Section E
Location Profiles
University of Ottawa
550 Cumberland St., Ottawa ON K1N 6N5
Tel: (613) 562-5800
The University
Located in the heart of the national capital, at the juncture of French and English Canada, the University of Ottawa holds a unique place on the academic map of Canada. The university distinguishes itself through its special mandate to promote bilingualism and French culture in Ontario. On campus, in what amounts to a small city within a city, more than 25,000 students from a variety of heritages study, live, and work side by side in surroundings that foster the English and French cultures.
The university’s nine faculties—arts, education, engineering, health sciences, law, management, medicine, science, and social sciences—offer nearly 140 undergraduate majors and concentrations. Under the aegis of the faculty of graduate and postdoctoral studies, they also offer graduate programs leading to masters and doctoral degrees in most of those disciplines. In addition, the University of Ottawa offers an extensive array of coop programs. Culturally, the departments of music, theatre, and visual arts provide a full program of concerts, plays, and exhibitions. Festivals, fairs, films, and public lectures of every description—many with an international flavour—as well as a broad spectrum of interuniversity, intramural, and recreational sports make the campus a lively and vibrant place.
About Ottawa: Facts and Figures
Ottawa has been described as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. Located on the banks of the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal, Ottawa enjoys the attributes of a major center while maintaining the accessibility, atmosphere and charm of a smaller city. With more than 29 museums, including 12 national institutions, there is a wealth of exhibitions, galleries, and historical monuments. The National Art Gallery of Canada holds impressive collections of art ranging from Canadian to Asian to Contemporary Art. At the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Canada's largest and most popular cultural institution, you can explore the achievements of Canada's aboriginal peoples and journey through 1,000 years of history.
Located in Ottawa’s downtown, a couple of blocks away from Parliament Hill, The ByWard market is one of Canada’s oldest and largest public markets. Within an area of a four blocks square, you’ll find cafés, specialty food shops, fine dining, boutiques, galleries, and pubs.
Access to National Parks and wilderness areas are also located within and around the city. Just across the river from Parliament Hill is Gatineau Park, a recreational playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Endowed with hundreds of kilometers of trails and numerous crystal-clear lakes, the Park is a superb place for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. As the largest skating rink in the world, The Rideau Canal Skateway offers a unique winter experience for all. After a nighttime skate you can find specialty food shops along the canal and relax with Ottawa’s famous Beaver Tails.
With over 60 festivals and events taking place in Canada's Capital Region each year, Ottawa is truly a festive city. Each summer, The Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival features the very best musicians from across Canada and around the world in acoustically perfect heritage churches. As the largest chamber music festival in the world, it is one of Canada's most important cultural events. During May, you can tiptoe through millions of tulips at the Canadian Tulip Festival. Every February, Ottawa hosts Winterlude, North America's greatest winter festival. From spectacular ice carvings to an amazing playground made of snow, Winterlude is a great way to take in the best of our Canadian winter.
Whatever your interest—tasting cuisine from around the world, appraising oil paintings, hiking through the wilderness or watching theatre productions—you’ll find plenty of things to do amidst Ottawa’s celebrations of food, music and cultural traditions.
Employment
Ottawa unemployment rate (2007) 4.6%
Main language spoken in homes
English: 62%, French: 30.3%, Other: 7.7%
Largest minority language groups
Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese
Aboriginal population
11,605 (1.2% of the urban population)
Family and housing
Avg monthly rent for a two-bedroom (2003) $932
Avg residential house price (2003) $219,000
Climate
Avg January temperature (ºC) –10
Avg July temperature (ºC) 21
Avg annual “snow” (cm) 203
Avg annual “rain” (mm) 733
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