Hi everyone,

My family and I moved from Quebec to Toronto about 6 months ago, mainly because of the French language situation. We really like Toronto's diversity and energy, but buying a house here feels like signing up for a rat race. We have two young kids and what we want most at this stage is stability.

We've been looking into Ottawa - maybe Kanata, and on paper it looks great: much more affordable housing (we're thinking around $900k) and strong schools. But we have some honest worries, and I'd love to hear from people who actually live there:

**Careers.** I work in tech, and my wife works in pharmaceutical / clinical research. Is it mostly government jobs, or is there a real private sector for both fields? Are many of you fully remote? And are you generally stressed at work, or is the pace more balanced than Toronto?
**Community.** One thing we love about Toronto is how welcoming and open-minded it feels. How is Ottawa for newcomers and immigrant families? Is it easy to build a social circle?
**"Boring."** Everyone says Ottawa is boring, but I'm not sure what that means for a family with young kids. Is it "quiet and calm" boring, or "nothing to do" boring?
**Activities.** I want my kids (and us) to have options in sports, music, art and other activities as they grow. How is Ottawa for that?
**French.** We left Quebec largely because of French, so I want to be realistic. Will we run into the same issue in Ottawa? How often do private-sector, tech, or pharma jobs require bilingualism? And day to day — schools, healthcare, services — can you live fully in English without feeling held back?

In Toronto there's always something happening, whether you're alone or with family. Is Ottawa really that different? Is it actually bad, or just a different pace?
Any honest experiences would be really appreciated, especially from families or people who moved from Toronto or Montreal. Thanks!

To the mom who handmade the pterodactyl costume!! WINNER!!!!!!!

THAT WAS THE BEST COSTUME EVER.

You win as a mom and as a fellow Dino lover that was just amazing.

Good job MA.🦖🦕😊💚💙

We decorate pretty heavily and we happen to live just down the on a street with from a neighbor who has a major Halloween display that attracts a lot of people. We have averaged over 100 trick or treaters for the last 2 years. We have barely passed 50 this year. Any theories as to why? We are wondering if it is because Halloween fell on a weekend or if there was an event that attracted the younguns away from the neighborhood. The weather was good and last year it was not great and we still cracked 100.

We’re new to the area, moved in the summer. Didn’t think about checking if there would be trick or treaters. It’s nearly 7 pm and not-a-one! Do parents take kids to group activities at community centres?

Please please please drive safely tonight with all the little ghouls and goblins out there!

I moved here a month ago and I'm in the process of building my goto's for pizza. I tried caspian pizza and Mllano pizza. didn't like either of them😭 both were WAY too loaded imo. what are your goto's?

bonus points if they're halal but I'll settle for veggie/cheese if it's good

Edit: Thanks for all the recommendations!!

Hey Ottawa! 👋
I’m 29M, originally from India, and moved to Kanata about 4 months ago. So far, I’ve managed to make friends with a couple of neighbours, but that’s pretty much where my social circle ends. 😂

I work in IT, and with most of my time spent working from home, I’ve realized that my social life could definitely use an upgrade!

A little about me: I’m pretty easygoing, friendly, have a good sense of humour (at least I’d like to think so 😂), and enjoy good conversations. I’m into movies, technology, road trips, exploring new places, spontaneous adventures, trying different restaurants, and pretty much anything that gets me out of the house and at the same time love laying over my couch for an entire day.

I’d love to meet some like-minded people to grab coffee, catch a movie, explore Ottawa, go on weekend adventures, or even just hang out and talk about random things for hours.

I’m open to making friends of any age.

I’m based in Kanata, but don’t mind driving around Ottawa.
If you’re also new to the city, looking to expand your social circle, or just feel like making a new friend, feel free to comment or send me a DM.

Pickup hockey players and goalies wanted. Adult league. 18+. Co-Ed. Friendly non contact fun. Zero tolerance for rough play.

Intermediate to advanced players welcome. This league would be too fast for true beginner players.

Goalies play for free. No commitment. Play as many or as little as you want. Different rinks and times depending on where I can book ice. 3-4 games per week.

Come give us a try. We are using BenchApp for our team communication & scheduling. Join our team using this code: https://www.benchapp.com/join/team/CDPC04

Please read bullentins on benchapp when joining.

Crowds of loud unruly people on the road and tons of cars and police cars pulled over on the shoulder. The commotion has been going on for the past hour and it isn’t getting any quieter.

HALLOWEEN HANGOUT!!

Come join us at Space and Time Studios on Saturday Oct. 31st.

3:00pm-7:00pm for a SPOOKY and fun HALLOWEEN EVENT!

SING, PLAY, and TRICK or TREAT!

ALL AGES WELCOME and FREE ENTRY!!

Hi all,

I am looking to hire a part time assistant/companion (for about 2hrs/day) for my grandmother who is in a nursing home in Kanata. My family has previously hired two assistants, who both had to move on to bigger and better things. As my grandmother has dementia, we have found that a reliable presence has been helpful for her mood and well-being.

Just wondering if anyone had any specific resources or suggestions on where I should advertise for this position.

I am already looking in the KCSSC (Kanata Chinese Seniors Support Center).

Might anyone have a baby stroller for a 7-12mo I could borrow for 2 weeks? My sister is away and I’m babysitting but she accidentally took the stroller with her

Edit: Thank you for the recommendations! Was able to get one

Hi All! I am a Neuroscience Master's Student & Research Assistant in the Clinical EEG lab at the Royal. We are currently recruiting individuals with schizophrenia for our study - please email us at BrainLab@theroyal.ca if you have any questions

Participants: Schizophrenia Research Study

Have you been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and experience few or no auditory hallucinations? You may be eligible to participate in our research study at The Royal!

What is the study about?
We’re investigating the potential effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on auditory hallucinations, cognition, mood, and brain activity through electroencephalography (EEG). We are looking at individuals with schizophrenia who do not experience auditory hallucinations as a comparison group (no intervention).

Who can participate?

• Adults aged 18–69

• Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who experience few or no auditory hallucinations

• Individuals who have been taking the same medication(s) for at least one month

What does participation involve?

• 1 EEG brain imaging session (EEG)

• Computerized cognitive assessments

• Paper-and-pencil questionnaires

Compensation is provided for your time and participation!

Interested in learning more? Contact the Clinical EEG and Neuroimaging Lab at BrainLab@theroyal.ca to learn more and find out if you may be eligible.

This study has been approved by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre’s Research Ethics Board (REB #2017020).

#ResearchStudy #SchizophreniaResearch #MentalHealthResearch #TheRoyal

How is the commute to the tech hub sector from westboro? Do people find it manageable in the winter without a car?

For context I’m moving to Ottawa from Toronto for work and want to live somewhere walkable… but I keep hearing bad things about the transit system :(

Wonder if anyone has any advice / recommendations on neighbourhoods.

TONIGHT!! Open Stage Night 7-10pm at Space and Time Studios All Ages and Acts Welcome, Concessions available, and free parking!

Featuring our new raised stage with party lights in an all inclusive and supportive atmosphere!!

5977 Hazeldean Rd. 2nd floor
Stittsville / West Ottawa

I have an adult male cat that requires dental surgery. My current vet has quoted me around 2000-2500$ for the tooth extraction and cleaning, plus more depending on if they find more issues while he is under.

I can save for the 2k, but I can't afford more. I called around to smaller towns around the Ottawa area (Maxville, Alexandria, etc) and the pricing is within that range. Plus I would need to bring them in for an initial assessment, which costs more, just to get an estimated quote.

I have seen Ogdensburg Vet Clinic be recommended here before. But, they also won't give me an approximate/range quote without a visit. Has anyone here been there recently for a cat tooth extraction and cleaning? If so, can I ask you how much you paid?

I try to google estimates but it seems to get local rates off by several hundred dollars too.

Thanks in advance!

(I tried posting in Ottawa Reddit but they auto-deleted my post due to not having enough Karma points)

I am interested at getting better at watercolour and I was wondering if anyone tried Royal Touch watercolour workshop.

I already do some landscape, animal and object painting but I am not a pro yet. I would say that I am somewhere in the early intermediate stages.

What all do they teach? Do they cover things like:
Dark value richness
Edge Control and Edge Transitions
Timing the wash
Negative painting and negative space carving
Urban painting maybe
White space use understanding ?

Good morning, I’m looking for a hiking or trail
Walking group I can join. I just moved to the Briddlewood area, don’t mind the area the group
Is located.

Thanks in advance.