Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Hi all, I've been reading lots of threads here, doing as much research I can so am now asking for some advice... Pls
My husband was offered a job in Ottawa and the company is now sorting out his LMO. We have 2 children (they'll be 4 & 6 by the time we go) and we will probably be going in the middle of a school year. Our plans is to stay in temporary accommodation to start with so we have a chance to look around and choose a nice (and affordable) area to live. So that's my question: I take they will place my kids in a school near where we'll be living but what is gonna happen when we finally move from our temporary accommodation? My main focus is to find somewhere where my kids will be able to go to a nice school but when we first get there, we just want a cheap temporary accommodation... How does it work?
Could you also suggest me some nice areas to live with good schools (and the definite no-nos)??
Also, how good is the public transport? If we are gonna be living in town, is a car necessary?
Really appreciate some thoughts!! Thanks!

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Hiya - I don't have any advice but would like to follow your thread. We're heading to Ottawa in a couple of weeks so interested to hear what people's thoughts are on good school/family areas as our daughter will be coming up to that in a few years.

Hope you get some answers :)

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

For school rankings across Ontario, you can check here:
http://ontario.compareschoolrankings...ationName.aspx

School buses will pick your kids up as long as you live in the school zone.

As for requiring a car, it depends on where you live. I have friends who get by without one because they live close to bus stations. The bus service isn't bad.
We live in Barrhaven and commuting is quite easy via bus to get downtown. There are direct buses every 5-10 mins.
In your situation, since you have a family, I would recommend getting one. It's more convenient, especially with taking small children.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Where's your husband work? This will depend where you live. I live South of the airport in a very nice area with very expensive housing, great elementary schools, crap high schools.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

We did the same, not in Ottawa, but was Ontario. We moved into temporary accommodation for 6 weeks, we found we could send our daughter to the school in that zone, but would have to move her once we found more permanent accommodation. They seem very strict on that, at least that is our experience.

So we kept her out of school, but as soon as we had signed a rental contract we could start school at the school in the rentals zone, even though it was several weeks before we physically moved to that address.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

What about Ottawa West? Any recommends / stay-away-from thoughts?

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

we moved to Ottawa in 2010. We have 3 girls age 5,3 and 2. The older two go to school.

When we came on a TWP we moved to Hunt club park. It's a cookie cutter estate, mainly families with an average income.

Bus service OC Transpo http://www.octranspo1.com/?from=splash serves most central areas and the suburbs with high commuter ridership quite well.

Schools: yes the kids have to go to the school in the catchment area, a lot of times the catholic ones are the better ones (more funding etc.). You can request that the kid goes to another school and if they have availability they'll probably do it but there is no guarantee that the siblings will be able to join the same school.

They qualify for the school bus, which is free of charge when you live more than: Junior and/or Senior Kindergarten 0.8 km away, Grades 1 to 8 1.6 km or more and Grades 9-12 3.2 km or more
http://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/

Areas: It depends on what you want to spend on rent and later house price. It varies from house prices in the $300k to $millions. It depends if you want to live in an older neighbourhood or a newer estate. Both have pros and cons.

I personally liked Alta Vista (expensive), Hindenburg is an upcoming area with coffee shops etc. will be similar to Westboro and the Glebe. Problem is they are expensive to buy into. Some love it there some hate it.

Then you get Kanata, Barrhaven, Findlay Creek, Hunt Club Park. Townhouses or semis medium priced, newer estates with all the amenities and usually fairly good bus service. Again some love it and some hate it.

IMO for us we moved out of Ottawa to a 4000 people little town and OH commutes 45 mins a day. We got plenty of land and house for less than in Ottawa, it's a nice community and much friendlier than the city.
Again this is not everybody's cup of tea.

If you know what you want then I could help you more with where to find it. I.e price range for rent/house buy, what you expect in walking distance, acreage, etc.

HTH a bit :)

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Thank you for the replies! Very helpful. I'm making a list of the recommended areas and will keep researching and hopefully find a nice place. It seems to have so many options that perhaps it would probably easier to ask where to avoid.
mardyarse: my husband will prob be working in the renovation of the Parliament Hill, so right in centre I guess.
Sambadeamigo: thanks for the link! (By the way are you Brazilian? I like your username. I'm from Brazil)
Annemariec: I'll be definitely keeping an eye on your posts to see how you get on with your move. Good luck!
Ninadbgca: thanks! Will probably get in touch when I get more especific.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

I'm in 'Ottawa west'...feel free to PM me with specific questions...a lot depends on age of children, work place locations, budget, expectations

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Hi Nina, did a bit of research and 'goggle earthed' some areas and I think we want to be in areas that have more of a city feel. The idea of living in a typical suburban house frightens me a little bit as being a full time mum (at the moment) I don't want to feel isolated. I also won't have a car so would like to be able to have easy access to shops and public transport. We live in a small town at the moment and both husband and I want to experience living in city. I liked the looks of Glebe but it's a bit pricey isn't it? We are not thinking of buying there, but renting, and we're thinking that perhaps an apartment would be ideal (not high buildings thought as we've got small kids). Could you suggest some areas similar to Glebe: close-ish to the town centre, with shops and a bit lively (minus the party and students maybe) and definitely not rough? Thanks!!!

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

to be honest areas like Barrhaven or Findlay Creek are very family friendly as loads of families live there. They have amenities, shops,take aways,restaurants,Tim Hortons, day cares and bus service. Glebe is IMO overpriced and pretencious. I would look at Westboro and Hindenburg or Alta Vista and Elmvale acres if you don't like the idea of the burbs and want to be nearish town.

I personally would think where you want to buy in the future. Of course you could end up somewhere else but to rent in a place where you defo won't buy might be hard on the kids. They settle make friends you might like the area but can't afford to buy. That might be upsetting in the future.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Thank you! We don't intend to buy as our plan is to rent our house here and rent in Canada. Got a mortgage anyway. :( We are really looking forward to our 'Canada experience' but as it stands we plan to come back after a couple of years but who knows what will happen? :) but at the moment we want to be safe and don't put all our eggs in one big Canadian basket :) thanks again, I'm off to google earth right now! :)

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

This area may tick some of the boxes....

http://goo.gl/maps/rz1Mk

It is 10 minutes by bus to downtown and is not too rough (especially north of Beechwood Avenue). Some of the houses have been broken up into flats. Shopping is nearby...check it out on google street view.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

We got a tip from a fellow Londoner that if the Glebe seemed pricey to head to Westboro for a less "suburb" feel (I like that they have a big festival there in the summer!) ... we're hoping to land that way, though may end up south of there as that seems a bit pricey too (hoping for a decent 3 bed for under $1300).

Anyone have thoughts on Carlington or Baseline&Clyde? Seen some decent priced places there but no idea on what the neighbourhood is actually like.

We're also going to be sans car for about a year which'll be interesting.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Annemarie, We don't really wanna pay any more than that on rental. What website are you using to search properties?
Btw I think I saw in one of your posts that you're sponsoring your husband is that right? That would be my case as my husband got a job offer... Is he gonna apply for a work permit as well? Do you know if we can do it already in canada and if it takes too long?

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

A decent 3 bed for under $1300 in a decent area, central and good transit and amenities and not suburb will be a tough one to find. As for the link Partially discharged posted, make sure you get closer to New Edinburgh rather than Vanier.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Agreed on New Edinburgh vs Vanier, but as always you pay for the neighbourhood. Rentals on houses or apartments within houses in the area near Carlingwood Shopping Centre would be OK. I wouldn't recommend Carlington area as there are some dodgy parts to it.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Using Kijiji, Craigslist, Viewit, padmapper, paramountapts, mino and other groups of properties, general google ... in the wiki section on renting they've got a list of some rental site links, not all are appropriate for Ottawa but most are. It's a minefield - have constantly got google maps up lol.

Yes, I'm sponsoring my husband. But he doesn't have a job offer so we're going in on a visitor visa (have received confirmation of spousal approval but going before we receive COPR) so he won't be able to work. We'll ask at the immigration place when we land but pretty sure it'll be a "no" - which is fine, we can survive without him working (hopefully!!!). So, can't help you on that front I'm afraid as don't know how the work permit bit works. But think there's lots of links & threads on the Immigration section about LMOs and TWPs etc.

I think realistically we're going to get a 2bedroom flat to start with until we're a double income family again and then after a year move to a 3bedroom (we'll be trying for kiddie #2 next year as well) - we don't want visitors until we've found our feet so that'll be ok - plus it'll help us get into a preferred neighbourhood without breaking the bank, then deciding if we do actually like it. Who knows, hubbies work may take us out Kanata way rather than downtown (he's in the IT world) lol, but for now don't need too much of a culture shock coming from London to Ottawa by plonking ourselves in the boonies of the suburbs just yet ;) But instinct is driving us to the west part of the city rather than east. Plus don't know where I'll be working (yes - we're going out with NO jobs to go to lol). We've got a holiday let for 6 weeks through airbnb to help us find our feet and have a temporary base.

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

Thanks for the tip on Carlington!

Re: Elementary Schools in Ottawa
 

hi
i live in kanata dont know much about the schools other than the ones my daughter has supplied in as she is an Educational assistant .I love Kanata i lived in nepean when we first moved here 7 years ago and thats not a bad area either.we have been in kanata 3 years now bus services are good ,house prices not to bad (partner is a realitor if you need help with rental or house buying pm if you wan more info ) I came over with no job but within 3 weeks found one so fingers crossed for you guys
good luck on your adventure .