Ottawa, Ontario

[cndngrl21]

Anyone have information about Ottawa? I will be moving there for fall 2011.

[lacultpop]

Anyone have information about Ottawa? I will be moving there for fall 2011.

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa - I grew up in the city. It's one of those places that you can't really fall in love with unless you've grown up there and it's kind of boring, but that depends where you're from too. U of O is located downtown close to the market and the Rideau Centre so it's quite convenient and the campus, despite having rarely any greenery, isn't bad. It has a lot of students and a major university vibe and there's always something going on (especially with the Telfer School of Management Kids and the Communications Students Association).

In terms of going out, Ottawa's nightlife is meh. I used to venture out to Bank Street to Babylon and Barrymore's. Sometimes for shows, sometimes for Mod Night. There's also Zaphod's (although I heard lately it's been pretty awful), the Manx on Elgin and The Dominion. You should avoid the market clubs at all costs, unless you like guys with spiky hair, white shoes, and too much testosterone.

Centretown is a nice neighbourhood. Ottawa has loads of coffee shops - try Bridgehead, everything they serve is fantastic. Other ones of note: Wellington West Village is really up and coming, lots of theatre, nice shops, walkable (unlike most of Ottawa). Preston (Little Italy) is also great. Sussex Drive is nice for a walk and there's some nice shopping there. Stop by the courtyard and go to my favourite cafe in the entire city "Planet Coffee". It's well known, kind of hidden, nice patio, but the bad part is they have no internet. Go for the vibe not the coffee.

If you're looking for some shopping, there's a few shops down Dalhousie Street. The area is still in the midst of gentrification but you may find some great pieces by some Canadian and other intl designers at Victoire Boutique.

The one great thing about Ottawa is galleries - there are tons of them. The National Art Gallery, Cube Gallery, Gallery 101, SPAO, there are so many out there and sometimes you have to dig to find them but that's part of the fun

Another great thing about Ottawa is food: Le Cordon Bleu school ups the standards of the place, and chefs here are wonderful. I know you're a student but if you'd like to indulge once in awhile, head over to Beckta, Domus, Wellington Gastro Pub, Absinthe Cafe, and Black Cat Bistro. These places are fantastic!

Ottawa has a large population of Lebanese and so the shawarma is considered to be the top in Canada (I can attest to this, I've tried it almost everywhere!). There's one place that you MUST visit. It's known in the city as the best place. It's known across Canada actually, it's called SHAWARMA PALACE, on the corner of Rideau and Chapel. Everything on the menu is awesome and well priced for the amount of food you get.

In the summer, stop at Piccolo Grande in the Market for some gelato.

Make sure to go watch a movie at the Bytowne.

Think that's my list. One thing I loved about growing up in Ottawa is the ability to be bilingual. It is truly the only city in Canada where you'll hear the same amount of English as French.

Ottawa is really a beautiful city scenery wise. It's great for cycling, has tons of parks and greenery and festivals in the summer. But you really have to go out and discover for yourself.

Hope that helps!!

[calum]

Lacultpo,

What is the rent like in Ottawa? I'm coming from Montreal where you can find a 1 bedroom for $650 with hardwood floors and big windows. Any tips on apartment hunting sites, other than Craigslist? Is there a time of year where everyone's lease is up and everyone moves around? In Montreal most leases start July 1st so its best to look in May and June.

Much appreciated,

Calum

[trevaskis]

How feasible is it to take trips to Toronto/Montreal? Google maps gives me the impression they are five hour and two and a half hour drives away.

[sore_bud]

I didn't know where else to put this but I thought some people coming to canada would be interested.

For anyone interested in Arabic TV, I got an email this morning from Talfazat-ART that was advertising a free month of their service.

Talfazat-ART is an Arabic IPTV service that broadcasts only Arabic Channels.

Looks like they are running with a model similar to netflix where they want you to try their service out before you put down any money for it.

Plus... with all the stuff going on in the region it's a pretty eventful time for Arabic TV.

I've got this for my parents (The TV Receiver version) and it works pretty good. I watched a lot of the Egypt Revolution coverage on Al Jazeera English , which was pretty amazing.

They've been also covering lots of what's going on now in Libya, Bahrain and pretty much the whole region.

In any case, this isn't in the freebies section because you do have to use you CC to sign up... but like all promos like this, you are free to cancel anytime before your renewal date.

Their video quality is good, and they've got a pretty decent viewing interface(web player), and some pretty neat time shifting features.

If you haven't seen it before you should check it out.... I've been a subscriber for a while and they run promos once in a while... but I've never seen a "Free Trial" one before.

Below is the link from the email, but if you head to the website the offer is on the main page(www.talfazat-art.com) anyway. Promo Code I was given is TRYPCFREED4

http://www.talfazat-art.com/?&ref=E_...er_EMV1-010411

EDIT- Looks like this offer has been live since the beginning of April and it expires April 30th.

[Poppet]

How feasible is it to take trips to Toronto/Montreal? Google maps gives me the impression they are five hour and two and a half hour drives away.

Well, it's true, that's how long it takes. The good thing about Montreal is that two and a half hours (or two hours if you drive fast) really isn't that long a time. I used to have a long-distance relationship and would take the 4pm bus to Ottawa every Friday afternoon, arriving at 6:30pm just in time for dinner, and would leave on Monday afternoon to make my evening classes in Ottawa. When you are a student, the bus ticket is only $20 (+ tax) each way. You can do your readings on the bus and spend the whole weekend in Montreal. Also, it's not a very common option, but I have driven to Montreal in the morning, arrived for lunch and and dinner with friends, and driven back in the evening. It is doable.

As for Toronto, yes, that is a longer trip. I still regularly go to Toronto for long weekends though, driving or taking the train up there on the Thursday or Friday, and coming back Sunday or Monday. If you're interested in visiting either city, it is definitely feasible and you can have a good time taking a weekend off to go.

[Catalyst77]

Lacultpo,

What is the rent like in Ottawa? I'm coming from Montreal where you can find a 1 bedroom for $650 with hardwood floors and big windows. Any tips on apartment hunting sites, other than Craigslist? Is there a time of year where everyone's lease is up and everyone moves around? In Montreal most leases start July 1st so its best to look in May and June.

Much appreciated,

Calum

If you're going to UOttawa, the rent in Sandy Hill (the area most students live in) is pricier than some Canadian cities, but not the worst. I'm living about as close to the edge of campus as you can get, and I'm paying $850 plus utilities for a newly-renovated one-bedroom. You can live for much cheaper if you're willing to bus in to campus ($650 for one bedroom unit, but not super nice places, even less if you go farther out). Also, try looking at the housing board on the UOttawa website. That's where I found my place! Lots of great options there in all different locations.

If you're going to Carleton, I'm afraid I can't help you that much. =)

Good luck, and I hope you totally enjoy Ottawa!!

[ethanh]

Guys, I have applied to Carleton for engineering and am expecting a call. Anyone having some idea how is the engineering scene at Carleton..like reputation wise etc.??

[aqih]

Hi all.

I'm from Malaysia.

My friends and I (about 50 people) planned to go for a study trip to Uni of Ottawa on July 2012.

So, can you help me in searching for :

1) Place to sleep nearby

- We're in a large group, so whats your suggestion. And hopefully it is cheap and close to the town.

2) Interest places to go/visit for a group

- Maybe a bit beneficial because it is a study trip.

- Shopping centers. To buy gifts/souvenir for family as memories. Hee

- Parks

- Anywhere interesting~

3) Halal Restaurants or market perhaps?

- Any Muslim restaurants/stalls/diner nearby?

4) Public Transports

- How about public transports there? By bus or what..

- From airport, what are the public transports available?

Thanks for your help!

[icarus99]

Bumping this!

Anyone going to Ottawa this Fall 2012? Any tips of where to find apartments/roommates besides the uOttawa board, kijijii and Craigslist? Is there a specific area where grad students live? What month is better for looking for a place? What areas are better to avoid?

Thanks!

[booksnlooks]

Bumping this!

Anyone going to Ottawa this Fall 2012? Any tips of where to find apartments/roommates besides the uOttawa board, kijijii and Craigslist? Is there a specific area where grad students live? What month is better for looking for a place? What areas are better to avoid?

Thanks!

I did my undergrad at Carleton so while I can't tell you where uOttawa grad students live, I can tell you where to avoid: Vanier. The inexpensive places to live in Vanier are in a very sketchy part of town.

[heneyka]

Here's my two cents:

I went to Uottawa in my undergrad and live in ottawa now (off to Calgary though!). If you're looking for somewhere that's close to school and you can have an easy and rich social life, I recommend Sandy Hill. It's close to school, not that much more expensive to live than further away, and even though it's 'sketchier' than a white-bread suburb, it's relatively safe...especially compared to Vanier! Sandy hill does have a lot of undergrads, but if you find a place north of Laurier, it's a bit quieter than south and just as close to the Uni. This is also where many embassies and well-to-do Ottawans live, so it's not a "student ghetto" as you might typically see elsewhere. I currently live in Sandy Hill as a non-student and I love it.

TBH, Vanier's getting much better in terms of safety and security, but is certainly a little more colourful than some people feel comfortable with. I just can't recommend it to someone who doesn't know Ottawa that well.

Another good and close neighbourhood is Centretown, just west of the Rideau Canal. The "golden triangle" is Canal to Elgin street, and it's pretty safe and student-filled, plus it's close to an older crowd versus undergrads in Sandy Hill. The entertainment and food in that area are good too! Try the Manx for a good Sunday brunch! Plus, Ottawa's central public library is just around Metcalfe and Albert, so if you're in that region you're close to a great study zone outside of the U of O.

If you want to save money but not be too, too far from school, I'd recommend planting yourself somewhere close to the Transitway. Lees, Hurdman, and even Lincoln fields stations have lots of surrounding apartments and small houses that are sometimes more affordable than Sandy hill. I should also note that you might find 'nicer' accomodation for money in these spots or further-off places, since many downtown apartments that are relatively affordable are older houses. They have charm and character, but they won't necessarily look super modern.

If you have a car, feel free to live in the Burbs! They'll be much more affordable.

Finally, my favourite neighbourhood.is Hintonburg. I lived there for a year and loved it, and a 2- bedroom cost me and my roomie $995 with parking and most utilities included. If you find a place close to the transitway, it's only about 15 mins to the university. Check out this awesome blog post about it: http://apt613.ca/bet...ood-hintonburg/

Hope this is somewhat helpful! (and not too long!)

Edited April 20, 2012 by heneyka

[AmyRebecca]

Good Morning,

I just wanted to check and see if anyone else had been or is going to Carleton. I should be starting my MSW there this fall (provided I don't get off the waitlist at U of T). And thought I would start seeing if anyone else out there is going - if they have started looking for a place to live at all (where the best places are). And if anyone has any recommendation on residence vs. living in an apartment or in a room of a house.

[booksnlooks]

I went to Carleton for my undergrad and loved it there! A lot of leases around Carleton start in May so people often look pretty early but I'm sure there are still plenty of options. I lived in residence each year and enjoyed it. Grad students live in Leeds House, which has 4-bedroom apartments with 2 bathrooms and a kitchenette (stove top and full-sized fridge but no oven). You also have the option of getting a meal plan but it's not mandatory.

As for apartments, there are several options along Bronson Ave, Prince of Wales Dr, and Alta Vista & Smyth. The first two are within walking distance and all are along bus routes (although POW buses don't run to Carleton on weekends). Housing options are typically found in the POW/Dynes area and Sunnyside Ave (Sunnyside is super close to campus).

[harryjhon1106]

Hi welcome to this forum site.

I think carleton is very good city because its have many place for wondering. you can refer to your friends as well as we have good solution.you can get better opportunities from us.

You can find the lot of notes from us.it have a lots opportunities.

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[nomadic_joe]

I am starting my PhD studies in the fall at Carleton; I have never lived in Ottawa before, I am from BC and have only spent one weekend there, so I would love to get some tips and advice as well. I have been looking at apartments on craigslist and kijiji and have narrowed the best areas down to the Glebe and the "Golden Triangle" (off Elgin street), since my girlfriend is going to be attending the University of Ottawa for her Masters too, and those locations are both in between the two campuses. Let's get this thread going and maybe we can get some advice and bounce some ideas off each other. I am arriving in August so I'm a bit worried about finding a place right away...

[booksnlooks]

@nomadic_joe Those are nice places! A friend of mine lived in an apartment on Elgin and enjoyed it - she lived there for 3 years. I recommend using Google Maps to sort out how easy/hard it will be to get to campus from there. You'll probably have to walk a bit before catching the bus (either route 4 or 7). As far as I know, that area isn't a hot spot for students for you might have an easier time getting a place.

[Skip]

Heading to NPSIA/Carleton in September as well... I hear the Glebe area is a great bet. Anyone know how much rent should be?

Also, debating having random roommates or getting a single apartment... any advice?

[AmyRebecca]

I went to visit the campus/city this past weekend.

I would definitely recommend checking out the Glebe and Old Ottawa South. The Glebe has a lot of local shops and places to walk to and a lot of character. Old Ottawa South is very residential but also beautiful.

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out the city/campus yet - you will be pleasantly surprised when you do. Although the buildings aren't particularly old, the actual property that the campus sits on is beautiful. After going to visit in person, I am definitely looking forward to moving there.

I think I've decided that I am going to get an apartment/live alone rather than rent with people. I feel like at 26 I may be a little too old for a house full of people. This will definitely be more expensive (From what I have seen anywhere from $750+ -- usually around $850 with parking). That's another thing I realized this past weekend, if you are bringing a car with you to campus, try as much as possible to get parking included. Street parking is more expensive, and they can change parking signs at anytime - in which case your car gets towed. (Speaking from experience).

[nomadic_joe]

Thanks for the update Amy. I haven't ever been there and its good to hear that it is nice. I am arriving in August and have been looking at apartments online. I am 26 too and going to be living with my girlfriend. We really want to get a dog so I am hoping I can find a place with a backyard but I don't know if that will be possible. I also noticed that parking is expensive and have decided to sell my car and rely on public transport, but who knows, if we really end up needing a car I will have to buy another one. I am definitely leaning towards living in the Glebe but it does cost more than other areas, so we will see. I am planning on spending about $1000 a month all in, so I hope we can find something for that price.

[Skip]

I went to visit the campus/city this past weekend.

I would definitely recommend checking out the Glebe and Old Ottawa South. The Glebe has a lot of local shops and places to walk to and a lot of character. Old Ottawa South is very residential but also beautiful.

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out the city/campus yet - you will be pleasantly surprised when you do. Although the buildings aren't particularly old, the actual property that the campus sits on is beautiful. After going to visit in person, I am definitely looking forward to moving there.

I think I've decided that I am going to get an apartment/live alone rather than rent with people. I feel like at 26 I may be a little too old for a house full of people. This will definitely be more expensive (From what I have seen anywhere from $750+ -- usually around $850 with parking). That's another thing I realized this past weekend, if you are bringing a car with you to campus, try as much as possible to get parking included. Street parking is more expensive, and they can change parking signs at anytime - in which case your car gets towed. (Speaking from experience).

Thanks for the update Amy! I'm a little younger (22) and I definitely feel like I would like to have some company but I'm not sure how I would feel about living with some random people!

[MissMoneyJenny]

I'm about to go into my fourth year of my undergrad in Ottawa and have lived around the city my whole life.

The majority of the students who go to the University of Ottawa live in Sandy Hill. Housing is expensive in the neighborhood, and the residents who are not students have recently been getting really peeved off about the undergrad partying scene in the neighborhood. Some streets are louder than others, but there are plenty of landlords who only want older, mature or graduate students. Vanier is nearby and cheaper than Sandy Hill, but it's pretty sketchy and I personally neve go there despite the best thrift stores in Ottawa being located there. Bachelors start at around $700 in this neighborhood, and it's about $1250 for a two bedroom. Whether the apartments are nice or not is hit and miss, and I strongly recommend making a trip to Ottawa to check them out before agreeing to sign a lease. September is the busiest move in time of the year and May is the busiest move out time.

Centretown is another nice close area, and personally I am considering moving there once I am done my undergrad if I end up staying in Ottawa. The residents in this area are more of the 20-something crowd. It's a bit more expensive than Sandy Hill, but it has more of a downtown feel to it, where as Sandy Hill is more of a residential area feel. Elgin is a gorgeous street, and the rents are a bit more there but the apartments are pretty nice. Bank is also nice and has some good clubs on it. As mentioned before, the best places to go for nightlife are Barrymore's, Babylon and Zaphods (but not on Saturdays) and most of the pubs which are not clubs in the market are good for a beer so long as you get there early enough to find a table (but not everywhere is busy). They are scattered everywhere downtown so once you move there just test out what's around where you end up living, I'm sure you'll find a place you like.

If you want to live further away, there are plenty of places along the transit way which would provide for fast transportation downtown. Just browse around. I can't recommend any other place to look for apartments other than kijiji and the UOttawa student housing billboard, but emailing specific property management companies might be in your best interest because sometimes they don't list their apartments.

I unfortunately don't know the area around Carleton University very well. I know it's difficult to get to from certain areas of town, no direct major bus routes unfortunately. But the rents around this school tend to be cheaper, because they're not downtown locations.

As for areas to avoid; Vanier, Bayshore, Blair.

[gbb]

Bumping this!

Anyone going to Ottawa this Fall 2012? Any tips of where to find apartments/roommates besides the uOttawa board, kijijii and Craigslist? Is there a specific area where grad students live? What month is better for looking for a place? What areas are better to avoid?

Thanks!

Same boat as you, desperately looking for a place to live while attending Carleton

[MissMoneyJenny]

Same boat as you, desperately looking for a place to live while attending Carleton

Carleton has a housing board as well: http://www2.carleton.ca/housing/off-campus-housing/off-campus-accommodation-listings/

[FCP]

Best and worst places to live in ottawa anyone?