Introduction
Are you planning to move soon? But you’re hesitating or wondering why you should choose Ottawa over another Canadian city. You’ll be happy to know that Ottawa actually has a lot to offer. Canada’s Capital has wonderful sights and attractions, is family friendly and has government job opportunities. Read on to discover the 7 reasons why you should move to Ottawa!
1. Many Job Opportunities
The first reason why you should move to Ottawa is for its many job opportunities. If your career is an important part of your life, working in Ottawa might be great for you! The city is considered Canada’s tech hub. Ottawa counts more than 1,700 companies operating in the Life Sciences, Digital Media, Communications Technology, Software, Clean Tech, and Aerospace & Defence sectors, while the Ottawa Valley is particularly known for its advanced manufacturing industries. Moreover, as the capital of Canada, Ottawa has multiple opportunities to work for the federal government.
2. Lower Crime Rate
Ottawa is fortunately a quite safe city where you can feel secure and protected. According to Statistics Canada, Ottawa’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) stands at 48.3, while the Canadian Index stands at 73.4. Plus, the crime rate of the capital averages 3,253 crimes per 100,000 people, which is 39% lower than Canada’s average crime rate (5,301crime per 100,00 people) and proves that Ottawa is a safe community to live in.
3. Housing is More Affordable Than in Toronto
The 3rd reason involves the cost of living in Ottawa, which is lower than in Toronto. More precisely, Ottawa has housing prices that are considerably cheaper than many major cities in Canada. You can get better accomodation for less than it will cost you in Toronto, for instance. For a 1-bedroom apartment in Ottawa, the average rent cost is $1407, whereas in Toronto, the average rent cost for a similar accommodation is $1695.
4. Lots of Trails & Green Spaces
Another reason why you should move to Ottawa is for its many trails and green spaces. At over 1,300 sites, the city maintains 4,300 hectares of parkland. You could also go skating in the Rideau Canal, the longest skating rink in the world! Stretching for no less than 8 kilometres, the Rideau Canal opens 24/7 during the winter months. Moreover, you can enjoy Gatineau Park’s walking trails (365 square km). The park is located only 4 km away from Downtown Ottawa.
5. The City’s Bilingualism
Whether you’re bilingual (English-French) or you speak English or French, moving to Ottawa might be a good opportunity if you want to practice or learn one of these languages. As a matter of fact, Ottawa has a bilingual policy: “The City of Ottawa recognizes both official languages as having the same rights, status and privileges”. Besides, the University of Ottawa is the largest bilingual university in the world; you can either study in English or French.
6. Less Traffic Congestion
In comparison to Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, it is much more pleasant to drive to work in Ottawa. The capital does not experience as many traffic jams on its roads, though, there are a couple of rush hour periods during the week, especially in the 401 and the 417 highways.
7. Family-friendly City
Ottawa being a family-friendly city is the last reason why you should move to Ottawa. As mentioned above, the City of Ottawa benefits from 4,300 hectares of parkland, which includes 2,000 play structure components. So, if you have or you want kids, Ottawa is a great place to raise a family.
In addition to being safe and filled with recreational activities, you can find plenty of educational opportunities since the city is rich in history. It’s home to some of the best museums in the country, such as the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Science and Technology Museum and the Canadian Aviation and Space Museums.
Conclusion
Ottawa is safe and full of recreational and educational activities for families. The city has reasonable housing prices. Not to mention its amazing job market, with the Federal government representing the largest employment sector. This topic highlighting 7 of the countless reasons why you should move to Ottawa may just have convinced you.
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