More Than a Boring Government Town

Let’s face it; Ottawa doesn’t have the best reputation for its fun factor. But one company is trying to change that!

Invest Ottawa is challenging the Capital’s dull name with the Why Ottawa project. The project argues Ottawa is not only the best city in Canada, but the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

The investment agency has come up with more than 65 incredible reasons why Ottawa is a prime location for top talent to work, play and grow.

Here are just a few points:

• Ottawa sees 2084 hours of sunshine a year making it the sunniest city in Ontario.
• It has the country’s most educated workforce.
• The combined area of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver can all fit inside Ottawa.
• Ottawa was voted the most sustainable city in Canada.
• Ottawa was rated second for quality of living for large cities in North America and placed 14th in the world.
• The city has the second highest concentration of scientists and engineers in North America.
• Ottawa is the least expensive Canadian city to live in.
• There are four post-secondary institutions that collect about 120,000 students annually.
• It is a very bilingual city with 44 per cent of the population speaking both English and French.

The Why Ottawa story aims to empower business leaders and ambassadors across the city to deliver the same key messages about Ottawa’s value to international partners and clients.

“It took us almost two years to gather all this data in one spot so that every person in Ottawa can tell our great story and so we are all singing from the same song sheet,” explains Bruce Lazenby, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa.

Also participating in the evolution of the Why Ottawa message is Mayor Jim Watson, who is co-chair of Invest Ottawa’s Board of Directors. He has delivered the information on numerous occasions even while overseas in China.

“This presentation clearly explains why Ottawa is the best place in the country for people to work, play and grow and why we are the perfect home to start and grow a business,” says Mayor Watson.

Business leaders and key stakeholders are invited to use the presentation when selling their expertise abroad. It is available for download here. The project is also accessible on YouTube, click here to take a look.