View source for National Capital Region (Canada)

{{Short description|Metropolitan area}}
{{Distinguish||text=[[Capitale-Nationale]], an administrative region in Quebec. For other capital regions, see [[Capital region]]}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = National Capital Region
| native_name                     = <small>{{lang|fr|Région de la capitale nationale}}</small> 
| settlement_type                 = [[List of census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada|Metropolitan area]]
| image_skyline                   = Parliament Buildings (42410681244).jpg
| imagesize                       = 265px
| image_caption                   = [[Parliament Hill]] from [[Major's Hill Park]]
| image_map1                      = Ottawa-Gatineau_CMA_with_NCR.svg
| mapsize1                        = 265px
| map_caption1                    = National Capital Region (striped area)
| coordinates                     = {{coord|45|35|23|N|75|50|50|W|region:CA_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title|name=Ottawa – Gatineau (National Capital Region)|notes=<ref>{{Cite cgndb|EQTBI|National Capital Region}}</ref>}}
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = Canada
| subdivision_type1               = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Provinces]]
| subdivision_type2               = Principal cities
| subdivision_name1               = [[Ontario]]<br />[[Quebec]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Ottawa]], ON<br />[[Gatineau]], QC             
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="2021census"/>
| area_metro_km2                  = {{#expr:4665.16+3381.83}}
| area_metro_sq_mi                = 
| elevation_m                     = 70–556
| elevation_ft                    = 230–1825
| population_total                = 1,488,307
| population_as_of                = 2021
| population_est                  = 1,660,269
| pop_est_as_of                   = 2024
| pop_est_footnotes               = <ref name=2024estimatesCMAs>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014801 | title=Population estimates, July 1, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, 2021 boundaries | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=January 16, 2025 | access-date=January 17, 2025}}</ref>
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="2021census">{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Ottawa&DGUIDlist=2021S050535505,2021S050524505&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 | title=Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population: Ottawa - Gatineau [Census metropolitan area] | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 1, 2023 | access-date=November 18, 2023}}</ref>
| population_density_metro_km2    = 185.0
| population_density_metro_sq_mi  = 
| population_note                 = 
| demographics_type2       = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]]
| demographics2_title1     = Ottawa–Gatineau {{Abbr|CMA|Census metropolitan area}}
| demographics2_info1      = [[Canadian dollar|CA$]] 89.9&nbsp;billion (2020)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0468-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by census metropolitan area (CMA) (x 1,000,000)|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3610046801&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2019&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20190101%2C20200101|website=Statistics Canada}}</ref>
| postal_code_type                = 
| postal_code                     = 
| area_codes                      = [[Area codes 613, 343, and 753|343]], [[Area codes 819, 873, and 468|468]], [[Area codes 613, 343, and 753|613]], [[Area codes 613, 343, and 753|753]], [[Area codes 819, 873, and 468|819]], [[Area codes 819, 873, and 468|873]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/dt2008-89.htm |title=Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-89 |publisher=Crtc.gc.ca |date=September 10, 2008 |access-date=August 20, 2010}}</ref>
| leader_name2                    = {{Collapsible list
|title       = List of MPs
|frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
|title_style = 
|list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 }}
| leader_title3                   = 
| leader_name3                    = {{Collapsible list
|title       = List of MPPs
|frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
|title_style = 
|list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 }}
| timezone                        = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset                      = −05:00
| timezone_DST                    = EDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = −04:00
}}

The '''National Capital Region''' ('''NCR''') ({{langx|fr|Région de la capitale nationale}}, {{IPA|fr|ʁeʒjɔ̃ d(ə) la kapital nɑsjɔnal|pron}}), also known as '''Canada's Capital Region''' and '''Ottawa–Gatineau''', is an official federal designation encompassing the [[Canada|Canadian]] capital of [[Ottawa]], Ontario, the adjacent city of [[Gatineau]], Quebec, and surrounding suburban and [[Exurb|exurban areas]]. Despite its designation, the NCR is not a separate political or administrative entity and falls within the provinces of [[Ontario]] and [[Quebec]].

Defined by the ''National Capital Act'' (1985), the NCR covers an area of {{convert|4715|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, straddling the [[Ottawa River]], which serves as the boundary between Ontario and Quebec. This area is smaller than the Ottawa–Gatineau [[Census geographic units of Canada#Census metropolitan areas|census metropolitan area]] (CMA), which spans {{convert|8046.99|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. Ottawa–Gatineau is the only CMA in Canada that crosses [[provinces and territories of Canada|provincial]] boundaries.<ref name="nca">{{cite web |url=http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-4/FullText.html |title= National Capital Act (Consolidated federal laws of Canada) |publisher=Justice Canada |date=September 30, 2013 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/planning/creating-plans | title=Creating Plans | publisher=National Capital Commission | access-date=March 15, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818095704/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/planning/creating-plans | archive-date=August 18, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="2021-focus-on-geo">{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/fogs-spg/page.cfm?dguid=2021S0503505&topic=1&lang=E |title=Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population: Ottawa-Gatineau, Census metropolitan area |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=December 16, 2022 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Main|Ottawa|Gatineau}}
===Early history===
[[File:A View of the Mill and Tavern of Philemon Wright at the Chaudière Falls, Hull DuVernet 1823 - Collection orig at LAC.jpg|thumb|A painting of the mill and tavern in Wright's Town, 1823]]
The area that would become the National Capital Region was first settled 6 500 years ago by [[Algonquin people|Algonquins]], who hunted, foraged, and traded in the area through the European exploration and colonization period.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pilon |first1=Jean-Luc |title=Ancient History of the Lower Ottawa River Valley |url=http://www.ottawariver.org/pdf/04-ch2-2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112029/http://www.ottawariver.org/pdf/04-ch2-2.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=9 November 2015 |website=Ottawa River Heritage Designation Committee |publisher=Ontario Archaeology – Canadian Museum of Civilization}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rideau Canal Attracts Settlers |url=https://elocalpost.com/ottawa/contents/rideau-canal-attracts-settlers-history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034214/https://elocalpost.com/ottawa/contents/rideau-canal-attracts-settlers-history |archive-date=14 July 2022 |access-date=2 May 2021 |website=eLocal Post Ottawa |date=13 October 2016 |author1=Carlo}}</ref> The area remained relatively untouched until 1800, when [[Wright's Town, Lower Canada|Wright's Town]] was established as the first permanent colonial settlement in the [[Ottawa Valley]] on what is now the [[Quebec]] side of the [[Ottawa River]].<ref>{{citation|first1=Jeff |last1=Keshen|author2=Nicole St-Onge|title=Ottawa--making a capital|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Q9Bb4EiAyoC&pg=PP1|year=2001|publisher=University of Ottawa Press|isbn=978-0-7766-0521-0}}</ref> At this time and for nearly a century, the principal economic engine of Wright's Town was the [[Ottawa River timber trade]], which saw trees felled in northern Ontario and western Quebec pushed down the Ottawa River and on towards [[Quebec City]] for shipment to the [[United Kingdom]] and [[United States]].

After the [[War of 1812]], amid U.S. threats to the [[St. Lawrence River]], the British military undertook the [[Rideau Canal]] as an alternative, more defensible shipping route, which led to significant growth and land speculation in the area surrounding Wright's Town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rideau Canal - History of the Rideau Canal|url=http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/history/hist-canal.html|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=www.rideau-info.com}}</ref> In 1827, the settlement on the south side of the river was named Bytown in honour of British military engineer Colonel [[John By]], who was responsible for the entire Rideau Waterway construction project.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bytown |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/about-hso/our-history/tag/Bytown |access-date=10 July 2022 |website=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034225/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/about-hso/our-history/tag/Bytown |url-status=live}}</ref> After the Canal's completion in 1832, Bytown reached a population of 1 000 and was incorporated as a city.<ref>{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Timeline – Know your Ottawa! |url=http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/timeline.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118191714/http://www.bytownmuseum.com/EN/timeline.html |archive-date=18 January 2013 |access-date=2 July 2011 |publisher=Bytown Museum}}</ref> Across the river, Wright's Town was incorporated as [[Hull, Quebec|Hull]] in 1875 and the historic 1800 settlement was [[1900 Hull–Ottawa fire|destroyed by fire in 1900]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boutet |first=Edgar |url=https://www.gatineau.ca/docs/guichet_municipal/archives/docs/histoire_de_la_cite_de_hull_pp01-48.pdf |title=Historique de la Cite de Hull |date=15 June 1950 |publisher=Ecole d'Art Dramatique de Hull |volume=5}}</ref>

===Emergence as the National Capital Region===
[[File:Construction of central parliament building.jpg|thumb|Centre Block under construction in 1863]]
The selection of Ottawa as the national capital of Canada predates Confederation and was highly contested, requiring more than 200 votes in the parliament of the [[United Province of Canada]] and provoking the [[Stony Monday Riot]] over local objections to the selection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=James |title=Queen Victoria Chooses Ottawa |url=https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/momentous-events-in-the-city-s-life/queen-victoria-chooses-ottawa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122175907/https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/publications/ottawa-stories/momentous-events-in-the-city-s-life/queen-victoria-chooses-ottawa |archive-date=22 November 2021 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=The Historical Society of Ottawa |language=en-gb}}</ref> Tensions between Anglophone [[Upper Canada]] and Francophone [[Lower Canada]], difficulties in finding a logistically affordable and feasible capital location, and legislative stalemates all contributed to significant delays in choosing a permanent capital for the United Province of Canada.<ref>Knight, David B (1991). ''Choosing Canada's capital: conflict resolution in a parliamentary system''. Carleton university Press. pp. 129; 156–164</ref> Although Bytown had been considered as early as 1849, nearly 10 years after the formation of the United Province of Canada, the final decision to establish the city as Canada's capital did not occur until 1857 (by which point it had been renamed to Ottawa). This selection was made by [[Queen Victoria]] on the advice of the Governor General of United Canada, [[Edmund Walker Head]], and the choice was ratified by Parliament in 1859.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Head, Sir Edmund National Historic Person |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1254 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |language=en |archive-date=14 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034214/https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1254 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Construction on the parliament buildings began that December and represented the largest construction project undertaken in North America at the time.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/02/03/feb-03-1916-when-canadas-parliament-burned/ |title=Feb. 03, 1916: When Canada's Parliament burned |last=Montgomery |first=Marc |newspaper=Rci &#124; English |date=3 February 2014 |publisher=Radio Canada International |access-date=7 June 2021 |archive-date=7 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607145255/https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/02/03/feb-03-1916-when-canadas-parliament-burned/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The precinct was still incomplete when the United Province of Canada, [[Nova Scotia]], and [[New Brunswick]] [[Canadian Confederation|united to form Canada]] in 1867.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.collineduparlement-parliamenthill.gc.ca/histoire-history/1859-1916-eng.html| title=Construction, 1859–1916| author=Public Works and Government Services Canada| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| access-date=5 May 2021| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830055924/http://www.collineduparlement-parliamenthill.gc.ca/histoire-history/1859-1916-eng.html| archive-date=30 August 2009}}</ref> [[Parliament Hill]], as the site is now known, was not completed in full until 1876.

Following the [[Ontario Temperance Act|introduction of prohibition laws]] in Ontario in 1916, Hull became a popular spot for politicians and Ottawa residents to access alcohol legally.<ref>{{cite web | last = Rennie | first = Eric | title = Crossing the Line: Canada's Capital Region in the Prohibition Era | publisher = Capstone Seminar Series | date = March 2011 | url = http://capstoneseminarseries.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/eric1.pdf}}</ref> Although prohibition in Ontario ended in 1927, Hull's downtown continued to serve as the main entertainment district for the capital region.<ref name=panoptic>{{cite book | last = Hier | first = Sean P. | title = Panoptic Dreams: Streetscape Video Surveillance in Canada | publisher = University of British Columbia Press | year = 2011 | isbn = 9780774818742 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_fpdAAAAQBAJ&pg=PP1}}</ref><ref name=HullNightlifeHistory>{{cite web | last = Aubry | first = Jack | title = History Shows Corking Hull's Nightlife Not Always Easy | publisher = Ottawa Citizen | date = October 7, 1985 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1tYyAAAAIBAJ&pg=5488%2C4220321}}</ref> Hull's night life scene peaked in the mid-20th century, when upscale nightclubs landed performers such as [[Louis Armstrong]] and [[Tony Bennett]] and the Viva Disco club was named one of ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine's top ten disco clubs in North America.<ref name=HullNightlifeHistory /> Wrote [[Brian Mulroney]], "[Ottawa] visibly sagged by ten at night, just in time for residents seeking relief from the stifling boredom to cross the bridge to Hull, Quebec, where nightclubs, dancehalls, bars, and a few great restaurants provided sanctuary and stimulation."<ref>{{cite book | last = Mulroney | first =  Brian | title = Memoirs | publisher = Random House | year = 2011 | isbn = 9781551991887 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=n4ICLOwiKREC&pg=PP1}}</ref> By the 1980s, however, Hull topped the list of Quebec municipalities for its high crime rate,<ref name=HullNightlifeHistory /> and increased concern about the crime issue on the north side of the river led to a significant transformation of the city's downtown. The completion of [[Place du Portage]], a federal office complex, displaced 4 000 residents and much of Hull's bar district,<ref name=panoptic /> and the development of the [[Canadian Museum of History]] in the late 1980s spurred an aggressive zero tolerance policing campaign of what nightlife remained.<ref name=panoptic /> By 2000, crime had dropped in downtown Hull by 75%, although the physical displacement of much of downtown Hull for federal office buildings had also led to a significant reduction in the downtown population.<ref name="CBC">{{cite web | title = Hull Fights the Doughnut Syndrome | publisher = [[CBC News]] | date = Jun 23, 2000 | url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hull-fights-the-doughnut-syndrome-1.232962}}</ref>

===21st century===
In 2022, truckers protesting [[COVID-19 vaccination in Canada#Vaccine mandates, policies and measures|COVID-19 vaccination requirements for cross-border truckers]] began a [[Canada convoy protest|convoy protest]] that ultimately converged in downtown Ottawa on January 29, 2022. [[On-to-Ottawa Trek|Although not the first attempt to organize a protest to the national capital]], the 2022 convoy was successful both in arriving in Ottawa and in staying in the downtown core, blocking major streets with trucks and heavy machinery for nearly a month. The protests also underscored challenges with the National Capital Region's complicated governance structure, as the federal government was forced to rely on the municipal [[Ottawa Police Service]] and support from the provincial government to clear the blockade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/emergencies-act-military-ottawa-protests-1.6350236|title=Government considering emergency powers with 'appropriate caution,' federal minister says|website=CBC News}}</ref> 

In 2024, in an effort to combat stereotypes that Ottawa and the National Capital Region were "the city that fun forgot" and a "sleepy government town," the City of Ottawa hired a night-life commissioner tasked with supporting restaurants, clubs, and other businesses in the night-life sector by shepherding regulatory reform and providing constituency services to businesses navigating the municipal bureaucracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/mayor-frustrated-with-ottawa-being-called-the-town-that-fun-forgot/|title=Mayor frustrated with Ottawa being called 'the town that fun forgot'|website=CTV News}}</ref>

== Geography ==
{{Further|Geography of Ottawa}}

{{Panorama
| image = OttawaGatineauAug2022Panorama.jpg
| height = 200
| caption = 360° degree view of Ottawa–Gatineau skyline
}}
Ottawa is located in the subregion of [[Southern Ontario]] called [[Eastern Ontario]]. Gatineau is located in southwestern [[Quebec]]. Although overall Ontario is west of Quebec, the boundary in this region is situated in such a way that Gatineau is north of Ottawa, and northwest of the city centre.

The National Capital Region is situated close to where the [[Canadian shield]] and the [[Saint Lawrence Lowlands]] intersect. The area has several major fault lines<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/urbgeo/natcap/bed_topo_e.php |title=Urban Geology of the National Capital Area – Bedrock topography |publisher=Gsc.nrcan.gc.ca |date=April 14, 2009 |access-date=August 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518182649/http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/urbgeo/natcap/bed_topo_e.php |archive-date=May 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and small earthquakes do occur somewhat regularly, including the [[2010 Central Canada earthquake]] that occurred in Quebec. The [[Gatineau Hills]] are the foothills of the [[Laurentian Mountains]] and located in the region.

=== Climate ===
The National Capital Region experiences a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfb''), with four distinct seasons and is between Zones 5a and 5b on the Canadian Plant Hardiness Scale.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Natural Resources Canada |title=Canada's Plant Hardiness Site |url=http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?lang=en&m=24&speciesid=1000000&phz=phz1981-2010&bc=1 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=www.planthardiness.gc.ca}}</ref> In Ottawa, the average July maximum temperature is 26.6&nbsp;°C (80&nbsp;°F). The average January minimum temperature is −14.4&nbsp;°C (6.1&nbsp;°F). In Gatineau, the average July maximum is 26&nbsp;°C (78.8&nbsp;°F) while the average January minimum temperature is −15&nbsp;°C (5&nbsp;°F).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gatineau Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Canada) - Weather Spark |url=https://weatherspark.com/y/23207/Average-Weather-in-Gatineau-Canada-Year-Round |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=weatherspark.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
Most of the National Capital Region is recognized as a bilingual region for federal language-of-work purposes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/OffLang/chap5_1-1-eng.asp |title=List of Bilingual Regions of Canada for Language-of-Work Purposes |author=Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat |access-date=July 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716232928/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/offlang/chap5_101-eng.asp |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In addition, the [[City of Ottawa]] has a bilingualism policy, but is not declared "officially bilingual" (which would require amendments to the provincial law). About 19% of the population of the City of Ottawa has French as their first language, while 40% of the total population of the city declares itself fluent in both languages.

As for [[Gatineau]], it is the most bilingual city in Canada, above [[Montreal]]. About 64% of the population is able to speak both English and French.<ref>{{cite web |title=English–French bilingualism in Canada: Recent trends after five decades of official bilingualism |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/98-200-X/2021013/98-200-X2021013-eng.cfm |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=June 21, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

The National Capital Region includes the majority English-speaking (Ottawa) and majority French-speaking (Gatineau) cores.  The metro region has a bilingual population of 496,025, an English-only population of 507,175, and a French-only population of 102,375.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=505__&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=ottawa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |title=2006 Community Profiles – Ottawa–Gatineau (Census metropolitan area) |author=Statistics Canada |date=February 5, 2010 |access-date=November 6, 2010 |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716184721/http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/error_erreur.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the [[Canada 2021 Census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], the Ottawa - Gatineau CMA recorded a population of 1,488,307 living in 604,721 private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1488307-1371576}}|1371576|1}} from its revised 2016 population of 1,371,576. With a land area of {{convert|8046.99|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1488307|8046.99|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name="2021-focus-on-geo" />

[[File:Rideau Canal in winter.jpg|right|thumb |[[Rideau Canal]] in Ottawa]]
[[File:Museum-civ.jpg|right|thumb |Hull sector of Gatineau]]
[[File:Ottawa-Gatineau le pont du Portage (3).JPG|right|thumb|Ottawa-Gatineau le pont du Portage Ottawa]]
[[File:Etienne Brûlé Lookout, Gatineau Park (10396087056).jpg|right|thumb|Etienne Brûlé Lookout, [[Gatineau Park]]]]
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible"
!colspan=6 | ''Ottawa - Gatineau CMA 2021 population by [[census subdivision]]''<ref name="2021-focus-on-geo" />
|-
! Name !! Province !! Type !! 2021<br />Population !! 2016<br />Population !! Change
|-
|| [[Arnprior]] || [[Ontario]] || Town ||align=center| {{nts|9629}} ||align=center| {{nts|8795}} ||align=center| {{nts|9.5}}
|-
|| [[Beckwith, Ontario|Beckwith]] || [[Ontario]] || Township ||align=center| {{nts|9021}} ||align=center| {{nts|7644}} ||align=center| {{nts|18.0}}
|-
|| [[Bowman, Quebec|Bowman]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|667}} ||align=center| {{nts|658}} ||align=center| {{nts|1.4}}
|-
|| [[Cantley, Quebec|Cantley]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|11449}} ||align=center| {{nts|10699}} ||align=center| {{nts|7.0}}
|-
|| [[Carleton Place]] || [[Ontario]] || Town ||align=center| {{nts|12517}} ||align=center| {{nts|10644}} ||align=center| {{nts|17.6}}
|-
|| [[Chelsea, Quebec|Chelsea]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|8000}} ||align=center| {{nts|6909}} ||align=center| {{nts|15.8}}
|-
|| [[Clarence-Rockland]] || [[Ontario]] || City ||align=center| {{nts|26505}} ||align=center| {{nts|24512}} ||align=center| {{nts|8.1}}
|-
|| [[Denholm, Quebec|Denholm]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|546}} ||align=center| {{nts|505}} ||align=center| {{nts|8.1}}
|-
|| [[Gatineau]] || [[Quebec]] || Ville ||align=center| {{nts|291041}} ||align=center| {{nts|276245}} ||align=center| {{nts|5.4}}
|-
|| [[La Pêche, Quebec|La Pêche]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|8636}} ||align=center| {{nts|7863}} ||align=center| {{nts|9.8}}
|-
|| [[L'Ange-Gardien, Outaouais, Quebec|L'Ange-Gardien]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|6102}} ||align=center| {{nts|5464}} ||align=center| {{nts|11.7}}
|-
|| [[Lochaber, Quebec|Lochaber]] || [[Quebec]] || Township ||align=center| {{nts|446}} ||align=center| {{nts|415}} ||align=center| {{nts|7.5}}
|-
|| [[Lochaber-Partie-Ouest, Quebec|Lochaber-Partie-Ouest]] || [[Quebec]] || Township ||align=center| {{nts|926}} ||align=center| {{nts|856}} ||align=center| {{nts|8.2}}
|-
|| [[Mayo, Quebec|Mayo]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|704}} ||align=center| {{nts|601}} ||align=center| {{nts|17.1}}
|-
|| [[McNab/Braeside]] || [[Ontario]] || Township ||align=center| {{nts|7591}} ||align=center| {{nts|7178}} ||align=center| {{nts|5.8}}
|-
|| [[Mississippi Mills, Ontario|Mississippi Mills]] || [[Ontario]] || Town ||align=center| {{nts|14740}} ||align=center| {{nts|13163}} ||align=center| {{nts|12.0}}
|-
|| [[Mulgrave-et-Derry, Quebec|Mulgrave-et-Derry]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|461}} ||align=center| {{nts|369}} ||align=center| {{nts|24.9}}
|-
|| [[North Grenville]] || [[Ontario]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|17964}} ||align=center| {{nts|16451}} ||align=center| {{nts|9.2}}
|-
|| [[Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Quebec|Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|841}} ||align=center| {{nts|727}} ||align=center| {{nts|15.7}}
|-
|| [[Ottawa]] || [[Ontario]] || City ||align=center| {{nts|1017449}} ||align=center| {{nts|934243}} ||align=center| {{nts|8.9}}
|-
|| [[Pontiac, Quebec|Pontiac]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|6142}} ||align=center| {{nts|5850}} ||align=center| {{nts|5.0}}
|-
|| [[Russell, Ontario|Russell]] || [[Ontario]] || Township ||align=center| {{nts|19598}} ||align=center| {{nts|16520}} ||align=center| {{nts|18.6}}
|-
|| [[Thurso, Quebec|Thurso]] || [[Quebec]] || Ville ||align=center| {{nts|3084}} ||align=center| {{nts|2818}} ||align=center| {{nts|9.4}}
|-
|| [[Val-des-Bois, Quebec|Val-des-Bois]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|920}} ||align=center| {{nts|865}} ||align=center| {{nts|6.4}}
|-
|| [[Val-des-Monts, Quebec|Val-des-Monts]] || [[Quebec]] || Municipality ||align=center| {{nts|13328}} ||align=center| {{nts|11582}} ||align=center| {{nts|15.1}}
|- class="sortbottom" align="center" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
| '''Total CMA''' ||align=center| '''&mdash;''' ||align=center| '''&mdash;''' ||align=center| '''{{nts|1488307}}''' ||align=center| '''{{nts|1371576}}''' ||align=center| '''{{nts|8.5}}'''
|-
|}

==Economy==
The National Capital Region's economy is heavily reliant on the presence of the federal government, which is heavily centralized in Ottawa and directly or indirectly employs nearly a quarter of the working population in the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area (which is slightly larger than the National Capital Region). The unemployment rate in 2021 was 7.3%, which is lower than the nationwide average, and the youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) was 22.6%, slightly higher than the nationwide average.<ref name=statcanCMAlabour /> The median after-tax household income in the Ottawa-Gatineau CMA is $84 000, more than ten thousand dollars higher than the national median of $73 000.<ref name=statcanCMAlabour />

===Federal public service===
The Canadian federal government is the top employer in the National Capital Region, directly employing 130 611 public servants and 47.6% of all federal employees.<ref name=CBCfederalemployees>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-gatineau-capital-region-federal-worker-number-1.7074263|title=Federal workforce in the Ottawa area continues to grow|website=CBC News}}</ref> Nearly a quarter of the working population is employed in various public administration roles,<ref name=statcanCMAlabour>{{cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/fogs-spg/page.cfm?lang=E&topic=12&dguid=2021S0503505|title=Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population|website=Statistics Canada}}</ref> and a significant part of the private sector economy relies on the presence of federal bureaucrats.<ref name=OttawaCentralization>{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/is-it-time-to-move-ottawa-out-of-ottawa-159409|title=Is it time to move Ottawa out of Ottawa?|website=The Conversation}}</ref>

===Silicon Valley North===
[[File:Kanata Research Park.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Kanata Research Park, home of Silicon Valley North]]
During the decade of 1990–2000, the National Capital Region was home to several very successful [[Technology industry|tech companies]], including [[Nortel Networks]], [[JDS Uniphase]], and [[Newbridge Networks]]. High-tech employment doubled in five years to reach 80,000 by 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/ottawas-resurgent-tech-scene/article26430302/|title=From hardware to software: Ottawa's push for a tech revival|access-date=April 3, 2018|via=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> With Nortel failing to meet high earnings expectations and layoffs starting in 2002 in the wake of the [[dot-com bubble]], the company started to decline, a devastating shock to the tech industry in Ottawa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/key-dates-in-nortel-networks-history-1.802117|title=Key dates in Nortel Networks' history - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> Others described it as an 'anchor' for the industry in Ottawa, and an 'incubator' and that without it the Ottawa high-tech industry could not sustain itself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/is-ottawa-still-silicon-valley-north-1.801035|title=Is Ottawa still Silicon Valley North? - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref>

By the mid-2000s, other Canadian regions were competing for the title of Silicon Valley North. The term was being adopted to refer to the area between [[Toronto]] and [[Kitchener-Waterloo]], which is home to [[Research in Motion]] (BlackBerry), and offices for [[Google]], [[Adobe Inc.]], and [[Microsoft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/silicon-valley-toronto-waterloo-1.3519032|title=Could Toronto-Waterloo be the next Silicon Valley? - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> Despite this shift, [[Shopify]], [[Halogen Software]], and [[Kinaxis]] Inc. remain headquartered in Ottawa, as well as over 1 700 other technology companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/fp-startups/shopifys-ipo-success-sets-the-stage-for-ottawa-to-reclaim-silicon-valley-north-title?__lsa=404b-6f5c|title=Shopify's IPO success sets the stage for Ottawa to reclaim Silicon Valley North title|date=April 24, 2015|website=financialpost.com|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> By 2020, nearly 30 000 people in the Ottawa CMA were employed in the technology sector, with most of them being employed in Kanata.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-engineering/news-all/resilient-tech-park-exploring-evolution-kanata-norths-technology-park|title=A Resilient Tech Park: Exploring the Evolution of Kanata North’s Technology Park|website=University of Ottawa}}</ref>

==Governance==
===National Capital Commission===
{{Main|National Capital Commission}}
[[File:Central Chambers, Ottawa.jpg|right|thumb|[[Central Chambers (Ottawa)|Chambers Building]] on Elgin Street]]
The [[National Capital Commission]] (NCC) is a corporation established by the Canadian government in 1959 to manage federal buildings and land within the National Capital Region (NCR). While the NCR is not a separate political jurisdiction, the NCC has a mandate to develop the region into a source of pride and unity for Canadians by engaging in political, cultural, and land use planning matters that are typically powers reserved for the provincial government under the [[Constitution of Canada]]. In the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] case of ''[[Munro v. National Capital Commission]]'', it was determined that the NCC has authority to be involved in zoning matters in the NCR.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/about-us |title=The NCC |publisher=National Capital Commission |date=February 24, 2024 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref name="national-capital-act">{{cite web |title=National Capital Act |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-4/ |publisher=Justice Canada |date=February 20, 2024 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

In 2006, the NCC completed work on [[Confederation Boulevard]], a ceremonial route connecting key attractions in the NCR on both sides of the Ottawa River. The NCC River House, originally constructed in 1914, underwent substantial restoration from 2019 to July 2023. It is located adjacent to the [[Ottawa River]] near the [[Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20444-20505&lang=1 |title=Confederation Boulevard, National Capital Commission Web site |access-date=February 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209090858/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16300-20444-20505&lang=1 |archive-date=February 9, 2006 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=NCC's historic River House a 'cornerstone for the National Capital Region' |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/nccs-historic-river-house-now-open-for-swimmers |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=River House opens to the public! |url=https://ottawariverkeeper.ca/river-house-opens-to-the-public/ |publisher=Ottawa Riverkeeper |date=July 25, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

The NCC reports to Parliament through the [[Minister of Canadian Heritage|Minister of Heritage]], and is governed by the ''National Capital Act''. Its headquarters are in the [[Central Chambers (Ottawa)|Chambers Building]] on Elgin Street, between Queen and Sparks Streets.<ref name="national-capital-act"/>

===Capital district proposals===
Proposals have been made to separate the National Capital Region and establish it as a distinct [[Capital districts and territories|capital district]], similar to the [[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]] or the [[Australian Capital Territory]]. These gained attention during periods when the [[Parti Québécois]] held power in Quebec, particularly due to the federalist inclination of the Hull/Gatineau area. However, any potential federal support waned after the [[1995 Quebec referendum]], where the predominantly federalist vote in Hull/Gatineau significantly influenced the outcome. Recent efforts for a separate capital district haven't gained momentum, with no active movement as of 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ottawa and Gatineau need not be two solitudes |newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |author=Mark Sutcliffe |date=April 10, 2014 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-and-gatineau-need-not-be-two-solitudes |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Le mythe du référendum perdu à Québec |newspaper=Le Devoir |author=Jacques Noël |date=November 5, 2015 |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/lettres/454355/le-mythe-du-referendum-perdu-a-quebec |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

== Attractions ==
{{Main|List of tourist attractions in Ottawa}}
[[File:Aerial view of '07 site.jpg|right|thumb|[[Ottawa Bluesfest|Bluesfest]] in [[LeBreton Flats]], Ottawa]]
[[File:Canada Day - Musical Ride.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Musical Ride]] performance on [[Parliament Hill]] in Ottawa during [[Canada Day]]]]
[[File:Scotiabank Place before game April 29 2006.jpg|right|thumb|[[Canadian Tire Centre]] in [[Kanata, Ontario|Kanata]], in the western part of the City of Ottawa]]

The National Capital Region (NCR) has numerous attractions, including festivals, national museums, iconic buildings, sports, and entertainment. Ottawa is known for its examples of [[Gothic Revival]] architecture.

=== Festivals ===
Annual events include the music festival [[Ottawa Bluesfest|Bluesfest]], winter festival [[Winterlude]], the [[Canadian Tulip Festival]], [[Capital Pride (Ottawa)|Capital Pride]], [[RCMP Musical Ride]], [[Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival]], [[Buskers festival]], and the largest [[Canada Day]] celebrations in the nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tulipfestival.ca/ |title=The Canadian Tulip Festival |publisher=Tulipfestival.ca |date=June 10, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/corporate-organisation/musical-ride-carrousel/index-eng.htm |title=RCMP Musical Ride |publisher=[[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] |website=rcmp-grc.gc.ca |date=November 8, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/canada-day.html |title=Canada Day |publisher=Canadascapital.gc.ca |access-date=March 15, 2024}}</ref>

=== Built heritage ===
The region hosts several national museums, such as the [[Canadian Museum of History]], [[Canadian War Museum]], [[Canadian Museum of Nature]], [[Canada Science and Technology Museum]], [[National Gallery of Canada|National Art Gallery]], and [[Canada Aviation Museum]].

Prominent buildings include [[Parliament Hill]], the Prime Minister's home [[24 Sussex Drive]], the Governor General's home [[Rideau Hall]], the Canadian Museum of History, the [[National Gallery of Canada]], the [[Supreme Court of Canada]], the [[Royal Canadian Mint]], the [[Embassy of the United States in Ottawa|American Embassy]], and the [[Library and Archives Canada|National Library]].

There are 29 [[List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Ottawa|National Historic Sites of Canada]] within the National Capital Region, including landmarks like the ''Former Almonte Post Office'' and ''Rosamond Woollen Mill'' in [[Almonte, Ontario|Almonte]], the ''Gillies Grove and House'' in [[Arnprior, Ontario|Arnprior]], the [[Manoir Papineau]] in [[Montebello, Quebec|Montebello]] and the ''Symmes Hotel'' in the [[Aylmer, Quebec|Aylmer]] sector of [[Gatineau]].

=== Sports and entertainment ===
The NCR is home to various sports teams, including the [[Ottawa Senators]] (NHL), [[Ottawa Redblacks]] (CFL), and [[Atlético Ottawa]] (CPL). The [[Ottawa 67's]] (OHL) and [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League]] (QMJHL).

Universities like [[Carleton University]] and the [[University of Ottawa]] compete in [[U Sports]], with teams like the [[Carleton Ravens]] and [[Ottawa Gee-Gees]] achieving national recognition. Gatineau's [[Université du Québec en Outaouais]] offers a range of sports activities at its large sports center where you can practice a multitude of sports like [[Yoga]], [[Zumba]] and more.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cours de groupe |url=https://uqo.ca/centre-sportif/cours-groupe-1 |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=uqo.ca |language=fr}}</ref> [[Algonquin College]] has also won numerous national championships.

== Transportation ==
[[File:O Train by Wilder.JPG|left|thumb|upright|[[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]] of Ottawa's [[O-Train]] light rail]]

The National Capital Region (NCR) has several major [[freeways]] including the [[Ontario Highway 417|417]], [[Ontario Highway 416]], [[Quebec Autoroute 5]], [[Quebec Autoroute 50]], [[Regional Road 174]], and [[Highway 7 (Ontario)|Highway 7]] in Ontario.

The [[Ontario Highway 417|417]] is Ottawa's east–west commuter expressway. It begins at the Ontario-Quebec border (continuing the route of [[Quebec Autoroute 40]]), reaches the urban portion of Ottawa at the [[Ontario Highway 417|417]]-[[Regional Road 174|174]] split, bisects the urban area, and continues westward to just beyond the city boundary where it gives way to [[Highway 17 (Ontario)|Highway 17]] in [[Renfrew County, Ontario|Renfrew County]].

The [[Ontario Highway 416|416]] starts at the [[Ontario Highway 401|401]] near the [[Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge]] and continues north for 75&nbsp;km until it ends at the [[Ontario Highway 417|417]] in Ottawa's west end.

The freeway section of [[Highway 7 (Ontario)|Highway 7]] branches off the [[Ontario Highway 417|417]] in Ottawa's west end near Stittsville and is currently undergoing a 4-lane expansion to reach the eastern fringe of Carleton Place at McNeely Avenue.<ref>{{cite web |title=Highway 7 and Highway 15 Intersection Improvements |url=https://hwy7-15ea.ca |date=10 January 2024 |publisher=WSP Canada Inc. |access-date=15 March 2024 }}</ref>

Public transportation is handled by [[OC Transpo]] on the Ontario side, and the [[Société de transport de l'Outaouais|STO]] on the Quebec side. Together they serve a population over 1,130,761 and have an estimated annual ridership of over 113.2 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://octranspo.com/admin/Facts_Figures/Facts_ridership.htm |access-date=March 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114230120/http://octranspo.com/admin/Facts_Figures/Facts_ridership.htm |archive-date=January 14, 2009 |title=	Population and Ridership }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sto.ca/a_propos/donnees_statistiques_e.html |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204001/http://www.sto.ca/a_propos/donnees_statistiques_e.html |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |title=STO Data and Statistics |publisher=STO}}</ref>

OC Transpo operates a [[light rail]] (LRT) system named the [[O-Train]] with three lines in operation. [[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]] is a north–south line using diesel-powered units and has just over 2 million riders per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octranspo.com/train_menue.htm |title=Light Rail Rapid Transit |publisher=octranspo.com |year=2010 |access-date=August 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709145246/http://www.octranspo.com/train_menue.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Line 1 (O-Train)|Line 1]] links the western suburbs and the eastern suburbs via downtown, and uses electrically powered light-rail vehicles. Line 1 is 12.5&nbsp;km long with 13 stations, 3 of which are underground in downtown Ottawa. There is a [[Gatineau LRT|proposed LRT system]] in Gatineau that would connect with the Confederation and Trillium Lines in Ottawa.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gatineau reveals $2.1B LRT plan, eyes 2028 launch |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-aylmer-ottawa-light-rail-1.4713843 |access-date=20 December 2018 |work=CBC |date=20 June 2018}}</ref>

Gatineau's bus transitway, the [[Rapibus]], commenced operation in October 2013.

OC Transpo has about 1,050 buses which run on city streets and an expansive [[Ottawa Rapid Transit|Transitway]]. The STO has around 300 buses that serve the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, some routes crossing into downtown Ottawa.

[[Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport]] serves as the primary international airport for the NCR. In 2023, it accommodated over 4 million passengers, ranking it as the sixth busiest airport in Canada and the second busiest in Ontario. The airport provides non-stop flights to various destinations in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. Additionally, it is a key component of some of the nation's busiest air routes, offering hourly flights to and from [[Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport]] and [[Toronto Pearson International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://yow.ca/en/corporate/airport-authority/passenger-volume |title=YOW Passenger Volume (Enplaned and Deplaned) 2013-2023 |date=1 January 2024 |access-date=2024-02-06}}</ref>

== Area codes ==
The National Capital Region uses [[area codes 613, 343, and 753|613, 343, and 753]] on the Ontario side of the [[Ottawa River]], while [[area codes 819, 873, and 468|819, 873, and 468]] are used on the Quebec side.

For most of the second half of the 20th century, it was possible to make a call between Ottawa and Hull with only seven digits since the two cities were a single rate centre. An exchange protection scheme was implemented to preserve seven-digit dialing between the two cities. However, it was implemented in a way that if a 613 number was in use in Ottawa, the corresponding 819 number could not be used anywhere in western Quebec. Likewise, if an 819 number was in use in Hull, the corresponding 613 number could not be used anywhere in eastern Ontario. With the implementation of ten-digit local dialing since 2006, this practice has ceased. Despite this, a "dual dialability" system remains for federal government numbers, allowing for seamless communication across the provincial border.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=2b91bada-4613-47c3-991c-7c78afffbca3 |title=Hey, Ottawa, we've got your number: 343 |publisher=.canada.com |date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=August 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202090844/http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=2b91bada-4613-47c3-991c-7c78afffbca3 |archive-date=February 2, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/new-area-code-assigned-to-quebec-1.1019156 | work=CBC News | title=New area code assigned to Quebec | date=July 20, 2011}}</ref>

North American telephone customers placing calls to Ottawa or Gatineau may not recognise the charge details on their bills. The [[incumbent local exchange carrier]] on both sides of the river, [[Bell Canada]], continues to split Ottawa between 11 rate centres and Gatineau between five. The "Ottawa-Hull" rate centre only covers the areas that were the cities of Ottawa and Hull before the formation of the "megacities" of Ottawa and Gatineau, plus a few close-in suburbs.

== Newspapers ==
{{Main|Media in Ottawa–Gatineau#Newspapers}}

Three main daily local newspapers are printed in Ottawa: two English newspapers, the ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'' and the ''[[Ottawa Sun]]'', and one French newspaper, ''[[Le Droit]]''.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Canada|Ontario}}
* [[Eastern Ontario]]
* [[List of diplomatic missions in Ottawa]]
* [[Outaouais]]
* [[Southern Ontario]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web |title=National Capital Region - TheCanadianEncyclopedia.ca |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/national-capital-region |author=Julie Harris |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia |date=September 30, 2019 |access-date=28 February 2022 }}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|National Capital Region (Canada)}}
* [http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/ National Capital Commission]
* [http://www.warmuseum.ca/ Canadian War Museum]
* [http://www.civilization.ca/ Canadian Museum of Civilization]

{{Ottawa}}
{{Gatineau}}
{{Canada capitals}}
{{List of North American capitals}}
{{Census metropolitan areas by size}}
{{Great Lakes Megalopolis}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National Capital Region (Canada)]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Ontario]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Quebec]]
[[Category:Geographic regions of Ontario]]
[[Category:Geographic regions of Quebec]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Ottawa River]]