[flar]

I'm moving to Ottawa in the next few weeks. I'll be looking to rent something with three bedrooms.

Good areas?
Areas to avoid?
Is it realistic for a non French speaker to live in Gatineau?
What are rents like?
Anything else I should know?

[m0nkyman]

Where in Ottawa are you working... cause that would affect where I'd suggest you look for housing.

[flar]

Where in Ottawa are you working... cause that would affect where I'd suggest you look for housing.

Downtown Hull (if that's what you call it), not far from the Museum of Civilization.

[kwoldtimer]

Flar: It will be great to have you join us. I have enjoyed your excellent photo threads on the Hamilton site and will be watching to see what you do with "Oddawa" (you may as well learn now!).:cheers:

[rodionx]

If you want to walk to work occasionally, then Hull, Centretown (including Chinatown), or the Market area would do, as long as you're nearish one of the bridges. The only sketchy areas in that range would be the section of the Market that borders King Edward, and maybe the core parts of Hull. Parts of Chinatown, especially around Booth street are, ummm, roachy. The most salubrious neighbourhood in this range is the Golden Triangle, which is the area between Elgin and the Canal.

The rents are probably similar to what they are in Hamilton - perhaps a bit more. Check kijiji to get a rough idea. Cheapest rents will be in Hull, but beware: what the landlord giveth, the Quebec government taketh away. The next cheapest neighbourhood would probably be Chinatown.

The core part of Ottawa is very walkable, so the best way to look for an apartment is just to walk around until you find an area you like, and then look for For Rent signs.

[ajldub]

Flar go for the Market, you won't be disappointed. Oh yeah please don't forget to pack your camera...

The ultimate photographic showdown in 2009: Flar, dispossessed Hamiltonian, launched across Ontario in pursuit of new subject matter for his lense, and in the other corner Harls, hometown favourite and longtime photographic chronicler of the Nation's Capital, now facing adversity for the title of Ottawa's premier photographer. Who will prevail? No one can tell, but it is going to be a visually stunning year on SSP to be sure...

[Ottawade]

Finding a 3-bedroom place might be difficult, but Centertown is a great neighborhood. Rent is around $1000 for a 1 bedroom these days

[flar]

Thanks for the input guys.

Looks like it will be tough to find a 3 bedroom I can afford in the central areas. My wife also insists on having a washer and dryer (can't argue with that). There are tons of listings to go through, but it looks like we should find something somewhat central. It would be nice to walk to work, but as long as I can use public transit I'll be fine.

Of course I'll be bringing my camera to Ottawa, can't wait to start exploring a new city.

[hackunion]

My roommate and I are moving out of our 2 bedroom Centretown apartment (O'Connor & Lisgar) at the end of April. We pay $1200 a month. I need to start looking for another place too...

[waterloowarrior]

Maybe try the West end.. Westboro, Hintonberg, Hampton Park. There is good transit access in the area. Some of my friends have lived in the Melrose Ave area, not sure about the prices.

Maybe try 'Ottawa East' (east side of the canal near the 417 and mail street)... a few of my friends with small families live in the neighbourhood and enjoy it.

[harls]

Hey Flar that's awesome - welcome to town!

Myself I moved from Montreal 3 years ago (almost to the day, actually) and I found an old matchstick house for rent in Hull. It was $750 a month 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath.. I could walk to work in 30 mins (downtown Ottawa west end), or ride my bike in 10. Don't believe the things you hear about Hull.. if you find a nice quiet street like I did it was great.. could use more trees though.

Is it realistic for a non French speaker to live in Gatineau?

Right now I live in Aylmer (west end of Gatineau) and actually here I hear more English than I did in Montreal. You could probably get by very easily not knowing French, but it doesn't hurt to try. As for distance to your work, it usually takes about 25 minutes or less by the bus, and there are a lot of them. Not trying to sell you on Quebec, but it's a great experience (and rodinox is right, the tax man will take more from your pay, but if you have kids, 7 dollar a day day care can't be beat).

We looked at Ottawa when we were moving here, but my wife works at the hospital in Hull and changing car insurance, licenses, health cards and all that crap didn't make much sense at the time. I've lived in 4 provinces and I know what a hassle it can be... still have my old Ontario license from when I lived in Toronto.

PM me if you want to know more about town and what it's like to move here.

ajldub, my pics look like shit compared to Flar's.. not even in the same league!

[Davis137]

Look for apartments or entire houses for rent in Hintonburg, Mechanicsville, and Wellington Village...they are very easily accessable by bus, and you can get to work pretty cheap and fast too. My wife and I live in Hintonburg, and though it's not as nice or upscale as other parts of the city, it's starting to become an in-demand neighbourhood, close to ammenities (with more on the way sometime soon), and is less expensive. If you wanna find it online, look at maps of Ottawa, and look for "Tunney's Pasture", as Hintonburg borders the south side of this gov't complex, as well as south east of it. We're located westward, outside the downtown, but certainly closer to work than the suburbs.

BTW, LOVE your photo posts on Hamilton...I was born there, and raised in Brantford/Dundas/Hamilton, so I know that area pretty well.

Good luck to you with O-town...

[Aylmer]

I'm moving to Ottawa in the next few weeks. I'll be looking to rent something with three bedrooms.

Good areas?
Areas to avoid?
Is it realistic for a non French speaker to live in Gatineau?
What are rents like?
Anything else I should know?

Try anything inside the Greenbelt.
Not really.
Yes, but don't go too far into the countryside.
Dunno.
Don't eat yellow snow.

:)

[YOWetal]

Thanks for the input guys.

Looks like it will be tough to find a 3 bedroom I can afford in the central areas. My wife also insists on having a washer and dryer (can't argue with that). There are tons of listings to go through, but it looks like we should find something somewhat central. It would be nice to walk to work, but as long as I can use public transit I'll be fine.

Of course I'll be bringing my camera to Ottawa, can't wait to start exploring a new city.

Getting to the Museum of Civilization from Ottawa on public transport can be inconvenient. Depending on your income you are looking at a few hundred dollars more in income tax if you live in Quebec, but the lower rents will make up for this.

This will allow you to find out the tax difference based on your exact income:

http://www.taxtips.ca/calculators/taxcalculator.htm

http://www.taxtips.ca/calculators/qctaxcalc.htm

If you have kids you will also want to consider schools, which can be an issue in Hull and also lots of the "transitioning" neighbourhoods (e.g. Lowertown, Vanier) .

Ottawa elementary school rankings are here:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/2009-school-rankings/index.html

[Mille Sabords]

Welcome Flar! Good to have you here, and like many others who've discovered Hamilton through your lens I look forward to your shots of O.T.

I have a buddy who recently went through a similar search, moving from Fargo ND. to Ottawa (!!) and he ended up renting a 3 bedroom + den townhouse in New Edinburgh. He and his GF are both employed so the rent of $1700 wasn't too much of a strain for the area they scored.

Not far from my place at Stewart & Nelson (Sandy Hill) there is a 3-bedroom place for rent: 160 Stewart (http://orebweb2.oreb.ca/mlssearch/frm_SearchMlsDetails.asp?x_mls_num=719679) and it goes for $2150 a month, laundry in basement shared with one or two other units I think. Check that MLS site too though, you never know.

What otehrs have said is good advice: Market, Hintonburg, downtown Hull, and look for townhouses not just apartments, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Let us know when you're in town. :cheers:

[harls]

Not far from my place at Stewart & Nelson (Sandy Hill) there is a 3-bedroom place for rent: 160 Stewart (http://orebweb2.oreb.ca/mlssearch/frm_SearchMlsDetails.asp?x_mls_num=719679) and it goes for $2150 a month, laundry in basement shared with one or two other units I think.

Shit that's expensive. Almost 3x as much as my place. Location, location!

[flar]

So Hintonburg is not too bad? Some people were telling me to avoid that area (and Mechanicsville). I get the feeling they are older areas. Maybe they're people who like suburban style neighbourhoods?

I'll have to see for myself, I hope to make a whirlwind hunting trip to Ottawa later this week.

[Ottawade]

Taking the thread off topic: I've been thinking a photo tour might be a good way to have an SSP Ottawa meet. Give spring a few weeks and flar making his way here all the right conditions seem to be coming together...

[Acajack]

So Hintonburg is not too bad? Some people were telling me to avoid that area (and Mechanicsville). I get the feeling they are older areas. Maybe they're people who like suburban style neighbourhoods?

I'll have to see for myself, I hope to make a whirlwind hunting trip to Ottawa later this week.

These are traditionally poorer working-class areas that are gentrifying. They are not all the way there but for the most part are coming along nicely.

Much better areas than downtown Hull on the Gatineau side, where only a few streets (near Laurier and the museum and west across the Ruisseau de la Brasserie) can really be called gentrified.

[Acajack]

If you have kids you will also want to consider schools, which can be an issue in Hull and also lots of the "transitioning" neighbourhoods (e.g. Lowertown, Vanier) .





Most Hull schools are not iffy, except perhaps for the elementary one right downtown which is École Notre-Dame on Papineau.

Most other schools are like your average school anywhere, including the two or three English ones that are located in Hull.

Not aware of Flar’s background but note that in order to send kids to English school in Quebec one of the two parents has to have gone to school in English in Canada, or the kid (or a sibling) has to have already started school in English in Canada.

[Acajack]

Getting to the Museum of Civilization from Ottawa on public transport can be inconvenient.

I'd say it's probably not so bad. I see OC Transpo (Ottawa) buses lined up near the museum all the time, and quite a bunch of them stop at Portage (in the pseudo-tunnel) which is just a few blocks away. Downtown Hull near the river is actually walking distance from Rideau Street in Ottawa as well, which is a major transit hub.


Depending on your income you are looking at a few hundred dollars more in income tax if you live in Quebec, but the lower rents will make up for this.


If Flar is coming for a job that is worth moving cities for, then he is probably looking at a few thousand dollars difference in income tax by living in Quebec. But as YOWetal said, the rents would make up for most of this (on an annual basis), plus child care - if you are using it - at $7 a day also is a big plus in Quebec.

[Aylmer]

There really arn't any ''Dangerous'' residential areas in Ottawa. You can pretty much go walking anywhere where people live day and night without much worry.
Crime here is alot more underground than in some other cities.
(ex.: I have lived in Ottawa my whole life and have never seen a drug transaction, yet I've seen a douzen in Montréal)

:)

[rodionx]

There really arn't any ''Dangerous'' residential areas in Ottawa. You can pretty much go walking anywhere where people live day and night without much worry.
Crime here is alot more underground than in some other cities.
(ex.: I have lived in Ottawa my whole life and have never seen a drug transaction, yet I've seen a douzen in Montréal)

:)

Coming from the West Coast, I've always been amused by what Ottawans consider a bad neighbourhood. In Vancouver it means break-ins, street robberies, and junkies shooting up in your garden shed. In Ottawa it means poor lawn maintenance and the occasional shabby-looking guy with his hat out.

[d_jeffrey]

There really arn't any ''Dangerous'' residential areas in Ottawa. You can pretty much go walking anywhere where people live day and night without much worry.
Crime here is alot more underground than in some other cities.
(ex.: I have lived in Ottawa my whole life and have never seen a drug transaction, yet I've seen a douzen in Montréal)

:)

I've been assaulted many times and you can see many drug users in the Byward Market and Vanier. These are probrably it for dangerous areas. It seems like the dealers are in bed at 8pm too!

[Acajack]

I've been assaulted many times and you can see many drug users in the Byward Market and Vanier. These are probrably it for dangerous areas. It seems like the dealers are in bed at 8pm too!

Assaulted *many* times? In Ottawa? Geez, how many times exactly?

[YOWetal]

I'd say it's probably not so bad. I see OC Transpo (Ottawa) buses lined up near the museum all the time, and quite a bunch of them stop at Portage (in the pseudo-tunnel) which is just a few blocks away. Downtown Hull near the river is actually walking distance from Rideau Street in Ottawa as well, which is a major transit hub.



If Flar is coming for a job that is worth moving cities for, then he is probably looking at a few thousand dollars difference in income tax by living in Quebec. But as YOWetal said, the rents would make up for most of this (on an annual basis), plus child care - if you are using it - at $7 a day also is a big plus in Quebec.

Yes, it will be a few thousand per year (at $70K it is about 3k more tax in Quebec), I meant to say a couple of hundred dollars per month.
Thanks!

[d_jeffrey]

Assaulted *many* times? In Ottawa? Geez, how many times exactly?

3, two of them was one week after another...

[d_jeffrey]

Yes, it will be a few thousand per year (at $70K it is about 3k more tax in Quebec), I meant to say a couple of hundred dollars per month.
Thanks!

As someone who's living in both. For me it's 3200$ for that salary. Hydro is much cheaper though, about half the costs, and groceries are unbelievably cheaper too. It costs me about 40% more when I'm in OTT for food. QC has reduces the income taxes two years ago, and it really shows. Overall my expenses are about the same in both.

[harls]

It costs me about 40% more when I'm in OTT for food.

Wha...? are you buying groceries at 7/11?

I've done my grocery shopping at Loblaws in the Market (on Rideau) and in Gatineau, it's pretty much the same.

[Ottawade]

Grocery stores vary pretty significantly around town. For example one of my friends gets his groceries delivered by the Loeb in the Glebe and even after the $11 charge its still cheaper than Hartman's. Anyway, the savings on beer alone makes crossing the bridge to Hull to go grocery shopping worth it if you have a car.

My friends picked up a 1200sqft condo for a mere $200k in Hull not to long ago. Totally floored me as something that size is easily $300k+ in Centertown.

Also most of Ottawa is really safe. Although there are few grimy looking areas in West Centertown/China town, Vanier has a few characters and so does the market, its overall extremely safe here.

Very much worth living as central as possible however. The burbs are a real snoozer.

[d_jeffrey]

Wha...? are you buying groceries at 7/11?

I've done my grocery shopping at Loblaws in the Market (on Rideau) and in Gatineau, it's pretty much the same.

I buy at Loeb. When in MTL, I have it delivered by IGA.

[flar]

The burbs are a snoozer everywhere, but I could end up in some older suburbs. I'm definitely looking to stay inside the greenbelt.

I'm not too worried about crime, Ottawa's crime stats are similar to those of other Ontario cities. Drug deals go down in any large city. Plus I doubt there are really any areas as sketchy as you'd find in Hamilton (not that I'd live in those sketchy areas). Usually it only takes a couple junky houses for people to consider a neighbourhood sketchy.

Thanks for the continued input :tup:

[kwoldtimer]

The burbs are a snoozer everywhere, but I could end up in some older suburbs. I'm definitely looking to stay inside the greenbelt.

I'm not too worried about crime, Ottawa's crime stats are similar to those of other Ontario cities. Drug deals go down in any large city. Plus I doubt there are really any areas as sketchy as you'd find in Hamilton (not that I'd live in those sketchy areas). Usually it only takes a couple junky houses for people to consider a neighbourhood sketchy.

Thanks for the continued input :tup:

Since others have focussed on centre and west side, I would suggest Flar that you check out Manor Park East and Cardinal Glen. Well inside the Greenbelt, both have easy access to downtown and Market and housing and schools are good.

[highdensitysprawl]

Anyway, the savings on beer alone makes crossing the bridge to Hull to go grocery shopping worth it if you have a car.


I got a 12 pack of St Ambroise Blonde for $11.99 + tax + deposit (10 cents per bottle) at Rapide Dep or something like that in Alymer this afternoon (ah the joys of getting out of the office and having to go to Aylmer for work).

They had some swill (Coors Light) etc for $20.99/24 and other mainstream beers in the $24/24 range.

[flar]

^^now that'll be a real benefit of living up there :)

[Acajack]

^^now that'll be a real benefit of living up there :)

Yeah, that's one good thing about living in a border region is that you can often take advantage of the best aspects of both sides.

[rodionx]

The burbs are a snoozer everywhere, but I could end up in some older suburbs. I'm definitely looking to stay inside the greenbelt.


If you want to go suburban, you could try Alta Vista. I've never lived there, but they say it's nice. The number 8 bus will take you all the way to the Museum of Civilization - no shivering on Lebreton Flats waiting for a transfer.

[ikerrin]

I'm moving to Ottawa in the next few weeks. I'll be looking to rent something with three bedrooms.

Good areas?
Areas to avoid?
Is it realistic for a non French speaker to live in Gatineau?
What are rents like?
Anything else I should know?

Hi Flar, Its good to have another Hamiltonian in town. Welcome.

I think Centretown is a bit tricky for a three bedroom, but just West of Centretown might be doable. The area around Booth Street and Preston are nice and a bit like Aberdeen in Hamilton. A lot of thirty-something families are moving there.

It is realistic to live in Gatineau without French, but you will enjoy it more if you take a French class. Actually, there is a great neighbourhood in Gatineau near downtown where a lot of young families are updating some of the older houses and there are pubs within walking distance. Its just West of Blvd St. Joseph and just North of Blvd St. Raymond. Its a great little neighbourhood and a lot of young French couples are repopulating it.

If you can stretch your funds a little, Sandy Hill is great and it has one of the top elementary schools in the province (in French). Also, I have friends who swear by the area East of King Edward and North of Rideau. Its close to the market but more affordable.

I'm sorry that I don't know the rents for three bedrooms, but the Saturday Ottawa Citizen has great property listings.

[Aylmer]

^^now that'll be a real benefit of living up there :)

Watch it, though! Milk in Québec is significantly more expensive than in Ontario.

If you are looking to buy a house in a Ubarn-suburban place, Manoir-Des-Trembles (5km from Downtown, or a 10 minute walk according to Google). I grew up there and it's a very nice place. Quiet, but a good place to raise kids.
On the rue Marcel-Chaput, you can get a duplex for 100-150 thousand.
The community there is very nice: There's a community fair every beggining of June (or end of May) where firetrucks, petting zoos, climbing walls and other activities are hired for a day. During that time, there is also a great garage sale on the street (every person is selling something).

Nice place, but after 10years of age, I found it to be a little small, so we moved to Aylmer, which is also a beautiful place to live.

:)

[jeremy_haak]

If you want to go suburban, you could try Alta Vista. I've never lived there, but they say it's nice. The number 8 bus will take you all the way to the Museum of Civilization - no shivering on Lebreton Flats waiting for a transfer.

I lived in the Elmvale Acres area, and thought it was quite a nice neighbourhood to grow up in. It doesn't have any of the nice commercial streets that an older more central neighbourhood would have; however, the Elmvale mall functioned well as a neighbourhood retail centre (banking, groceries, convenience store, library, video, etc.) and it had excellent bus service.

[O-Town Hockey]

I lived in the Elmvale Acres area, and thought it was quite a nice neighbourhood to grow up in. It doesn't have any of the nice commercial streets that an older more central neighbourhood would have; however, the Elmvale mall functioned well as a neighbourhood retail centre (banking, groceries, convenience store, library, video, etc.) and it had excellent bus service.

Just watch out for the gun violence. Multiple armed roberies and 2 murders at the Elmvale Mall over the past 2-3 years. That being said, Alta Vista is a quiet and safe neighbourhood. The violence mostly surrounded the drug trade and a family feud in one case. The area around the General Hospital is a great suburban-style neighbourhood which is surprizingly close to and has decent transit access to downtown (as long as you live close to Alta Vista Drive).

[Acajack]

Yeah, the outer edges of Alta Vista can be a bit sketchy (by Ottawa standards at least): Elmvale, Southvale to the east, and just south and west of Herongate Mall, but the core of the neighbourhood which makes up the vast majority of the area is quite attractive, and offers a location, for the sizes of the homes and lots, that’s really hard to beat in the capital.

[jeremy_haak]

How times change. Granted, that was ten years ago. I lived near Arch Street and Westin Drive. The transit connections there weren't nearly as good as closer to Alta Vista or the Elmvale Mall, but I thought it was a pretty pleasant neighbourhood.

[flar]

I almost rented a house in Alta Vista, but I decided to rent something cheaper and save up to buy a house. Now I'll be stuck out in Nepean for a while. At least I'm close to the transitway.

[flar]

I'm in Ottawa now, the family will be following me this weekend. Be patient, photo tours will come eventually. My new job is quite demanding so I won't have as much time for photos as I did in Hamilton but I've already got the itch ;)

[O-Town Hockey]

Welcome Flar, I look forward to your photo threads. Maybe you should start a Flar and Harls Photo Requests thread since you guys are our premiere photogs.

[harls]

Welcome to Ottawa, dude. Just in time for spring, you're lucky! ;)