Ottawa's Rapid Growth

Over the last 30 years, Ottawa has been growing in leaps and bounds. It is the 4th largest metropolitan area in Canada and has a population of close to 1.4 million which includes Gatineau and all it adjoining towns and neighbourhoods. There is definitely considerable diversity in the population which suggests a high level of immigration in recent years but it is also clear that people are coming from other parts of Canada.


The allure of Ottawa can attributed to the following:


Stable and High Paying Job Market
Ottawa has many vacant high tech and government jobs that pay well. These jobs also offer flexibility and attractive benefits packages.
Good Quality of Life
Ottawa has a variety of activities for families such as outdoor trails for hiking; beautiful lakes and waterways for swimming, boating and fishing. Ottawa has many beautiful museums and theatres for entertainment in addition to its fine cuisine. Ottawa is a host to many events throughout the year such as Winterlude, the Tulip Festival, the Jazz Festival, the Blues Fest and numerous Fire Works Displays. Ottawa also has a professional Hockey, Soccer and Football team.
Excellent Healthcare facilities
Ottawa has some of the best hospitals and doctors in the country.
Affordable
For a large city with all the amenities, Ottawa is still relatedly cheap. While food might be a little expensive, fuel is one of the cheapest in the country. Real estate is booming but a small family can still afford to buy a starter home unlike the other larger cities in North America.

The Beautiful Rideau Canada

There is nothing like Skating on the Rideau Canal in the winter or just going for a relaxing boat ride in the summer. The Rideau is quite unique for North America because this long and winding canal goes right through the city of Ottawa and filters into the Ottawa river. Taking a boat ride will bring you through Ottawa's beautiful neighbourhoods and the downtown core of Ottawa. Continuing further south and out of the city will bring you all the way to Kingston and Lake Ontario but this is more than 100 km away. However, if you choose to trek this far there is a lot of beautiful nature and the fishing is quite good.

Living In Ottawa

I have been living with my family in Ottawa for the last 12 years. It is a great place to live. It is rich in history, politics, beauty and culture. Ottawa has a lot to offer its residents and its visitors. There are well over one million people living in the NCR (National Capital Region). It hosts many events every year like the Jazz Festival, the Blues Fest, the Tulip Festival, numerous fireworks festival, a huge Canada Day festival and the list goes on.


Up until recently, Ottawa was regarded by people from other places as a 'sleepy' city. However, the world is taking notice of this rapidly growing city. There are many residential and commercial developments going on in the NCR. They plan to numerous high rise condominiums in the region. Some of these condos will be more than 50 stories high and comparable to what you see in large cities like New York and Toronto.


The city is a great place for work and has a low unemployment rate. The quality of jobs are well paying government and high tech jobs. In addition to this, many families are still able to afford a home and do not  experience the same frustations of buying a home like you would find in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, New York or San Francisco.


The work life balance is amazing in Ottawa. We not only have good access to a vibrant job market but there is an amazing social element here. The is theater, fine cuisine, and an abundance of outdoor activities within a stones through away.


In January 2016, Ottawa will benefit from a new Light Rail Transit line the will go from the east end to the west end of the city. There are already approved plans to extend the line which go deeper into the suburbs.