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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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!!!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?