Visitor’s Guide for Travellers and Digital Nomads
Canada’s capital city is nestled along the aforementioned Ottawa River. Farms to the south and rolling hills to the north make Ottawa a small but liveable city with a population over 1.1 million. Predominantly a white collar government town (the city is also known as the, “the city that fun forgot”), the city also offers a tech and cultural scene with a decent bilingual population. While the downtown is walkable, a car is necessary in the suburbs and further out.
Top attractions
Parliament Hill
Connectivity
- Internet speed (fast (slower in rural areas), Wi-fi available, mobile connectivity (good but depends on carrier)
- (future section to get sim cards (airport)
Finances
- Cost of living: high, expensive to visit or stay
- Payments: cards widely accepted, cash widely accepted (but declining)
- Digital payments: with Interac e-Transfer are very popular when paying individuals and small businesses
Good to know …
Climate classification
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Warm-Summer Humid Continental
Warm, humid summers with cold, dry winters (beware of extreme cold)
Air quality
Good
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Type A: Two flat parallel prongs
Type B: Two flat parallel prongs + one round ground pin (most common)
Health
Public health care is available for citizens and permanent residents via OHIP
Travel insurance is needed
Transport
- Walkability (good in the centre)
- Bikeability (good in central areas and along lakeshore)
- Taxi’s / rideshare are available
- Public transport: OC Transpo (good in but limited network outside of core)
- Airport link train: Lines 3 & 4
- Car rental (not recommended for the city centre and downtown Ottawa) Recommended for the suburbs
Pros
- Lots to discover and explore
- Plenty of natural space along the river and across in Gatineau Park
Cons
- Smaller nightlife scene than larger cities
- Downtown (Uptown neighbourhood) near Parliament Hills feels very boring and is quiet during evenings and weekends
- Housing affordability is a growing concern
- Traffic congestion is a growing concern
- Lack of a true, central transport hub. Ottawa Station serves intercity trains and some bus but does not feel like a proper intermodal hub, nor is it downtown
- Winters can be extremely cold as the city is located at a low point along the Ottawa Valley
