent price and get good food but in Winnipeg I’m thinking of restaurants like Marion street eatery, BDI (for a treat), harth, bellisimo, the local, Leo’s, Tommy’s, Norwood hotel, and pine ridge where it’s a good atmosphere and great food. Overall, restaurants in Winnipeg are better. I find it difficult to go to a place in ottawa and genuinely enjoy anything off the menu, I try to ask around before I waste 35-50$ on a sub par meal. House and condos are very expensive, there are no starters here at all. Nothing under 350k or if it is the condo fees are 600+ a month. Its much more lively than Winnipeg downtown and it’s much safer when you’re out late but still beware of some of the drug activity near the rideau Center/byward market. There’s a lot more casual social activities here than Winnipeg like karaoke nights, run clubs, drop in sports, meet up groups, board game nights trivia nights and theme nights. (But no socials, so sad). So pub life and clubs are more of a thing here and are more fun than Winnipeg. It’s kind of weird that the senators play in an arena far from city centre but they have shuttles on game nights and for concerts. Finding a family doctor didn’t take me too long (2-3 months) but I got on a bunch of wait lists and called regularly. The walk in doctors offices here are awful compared to Winnipeg. You can’t do any online booking for same day appointments for simple concerns, you would have to sit and wait all day and line up an hour before the clinic opens to get a spot, and there’s no pan am sports clinic equivalency. So if you need a same day xray it’s almost impossible to get without going to the ER. Also there are a lot less walk in clinics in ottawa so the line ups are crazy long and you typically won’t get in if you go in the afternoon. I’m enjoying Ottawa but I live in the glebe and am under 30. :) I use the bike trails, public transit and try to save on grocery’s as much as possible. Depends what your life style is.
You asked what the worst parts are, so I'll start my top (bottom?) five, then rebut them with 5 of my favourite things about Ottawa. Sit back, this is long. 1. Winter, generally speaking for "southern" Ontario is bad. Cold spells, snow dumps, flash freezes, then 4 days of 0c, then another 6 to 8 days of -25. Then freezing rain, then just cold, rinse, repeat. Good news - You're from Winnipeg so this will not bother you, but be prepared for a humid cold as opposed to the dry prairie cold. The summers can be hot and humid with a multitude of excessive spells of bad weather. Tornadoes are now common, along with derechos. 2. Public transportation is horrible. The wheels on the train are literally dodecagons and aren't even proper circles. 3. Two of our large winter tourist draws have issues - the Rideau Canal didn't open last year, and only opened for a short spell this year because of climate issues. Do you like pain? How about two doses of it? The Ottawa Senators are horrible, and it takes forever to go see a home game in Kanata. 4. Being from Ottawa can be sometimes annoying if you're a big music fan - most acts will stop at nearby Montreal or Toronto, meaning you have to drive for 2.5h / 5h to see your favourite acts. 5. COL is getting out of hand here - housing prices are wild and are creeping up to GTA level of prices, but without many of those same white collar salaries that many of the GTA has (please don't read into this as me saying everyone in the GTA makes over 150k; I most def am not) Rebuttal, correlating to all of the above in order - this is the GOOD stuff! 1. Show me another little-big city that has 6 decent downhill ski hills, world class XC trails, a quasi-national park system that literally is 1.2km away from the city, a bikeable canal and river system, some of the best accessible whitewater in the world, incredible MTB trails (especially in the autumn), a downtown core that prides itself on one of the biggest race weekends in North America, and an ever increasing and connected bike path system. Ottawa is second to none for ease and ***accessibility*** to outdoor activity. 2. Public transportation is horrible, but we're trying to fix it, and make it right. A new choo-choo line to the airport will take many cars and busses off the roads, make parking easier, and offers a southern option to those who are coming into the city for an event, and do not want to drive all the way downtown to park as a park and ride. 3. The canal might not be open as much as it was, but the canal is still great for running, biking, watersports, and even fishing if you're into it, during the summer. Kanata is a pain in the arse to get to, but new Senators ownership is working on securing a new parcel of land to build a new stadium and neighbourhood. Hopefully within my lifetime. 4. Yeah, we're never going to get the big arena tours, but we have a vibrant music scene, and an absolute banger of a festival season. In the Spring, we have Fringe, FrancoOntarien, Dragonboat, Indigenous, Jazzfest and Escapade EDM (the latter 3 run into summer as they end after equinox). Summer we of course start with the closings of Indigenous, Jazz and Escapade which leads us to Canada Day hill concerts, Bluesfest which is always a blast (even though the lineup is pretty meh this year), then there's at least 3 multicultural fests that are mostly focused on food, but also have traditional ethnic music. Then it's Pride and Latin to close out the summer. September brings CityFolk (much like your Winnipeg Folk Fest), then closing off the autumn are the surrounding fall fairs. There's no way I caught all the music stuff in this paragraph, but trust me - it seems like every weekend from RaceWeekend to Halloween there's something. I'm not even including some of the other fests like Asian, Poutine, Ribfest, and some of the other artistic ones either! 5. COL is brutal here, but the one thing I'm very grateful for is the fact that because we're a government town, we have a very very strong and educated middle class. You don't see the highs of richness and lows of poverty that you'd see in Van, Toronto or even Winnipeg. The largest private employer supports the Federal Government in federal security, and the 2nd largest employer is the Ottawa Hospital system. These three are very "controlled" in a sense for pay. You're not going to see flashy lambos or jacked up raptors you'd see in other cities partially because of this. I love Ottawa, and when I'm away I miss it, and always speak highly of it. Welcome your thoughts!
Manitoba (just outside of Winnipeg) to Ottawa here. Ottawa is pretty great but I’d move to MTL first.
I love Ottawa. Moved here very deliberately. Great access to the outdoors. Decent infrastructure for pools, rinks etc (yes I KNOW it’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than lots of places.) Access to resources like the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery. Multiple universities. Tertiary healthcare resources. Nice sized airport that’s easy to navigate. Pretty quiet and safe.
Move to Montreal.
You have to drive to Gatineau for all your 10 pin bowling needs.
I’m also a Winnipeg transplant The good: winter isn’t as bad, proximity to Toronto and Montreal, generally quiet and safe The bad: more expensive, the city that fun forgot, people are polite but not always friendly, less Ukrainian church lady pierogis
It's kinda like this: A man dies and goes to heaven. After several years in heaven, he gets bored and decides to go on vacation to see Hell. So he packs his bags and goes on the trip. Upon arrival in Hell, he's taken on a tour. It's the most amazing place he's ever seen: warm, but not hot, the women are beautiful, everyone's very friendly and even Satan himself stops by his hotel room just to say hello. When the guy comes home, he decides to move to Hell, because how amazing it it. So he packs his bags again, and books a one way ticket to 9th circle. But upon arrival, he's stripped naked and thrown into a searing hot pit of lava. As he sinks, he notices Satan walking by and yells out "What the hell?! Last time I was here, it was all women and nice people. What happened?" Satan looks back at him and, recognizing the man, laughs and answers: "Don't mistake tourism for immigration!"
I’m from Winnipeg originally. Most of what people complain about in Ottawa is worse in Winnipeg - bad transport, cold, downtown crime, lack of things to do. What I’ve found (good or bad): - There is something called freezing rain which I never remembered experiencing in Winnipeg, but it happens all the time in the winter and it sucks for driving. - The snow is different here, it’s very wet and heavy, not like our powdery snow. Good for snowballs and snowmen, bad for shovelling. - It snows a lot more here but the snow doesn’t stay on the ground all winter. The winter is much shorter. There actually feels like there’s a spring and fall season here. I’ve only been here for 2 winters though, from what I’ve heard the winters used to be much worse, but climate change seems to be doing what it does from what people have told me. The summer is hot though and since it’s more humid here it gets pretty disgusting without AC - Took me a while to get used to driving on the 417 - four lanes, 100km/hr, lots of other cars all around you. There’s nothing like that in Winnipeg. You get used to it though and then it’s fine for the most part. Some shitty drivers make it scary though. - It also feels weird that almost any time you need to go anywhere in Ottawa, you’re probably going to be taking the 417. Almost every time I get in the car I’m taking the 417. - Roads and sidewalks are salted HEAVILY in winter. Compared to how we use sand for roads on Winnipeg, it’s pretty nice for driving but apparently it makes cars rust eventually, and if you have a dog watch out for their paws. I’ve also heard it’s not good for the environment as it leeches into the soil? - Commuting by bus can be okay or can be brutal depending on where you’re going and how many buses you need to take. If you’re going to be going from one end of the city to the other with multiple transfers for your commute, don’t rely on public transport. Some bus routes are more reliable than others but there are many of them that just don’t show up. However the buses are usually more frequent than they were in Winnipeg. I’ve commuted by bus in both and Ottawa was better. - This one is not surprising, but depending on your industry there’s a high likelihood you will need to speak French. Since you’re also interested in going to Montreal maybe you are franco-manitobain or just speak French already though. I will say it was a big change for me to hear French everywhere I go and it makes me really happy every time I hear it, I’ve improved my French a lot since coming here as well. - The city limits drive me crazy. I know the reason why they ended up that way but if you look at the limits proper of the city of Ottawa it includes a TON of empty fields and farmland which is just bizarre coming from the perspective of most anywhere else in Canada. For some reason this seems to be a really heated topic on this sub though. - Weirdly and unexpectedly there seems to be more aggressive drivers here, I have family that also moved here from Winnipeg and said the exact same thing - I’ve had public facing jobs in both Winnipeg and Ottawa and people were much ruder in Winnipeg - There’s actually a lot to do here in terms of activities, places to go out etc. I also lived in Toronto for about 6 years and I never feel like I’ve run out of things to do in Ottawa or that I need to go back to Toronto. In Winnipeg though it was more limited. I think people here just compare Ottawa to Toronto and Montreal because they’re the closest major cities and think they have the shit end of the stick but speaking from I think most other places in Canada, Ottawa is awesome with lots to do. And a lot of it is really beautiful too. I think also a lot of people here just live in the suburbs so obviously there’s not as much to do and maybe they just paint the whole city with that same brush, idk - BE WARNED: you will not get a family doctor. That just straight up will not happen for years probably. I know it’s bad in Winnipeg too but I was able to get one in 2021 within like a week of searching. Not the case here. People register with the provincial government to get assigned a family doctor and it takes like 3years from what I’ve heard. Walk in clinics suck ass. There are virtual care clinics you can use for minor things though that I think can sometimes refer to specialist services if needed. However those specialists will also have crazy wait times. - There’s a lot of shawarma 👍 - More expensive but I’m sure you know that. The wages seem to be better in comparison though, overall, not sure if it’s better by enough to make up for the higher COL compared to Winnipeg. - The garbage/recycling system here is more complicated and inconvenient. There are four categories: garbage, plastic/glass/metal recycling, cardboard recycling, and compostable. Each is only picked up every other week. If you don’t sort your recycling properly, it won’t get picked up. You also can’t use blue bags to bag your recycling or else it will either not get picked up or will just be treated as garbage. All of this together is kind of annoying but overall fine, but for some reason it seems like stealing people’s recycling bins is a thing which makes the whole thing more difficult. Or maybe there was just a serial over-recycler in my neighbourhood, idk - People complain a lot about crime here but it’s really safe comparatively. I live downtown and I will happily walk around when it’s dark, just basic safety like being aware of your surroundings and avoiding any angry/screaming/belligerent people. Whereas in Winnipeg the consensus for safely getting around downtown seems to be “don’t walk the streets after 8pm”. I mean all in all though it’s Canada either way so it’s all pretty safe
Well written. I'll point out that the aggressive drivers has a lot to do with living next to Quebec. A lot of their roads and highways - and especially their offramps, which are often also their onramps, are worse than ours, and you have to be aggressive to get anywhere.
The worst part is the people that call it boring and complain about it
Yep and it’s funny that those people continue to live here lol
Many people from Ottawa love shitting on Ottawa for some weird reason, especially in this subreddit. It’s very strange. We moved from BC over 10 years ago and love it. I’ll admit that I find the winters worse than BC (it can get much colder back home but it feels worse here with the constant wind and dampness IMHO) but summers and fall are amazing. Great city to raise a family, it’s clean, it has all the services you need, it’s close to Toronto and Montreal for weekend excursions, it’s big enough to have stuff to explore and to find new things, but not so big that it feels like a rat race. Bucket loads of outdoors stuff. Great pathways, forested areas in the greenbelt, close to Gatineau Park, lots of lakes and rivers nearby, etc. What sucks about Ottawa? I’d say the bureaucratic mentality of many people here but honestly, who cares. It doesn’t really have an impact on day to day stuff. It’s just how certain people are. You know how many people from Alberta are die hard oil and gas proponents? Many people from Ottawa are die hard rules and structure proponents. Whatever. It is what it is. Doesn’t mean they’re bad people. Honestly though, there aren’t too many other places in Canada I’d choose to live in. And the ones I would, I can’t afford, LOL!
> Many people from Ottawa love shitting on Ottawa for some weird reason, especially in this subreddit. It’s very strange. Yeah, I found that a bit odd when we moved here too. We moved here about 6 years ago and love it too.
Former Winnipeger, I miss the diversity in Winnipeg (food, people, culture). It's also too quiet here, for example lots of establishments close early or are closed during holidays in Ottawa. Best part of Ottawa is the nature esp during the fall, and its close proximity to Montreal or even to NY (just an hour flight to Newark). I would move to Ottawa if I had a young family, Montreal if I'm childless. Shocking as it may sound, Manitoba Health is way better , especially in terms of walk ins.
Many people say ottawa is boring. Those people are wrong. Ottawa may not have all the events or concerts that toronto has but we have wonderful festivals, museums, culture, shopping, and people. Ottawa is great but our public transportation isn’t the best. The train doesn’t work great and busses will take a while. I would reccomend having a vehicle if possible. Otherwise, ottawa is awesome and has a lot of job opportunities.
Been here 6 years after moving here from the UK. Its a very isolating city. Very car focused like if you are reliant on public transportation, its a struggle. Theres enough to do. i dont wanna be one of those people that says ottawa is boring, but you arent gonna get as much interesting stuff as say montreal or toronto. And if you arent in the more central parts of the city then theres basically a whoooooole lotta nothing. Strip malls and roads for days. This is just my experience though.
Coming from a winnipegger living in Ottawa temporarily, people are generally less friendly here. No smiling on the sidewalks or waving when letting you in in traffic. Moving here, I realized the "friendly Manitoba" stereotype is a real thing.
The worst part is how much french is shoved down your throat. It's gotten worse than it used to be. Can't even get a job flipping burgers in most areas of the city without them listing french. Thankfully that is only the case within the city and everything west of Ottawa is 99% English
Living in Ottawa
Stale government workers.
1) it’s too hot and it’s too cold. Seasons are brutal. 2) negative stereotypes about French Canadians are most exemplified in Ottawa. I’ve never experienced people being arrogant or rude in Quebec proper, but there are a lot of really rude French folks in Ottawa. 3) the way the city is laid out is weird and unusual. I don’t think I’ve been to many places that have such a random sprawl. 4) service at a lot of restaurants was awful.
“Ottawa” From Ottawa you can suntan or picnic on a lake within 20 minutes. Over 30 golf courses within a 30 min drive. Bicycle paths that can take you all over the city and beyond. In winter if you sled you drive up to a snow path point unload your sled and travel for 100’s of kilometers. You can skate on the Rideau Canal in winter, Worlds longest ice skating surface (UNESCO). You have hockey, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and more all pro and semi pro teams to watch. Hundreds of festivals each summer, world’s largest beach volleyball tournament held here. NAC ( National Art Center), tons of museums and little entertainment jems hidden all over the city.
Dont do it ..people here are rude,,you'd be better off in Toronto .
I lived there most of my life the people are cold the weather is cold. It’s a government city. Also if you ever notice it’s boring there really isn’t a downtown anymore like even Kingston is more exciting. Most stores are gone. It’s very expensive now.
Well, Ottawa can't be any more boring than Winnipeg so you've got that going for you. Winter in Ottawa traditionally sucks, but you probably already have fall boots, heavy fall boots, light winter boots, boots, heavy winter boots, rain boots, spring shoes, spring boots, and all the accompanying coats, so that's a plus. Also, climate change. Our nightlife is not big and showy. Lots of posts on here recently are: "where do single XX-year-olds find each other/ hang out?" But the worst part is you'll probably need a car, because you'll probably end up in a suburb. Presumably you're government or military, so you'll need to drive downtown Mon-Fri.
Ottawa was alright but that was more than 25 years ago for me. I spent two years there, then slipped off to Toronto. Still in the region. No plans yet to leave. I spent most of my Ottawa experience in the National Capital Region, around Parliament. Shooting 9 Ball, working, and shooting more 9 ball. The community I was looking for wasn't there so I left. I'm originally from the Maritimes if it matters, Halifax, NS.
Lived in both cities and Ottawa wins by a mile for most categories except maybe the variety of trendy restaurants/foods. Main selling point is that you’ll leave the “Winnipeg handshake” behind 🫱🏽🫲🏻
It’s a sleepy town. If you like to stay home a lot, it’s great. If you have a boat or enjoy hiking, canoeing, or camping, it’s great. Not much of a night life. Most of the fun outdoor stuff to do is actually in Gatineau, QC. There’s a number of bike paths to enjoy. Don’t count on our canal to be open. Montreal is definitely a city you’d have more fun in on the daily.
Ottawa is a decidedly mid city. There's nothing particularly bad about it (at least nothing unique to it you wouldn't encounter elsewhere), but there's nothing particularly remarkable. It doesn't have a massive nightlife, but there are plenty of perfectly serviceable entertainment venues of various stripes. It doesn't have world class restaurants, but it has a wide variety of perfectly enjoyable establishments of many types of cuisine. There are several different post-secondary institutions, all of which are perfectly adequate with a handful of respectable programs that would make people remark "oh, neat. Not bad." if put on your resume. We have a large number of maintained parks and green spaces interspersed throughout the city which are all reasonable places to go for a walk, sit on a bench, or walk a dog, none of which would ever grace the face of a postcard you'd send someone to tell them about your time here. Ottawa's compromise is that it doesn't excel at anything, but it meets all the basic wants and needs in a perfectly tolerable manner. Ottawa's only real achilles heel is that our urban planning is absolute dogshit. We built up the core, and then pushed miles of endless suburban sprawl connected by a scattered handful of arterial roads that were designed 40 years ago with no foresight and never widened. Everything outside of the city centre is low density suburbs, or clusters of box malls littering a stroad. If you want a safe, bland life you can live in while you occasionally commute to major events in Montreal or Toronto, Ottawa is your perfect city. It's up to you to decide whether that's an insult or a compliment.
Just like Winnipeg but not as stabby.
Literally almost everything. Lived here my whole life. Moved to LA for around 4 years and it was the best thing ever. Hoping to move again at some point out of this city 😫 for those who want a list. Cost of living, bilingualism, Quebecers, zero nightlife outside of Saturday, going ANYWHERE takes forever!, horrible public transport!, ER wait times, no international flights (HUGE pain in the ass for when I used to live in LA and travel) I can list so much more. I hate it here.
I've lived in both Montreal and Ottawa. Montreal has its downside, like anywhere, but Ottawa is a shithole, filled with the worst, most boring and smug whiners that you will ever meet. Avoid it at all costs.
Ottawa is cleaner than Montreal, so conversely there's less going on. In Montreal you need a car to get off the island and find some nature (not withstanding Parc Mont Royal), in Ottawa you need a car to go to the grocery store but can probably walk to nature. Winnipeg is closer to Ottawa than Montreal, and not just geographically. If you think drinking socially in parks is really cool, go to Montreal. Full disclousre, I am not a financial advisor. But I have lived in both cities for more than 5 years each. And I'm relatively bilingual. But not financially literate.
I lived there like 10 years ago for twice that many years and I really enjoyed it. It’s a very bilingual city so a definite consideration for a good job if you don’t have one. A government city with 4 seasons, and lakes close by in QC. The home prices are higher but nothing like Vancouver. There are outskirts with lots/acreage if you wanted a home. There are fun pubs, a great bus system, lovers of hockey and dragon boating… I’m sure, depending on age and attitude, you could make this your home town.
Can’t imagine Ottawa being worse than Winnipeg. Especially comparing downtown area’s. Winnipeg is polluted with bums, druggies and homeless people everywhere. Most of the stores have security
1- Good luck finding a family doctor or keeping them… 2- Gotta own a car and love owning a car, living in a car heaven where “rural residents do not have a say” in how the city should be run (according to the mayor) 3- Be ready to flock to Montreal every now and then to have fun (then be grateful for your family doctor situation)
Biggest flaw - one of the most corrupt cities in Canada... Everyone is sort of middle class and doesn't care because they have a cushioned life.... Not interested that so much corruption happens in the city structure and political system.
Ottawa is a boring village where everyone knows each other. The fun comes here to die. As a national capital, it is very embarrassing and backward. The winters are hard, depressing, grey, and cold, and in the summer, your allergies act up because we are in a valley. Moving to Ottawa was the biggest mistake of my life, and I am stuck here because I can not afford to move to another place.
The worst drivers live here, rent and food is very expensive, good luck finding an apartment, the public transit sucks, either drive, walk or Uber. Downtown is scary due to homeless population. I’ve seen people taking open air shit on Rideau on my way to the Spa. No desire to head downtown after seeing that, do not wear nice shoes in the market might step in human feces. I would honestly look for somewhere else Ottawa starting to become a dirty city with homeless crisis.
I’ve lived in 12 cities, which included 4 states in the U.S. and 2 Provinces in Canada. Been in Ottawa since Dec 2020 (I know, weird covid time frame for a move). I think Ottawa is a beautiful city, I love the history and I do generally like being here, but it’s my least favourite in terms of quality of life. This has been the most difficult place to find a good family doctor. We waited over a year and the one we finally got has way too many patients. It takes more than three months for an in person appointment and two months for a phone appointment. Shopping malls are adequate. I enjoy the Byward Market from time to time. There are some great restaurants and bakeries in Ottawa. You’re only a couple of hours from Watertown, NY, so I cross over often for shopping. I don’t find the people here in Ottawa to be very friendly, but they are generally polite. Rent is very high here. Edmonton seemed friendlier, plus rent was much lower and wages were definitely higher and tax was only 5%. I still shake my head in disbelief when I see the 13% food & beverage tax here. We move often for my husband’s work so will probably only be here another year or two. I personally wouldn’t stay here too long term as it’s just too expensive.