jsummers

Hi,
So having up and left the uk in October 2014 to live in quebec my husbands work have now decided to relocate us to ottawa he will be working in downtown ottawa. So I am asking for the best places to live with a younge family in Ottawa? I have 2 boys who are 2 and almost 5 (so he will be starting kindergarten in September...but I would like him at pre k from when we get there!)
Any advice and help with regards to life in Ottawa is appreciated
Thank you

Former Lancastrian

24 Sussex Drive seems a pretty decent place to live in.

Partially discharged

Could you give us:

a rough budget
are you looking for a new neighbourhood or an older neighbourhood
single family home, townhouse, apartment unit?
Ontario has junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten. After that is grade 1. Neither of the kindergartens are mandatory but they are all day now. I think only 1/2 the day is instructional. Not sure if you pay for the other half (my kids are in grade 9 and 1st year university).
what are must haves for the neighbourhood? parks, shops, public transit, proximity to chavs, shawarma restaurants?

Souvy

Do you speak French? Do your kids?

TeamW

I was asking the same thing here a year ago . We live in centretown and really like it. My husband walks to work, my kids go to a school nearby, shops everywhere, very lively... We only use our cars on the weekends. You do get less for your money here unfortunately (we live in a flat) but I couldn't bear the thought of living in the suburbs which can be quite isolating in some areas and you need car for everything. Again, as somebody already mentioned, it all depends on your budget and what you're looking for. We lived in the countryside in the uk and were looking for experiencing a bit more of a 'city' life so it worked for us.

orly

I was fond enough of the Glebe area when I lived there. Had a mixture of well off, mature residential areas and a younger crowd due to the proximity to Carleton Uni. I was just renting though. From memory it's rather pricey. Was hard to complain at the location though.

Atlantic Xpat

My Sister-in-Law rented a shoebox in The Glebe when she was young free and single. It was a nice area but expensive. Now she's married with a kid she moved out to the commuter belt - Stittsville, which is about a 40 min drive to her work in Ottawa.

Bicko1

Hi,

I moved to Ottawa in October with my wife from England. Although I don't work in the city I can recommend Kanata, stittsville area. We live in Kanata lakes close to a lot of shops etc which has been perfect for us as we needed to be able to get around if one of us has the car (we currently share one car). The only problem for your hubby will be the commute from this far out. The traffic can be a nightmare heading that way of a morning. If you can find somewhere ottawa side of the 416 (highway) then you're slightly better for commute but start to loose the space you might have housewise/gardenwise than you will coming out towards kanata area. I can only speak for the west end of the city though, don't really know the east side.

Souvy

The east side looks much like the west side, although it's way more franco.

Aqua

Westboro is a great place to live in ottawa, the East side is very Franco as said before and 20-25min commute to the centre at rush our... The 417 split is a nightmare!!!

Danzo

Hi we've just moved to Ottawa from London UK, have similar aged kid and live in the Golden Triangle. It's close to work (downtown), the rideau canal and shopping centre and the busy end of Elgin St. Worth locating round here. Let's us know where you settle!

harris

Any good or bad comments in relocation to Orleans? Houses there seem o.k., but not sure of the area.

Aqua

Orleans is mainly a Franco part of Ottawa, the houses are cheaper for what you get and it has some nice parks and not far from the river walks.... Down side- if you work downtown Ottawa the traffic is a night mare, be ready for a 45min commute as the 417 split causes huge tail backs. When I was living in Ottawa last June they had construction at the split which made the commute even worse.

You can drive along the river John Mc highway but in the summer it's packed with tourists!

jsummers

Hi, thanks for all responses howeved as are now not moving to ottawa but to victoria bc.

jandro

I remember watching rush hour traffic on the Queensway in central Ottawa. The volume of eastbound traffic towards Orleans was much higher than westbound traffic.