[waterloowarrior]

City of Ottawa's population hits 900,000
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/City+Ottawa+population+hits/2340056/story.html
DECEMBER 14, 2009 7:02 PM

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.ottawacitizen.com/life/City+Ottawa+population+hits/2340056/2340055.bin


OTTAWA — The City of Ottawa marked a population milestone Monday as it announced 900,000 residents live in this community.

All boundary signs have been updated to reflect the new total and a new sign will be placed on Booth Street between Ottawa and Gatineau, the city says.

Since 2001, Ottawa’s population has grown by about 12 per cent with the addition of 103,000 new citizens. It is anticipated that by 2031 Ottawa will have more than 1.1 million people and will be at the centre of a metropolitan area of more than 1.7 million people.

“This marks a significant milestone for the City of Ottawa,” said Mayor Larry O’Brien. “With our rich history and culture, abundant recreational facilities and pathways, strong economy and vibrant people, it is no surprise that more individuals and businesses are choosing to call Ottawa home.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

One million here we come!

[Reggae Boyz Ja]

Good for the capital even though it feels like a 400,000 city.

[reidjr]

Good for the capital even though it feels like a 400,000 city.

Why do you think it feels like a 400,000 city.

[vid]

Because most of them live in Orleans and Kanata and the steel and masonry skypenises aren't as big as Calgary's.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Because most of them live in Orleans and Kanata and the steel and masonry skypenises aren't as big as Calgary's.

I am remembering "skypenises" for it's hilarity and might possibly sig this. With your permission of course. :D

[waterloowarrior]

Because most of them live in Orleans and Kanata and the steel and masonry skypenises aren't as big as Calgary's.

About 59% of the population lives inside the Greenbelt, 31% outside Greenbelt (Kanata, Orleans etc), and 10% in the rural area (including villages). So for now inside the Greenbelt is still ahead in population :)

[Mille Sabords]

Because most of them live in Orleans and Kanata and the steel and masonry skypenises aren't as big as Calgary's.

Maybe not but they're thicker. :D

[Reggae Boyz Ja]

Why do you think it feels like a 400,000 city.

I guess its because your city doesn't have a big skyline. Like washigton Dc it's a mid size city.

[ue]

^Ottawa holds about 1.2 million total, versus DC's 5.3 million, I'd hardly call DC mid sized in comparison.

Ottawa's skyline seems more human scaled, I still think it looks pretty, it's just not flashy like Toronto's or Calgary's. And Ottawa doesn't look like a 400,000 city. Also, there are more factors than a skyline that determine the look of size of population for a city, but even just skyline itself Ottawa's skyline looks way bigger than a 400K city.

[eternallyme]

That seems like a high estimate (I would estimate about 855,000 for the City of Ottawa right now), since the 2006 Census had a population of just under 813,000, although 835,000 was probably more realistic at the time given the high undercounts of censuses (about 3%).

The metropolitan area is, in my opinion, seriously underdefined by Statistics Canada (municipal amalgamation played a major role, plus the fact that Kanata is considered Urban Fringe as if it was a separate community makes a statistical anomoly - if that was considered part of the Urbanized Core, large areas west and southwest of Ottawa would also be added to the CMA), and a more reasonable estimate would have a population about 100,000 higher, which should be used for planning purposes.

[waterloowarrior]

That seems like a high estimate (I would estimate about 855,000 for the City of Ottawa right now), since the 2006 Census had a population of just under 813,000, although 835,000 was probably more realistic at the time given the high undercounts of censuses (about 3%).

you can compare city of Ottawa vs census numbers here:

http://ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/population/table_1_en.html

http://ottawa.ca/residents/statistics/data_handbook/population/table_2_en.html

[eternallyme]

Notice the population inside the Greenbelt outside the downtown core, based on City numbers, has actually declined over the last few years. I do think that if the old municipal boundaries were in place, the old City of Ottawa would have shown negative growth from 2001 to 2006.

[Norman Bates]

What? 900,000?

I remember a sign on Booth Street announcing that Ottawa's population was one million! I even remember some kind of media coverage and photo op associated with this in the Chirelli days.

[Mille Sabords]

What? 900,000?

I remember a sign on Booth Street announcing that Ottawa's population was one million! I even remember some kind of media coverage and photo op associated with this in the Chirelli days.

Those signs, if you carefully paid attention, said OTTAWA and in small print National Capital Region below, and then Population 1,000,000. Those were put up by the pre-amalgamation City of Ottawa because it drove them crazy that the province never seemed to change their population signs (those said 300,000 for like two decades). Post-amalgamation, the new city stuck with signs with the population figure just for the new city. It started out at 785,000 (and there are a couple of old MTO signs on the 417 still with that figure, since 2001) and then 840,000, 870,000 and now 900,000.

The Greater Ottawa Area is close to 1.4 million by now but there aren't any signs saying that.

[Ottawan]

:fireworks

[cityguy]

Ottawa is a very provincial city,it may not look look a city of 400,000,but it does act like one.

[Ottawan]

Ottawa is a very provincial city,it may not look look a city of 400,000,but it does act like one.

If you're referring to City Council, then I agree. If you're referring to Ottawa as a urban entity, its people, culture, etc, then I could not disagree more. People who argue that Ottawa has nothing to do or a "small town" feel do so because they do not take the time to enjoy the parts of the City and people who live here that feel quite the opposite.

On another aside, while I look forward to steady population growth for Ottawa, I'm also not embarrassed to be the one to say "size isn't everything". When you think of great European cities, are you thinking of Hamburg, Frankfurt, Turin, Essen, Naples, Manchester, Katowice - all much bigger than Ottawa, or are you thinking of Oxford, Luxembourg, Geneva, Venice, Strasbourg, Edinburgh, Zurich, Copenhagen - all smaller than Ottawa (some much smaller). In North America, are you more impressed by Detroit, Minneapolis, San Diego, St. Louis (Larger) or Santa Fe, Savanna, Charleston, Providence, Portland Oregon or Maine (all smaller).

[eternallyme]

I wonder what Gatineau's most recent population estimate is? It has to be getting close to 300,000 since recently Gatineau has been growing faster than Ottawa.

[harls]

I wonder what Gatineau's most recent population estimate is? It has to be getting close to 300,000 since recently Gatineau has been growing faster than Ottawa.

249 973 as of 2008, according to this. (http://stat.gouv.qc.ca/regions/profils/region_07/region_07_00.htm)

edit - add another 45K if you include MRC des Collines (they are included in the CMA, I think..for the most part)

[eternallyme]

249 973 as of 2008, according to this. (http://stat.gouv.qc.ca/regions/profils/region_07/region_07_00.htm)

edit - add another 45K if you include MRC des Collines (they are included in the CMA, I think..for the most part)

Overall, although it could be defined differently and StatCan's definition is probably under-done, the Ottawa-Gatineau region would be almost 1.4 million.

[reidjr]

A sky line does not make a great city there are many factors.

[Proof Sheet]

One million here we come!

I'd love to know what Larry and Diane were thinking having to pose for these photos knowing how polar opposite they are to one another.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I just noticed... Our mayor isn't even at the forefront of the picture. :haha:

[dennis1]

CMA=/=Metro area

[dennis1]

If this definition is use

Renfrew CO
Stormont CO
Leeds CO
Lanark CO
Prescott CO

Then Ottawa has 1.7 million

anyone agree?

[dennis1]

A sky line does not make a great city there are many factors.

It makes the city look better, that's for sure.

[Kitchissippi]

It makes the city look better, that's for sure.

From a distance, maybe, but not necessarily at street level.

[O-Town Hockey]

From a distance, maybe, but not necessarily at street level.

Reference Houston and multiple other American centres with ridiculous skylines and terrible street-level interaction.

[flar]

If this definition is use

Renfrew CO
Stormont CO
Leeds CO
Lanark CO
Prescott CO

Then Ottawa has 1.7 million

anyone agree?

Would including all the far flung towns and villages in those counties be an accurate reflection of Ottawa's population?

I don't think so.

[Yroc]

One of the attractive things about Ottawa is that is does not have that huge city feel.

If that means a 400K feeling with a population of 900K, then my hat is off to planners for making it feel like it does.

[sgera]

I'm born and raised in Ottawa and now live in Toronto..Ove the last two years, I've lived in two other Ontario cities: Toronto and London and I appreciate Ottawa so much more now that I'm not living here any longer. I now hope to settle back down in the city again in 5-10 years time....the quality of life in Ottawa in my opinion is so much higher than in Toronto or London for that matter. One of my friends describes ottawa as the 'little big city'...and i think that this title is very accurate...you get all the ameneties of a big metro and still have the small town feel...although in reality 'small town' feel is a bit decieving...because the metro area (Ottawa-Gatineau) is 1.2M and perhaps even upwards of 1.5M if you count some of the rural areas where upwards of 25% of their populatins work in Ottawa (which technically make it part of the metro based on Stats. Canada's definition of a CMA)..I imagine that some of these areas will be included in the CMA census in 2011.

The trick to ottawa is the greenbelt...you feel like it's a smaller city when you in the greenbelt...because...it is a densely populated area of about 550k...and then driving out 12-15km in any direction....(i.e. you leave the inner city)..toward the south, east or west direction...you've got a 5-10 mins drive on the highway with green surroundings (no build/urbanization)...before hitting the suburbs .......that's the trick to ottawa....it's the greenbelt....if you live in the burbs on the outside of the greenbelt...ottawa starts to feel a lot bigger because it is so spread out...kanata to orleans (west to east suburb) is almost 60km end to end....which is large even for Toronto standards....the commuting distance from the suburbs are comparable to other bigger metros....try driving from barhaven to orleans, or kanata to Gatineau...and tell me if you still feel Ottawa is 'small'....

Re: population sign...just drove in for the xmas holidays...and was disappointed to see the old 785k sign on the Hwy 416...guess that falls into the MTO's responsibility to update it? I still don't get why the NCC took down their population signs 5 years ago.....when the city amalgamated....they used to include the Gatineau portion of the metro (i.e. National Capital Region which is Ottawa-Gatineau)...ottawa may have a population of 900k as a standalone city..but this is not an indication of its true metro size which includes its sister city across the river...making it 1.2M including Gatineau...this may not bother many people...but in my opinion it is very important for ottawa to lose its 'small city' reputation...and get the new populatin signs up to show that we aren't a small city any more...it is very important for attracting business, especially in the high tech sector...my two cents..especially coming from Toronto where most people I meet still think Ottawa is a small town....

[reidjr]

I'm born and raised in Ottawa and now live in Toronto..Ove the last two years, I've lived in two other Ontario cities: Toronto and London and I appreciate Ottawa so much more now that I'm not living here any longer. I now hope to settle back down in the city again in 5-10 years time....the quality of life in Ottawa in my opinion is so much higher than in Toronto or London for that matter. One of my friends describes ottawa as the 'little big city'...and i think that this title is very accurate...you get all the ameneties of a big metro and still have the small town feel...although in reality 'small town' feel is a bit decieving...because the metro area (Ottawa-Gatineau) is 1.2M and perhaps even upwards of 1.5M if you count some of the rural areas where upwards of 25% of their populatins work in Ottawa (which technically make it part of the metro based on Stats. Canada's definition of a CMA)..I imagine that some of these areas will be included in the CMA census in 2011.

The trick to ottawa is the greenbelt...you feel like it's a smaller city when you in the greenbelt...because...it is a densely populated area of about 550k...and then driving out 12-15km in any direction....(i.e. you leave the inner city)..toward the south, east or west direction...you've got a 5-10 mins drive on the highway with green surroundings (no build/urbanization)...before hitting the suburbs .......that's the trick to ottawa....it's the greenbelt....if you live in the burbs on the outside of the greenbelt...ottawa starts to feel a lot bigger because it is so spread out...kanata to orleans (west to east suburb) is almost 60km end to end....which is large even for Toronto standards....the commuting distance from the suburbs are comparable to other bigger metros....try driving from barhaven to orleans, or kanata to Gatineau...and tell me if you still feel Ottawa is 'small'....

Re: population sign...just drove in for the xmas holidays...and was disappointed to see the old 785k sign on the Hwy 416...guess that falls into the MTO's responsibility to update it? I still don't get why the NCC took down their population signs 5 years ago.....when the city amalgamated....they used to include the Gatineau portion of the metro (i.e. National Capital Region which is Ottawa-Gatineau)...ottawa may have a population of 900k as a standalone city..but this is not an indication of its true metro size which includes its sister city across the river...making it 1.2M including Gatineau...this may not bother many people...but in my opinion it is very important for ottawa to lose its 'small city' reputation...and get the new populatin signs up to show that we aren't a small city any more...it is very important for attracting business, especially in the high tech sector...my two cents..especially coming from Toronto where most people I meet still think Ottawa is a small town....

I agree with everything you say you hit it right on the head.I get tired of comments such as ottawa is a small town.I don't think some people out side of ottawa and in some cases in ottawa know how big the city is getting you look at orleans for exzample then look at kanata and barrheaven this city is now a fair size and will only get bigger.Alslo with all the projects under way and proposed the city should start to get more of that big city feel.The other thing is ottawa gets a bad rap as beeing a boring city its not there is plnet to do more then enough.

[Davis137]

Well, my parents think Ottawa is pretty big. Every time they come up here from Brantford, they forget that after they pass the Ottawa Sign on the 416, they still have another 30km's or more until they get past Hunt Club. If they came here at night, they'd see all of the lights from Manotick, Riveside South, and Nepean on the RHS of the highway. I haven't even shown them Orleans, Kanata, or Barhaven...just the main city, and parts of it, and they think it's pretty big. I think Ottawa is about the same size as Hamilton/Burlington combined...

[Luker]

Hamilton 600k + Burlington 150k =... About half a million short of ottawa population

[jeremy_haak]

Hamilton 600k + Burlington 150k =... About half a million short of ottawa population

Yes, but the combined population isn't far off Ottawa itself.

[reidjr]

Yes, but the combined population isn't far off Ottawa itself.

Not now but ottawa is growing more and more with a new major houseing devlopment in kanata/stittsville etc the population could be up a fair amount with in the enxt 5-10 years.

[Ottawan]

.

[sgera]

unfortunately, part of the reason (in my opinion), that people outside ottawa feel that Otown is a small city....is a product of what Ottawa's residents portray.......people in Ottawa do not have a big city mentality and don't represent the city well from that aspect...many residents often play down the size of the city or agree with out of towners that the city is 'boring'...I see it all the time.....most don't realize that it is quite the opposite (in fact ...perhaps there is much more to do in Ottawa than in some of the bigger metros with all the outdoor wonders that we are blessed to have -i.e. gatineau hills, rideau canal, waterways).

Now compare Ottawa's reputation to that of Calgary....a city where the residents, are entrepeneurial and talk the big talk...Calgary is roughly the same Metro population as Ottawa (around 1.2M)....everyone from that city has a big city attitude...and if you'd ask most people in towns across Canada...they'd probably tell you that Calagary is bigger than Ottawa, and that there is more to do there....in essence my point being that it is very much a product of how residents portray their own city that gives it its reputation.

Calgary: 'big little city'
Ottawa: 'little big city'

[Ryersonian]

You guys are great; reading all the opinion always helps me form my own...

For me Ottawa is 500k the region is 1.4 Million...and yes Ottawa is a 'little big city' illustrated by the hydro poles, development opportunities that still exist throughout the City and small town mentality of many of the long time residents.

I truly believe we are on the brink of the biggest change this City will ever go through....In five years the change will be huge....In ten years we won't even recognize this place...If we can take the ever present frustration and cut some of the dead weight holding us back we can have something to be proud of sooner then later.

I am a realist, but I've decided to get into 2010 with some optimism! Think about it if by some fluke we get Lebreton, The Escarpment, Bayview, Lansdowne, Transit, more towers and continued gentrification of some urban neighbourhoods we'll be looking pretty sharp!

I know some of you will blah blah...council....blah blah landsdowne and transit...blah blah...hydro poles, but really this is all possible.

[RTWAP]

You guys are great; reading all the opinion always helps me form my own...

For me Ottawa is 500k the region is 1.4 Million...and yes Ottawa is a 'little big city' illustrated by the hydro poles, development opportunities that still exist throughout the City and small town mentality of many of the long time residents.

I truly believe we are on the brink of the biggest change this City will ever go through....In five years the change will be huge....In ten years we won't even recognize this place...If we can take the ever present frustration and cut some of the dead weight holding us back we can have something to be proud of sooner then later.

I am a realist, but I've decided to get into 2010 with some optimism! Think about it if by some fluke we get Lebreton, The Escarpment, Bayview, Lansdowne, Transit, more towers and continued gentrification of some urban neighbourhoods we'll be looking pretty sharp!

I know some of you will blah blah...council....blah blah landsdowne and transit...blah blah...hydro poles, but really this is all possible.

Me too. I'm very hopeful. Some of that hope is based on an expected improvement at Mayor, but most of it comes from decisions and policies already being acted upon.

[harls]

Re: population sign...just drove in for the xmas holidays...and was disappointed to see the old 785k sign on the Hwy 416.

The one east of the city at Rockland Rd. now says 900k... I noticed it on the way to Quebec City during the holidays (left town on Dec. 23). :)

[eternallyme]

You guys are great; reading all the opinion always helps me form my own...

For me Ottawa is 500k the region is 1.4 Million...and yes Ottawa is a 'little big city' illustrated by the hydro poles, development opportunities that still exist throughout the City and small town mentality of many of the long time residents.

I truly believe we are on the brink of the biggest change this City will ever go through....In five years the change will be huge....In ten years we won't even recognize this place...If we can take the ever present frustration and cut some of the dead weight holding us back we can have something to be proud of sooner then later.

I am a realist, but I've decided to get into 2010 with some optimism! Think about it if by some fluke we get Lebreton, The Escarpment, Bayview, Lansdowne, Transit, more towers and continued gentrification of some urban neighbourhoods we'll be looking pretty sharp!

I know some of you will blah blah...council....blah blah landsdowne and transit...blah blah...hydro poles, but really this is all possible.

The old city of Ottawa is actually about 340,000 - and hasn't really grown at all the last few years (in fact, it is possible it may have even declined slightly). The former cities of Vanier and Rockcliffe Park have almost certainly declined as well. Many areas inside the Greenbelt have shown negative growth.

[Ottawan]

If you actually look in detail at the 2006 Census results, between 2001 and 2006 the area inside the Greenbelt did decline, but this decline was due to what I call the "inner suburbs", and was not due to a decline in number of households, but in numbers of members of households. In other words, these areas are populated by Baby Boomers who's children are finally moving out.

Areas within the Greenbelt that I consider urban or urbanising ones in fact grew in that period. This includes the ByWard Market area, the CBD, the Glebe, Sandy Hill, and most of Kitchissippi. I haven't looked at Vanier/New Edinburgh, but would not be surprised to see the same results there.

I also believe that since 2006 both trends (loss in inner suburbs, gain in urban areas) have probably continued or increased. The loss in the inner suburbs does not greatly concern me, as this trend will change in the long run as aging residents living in big empty houses decide to move, and young families return to these areas. When seen in this light, a decline in population but increase in residences within the Greenbelt is in fact a trend very much in line with long-term population growth and increasing urbanization.

[eternallyme]

If you actually look in detail at the 2006 Census results, between 2001 and 2006 the area inside the Greenbelt did decline, but this decline was due to what I call the "inner suburbs", and was not due to a decline in number of households, but in numbers of members of households. In other words, these areas are populated by Baby Boomers who's children are finally moving out.

Areas within the Greenbelt that I consider urban or urbanising ones in fact grew in that period. This includes the ByWard Market area, the CBD, the Glebe, Sandy Hill, and most of Kitchissippi. I haven't looked at Vanier/New Edinburgh, but would not be surprised to see the same results there.

I also believe that since 2006 both trends (loss in inner suburbs, gain in urban areas) have probably continued or increased. The loss in the inner suburbs does not greatly concern me, as this trend will change in the long run as aging residents living in big empty houses decide to move, and young families return to these areas. When seen in this light, a decline in population but increase in residences within the Greenbelt is in fact a trend very much in line with long-term population growth and increasing urbanization.

I do agree it was the inner suburbs that declined the most (i.e. an area along a corridor from roughly Bayshore along Baseline and Heron Roads and over to St. Laurent Boulevard). The core area definitely increased in population, and should continue to with greater high-density condos.

[Ottawan]

The 416 sign now says 900,000, although it's not a nice new sign like the one in the photo op at the start of this thread. The bright white of the '900' shows that this was a recent change.

[Mille Sabords]

Same for the 417 sign coming in from Montreal. Those are MTO signs; the photo-op one that was in the paper was a City sign which goes up on City roads.

[harls]

:previous: Aye :)

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=4633636&postcount=41

[dennis1]

the Former city of Ottawa has a population of 391,860 according to this estimate.