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I'm not sure I'm the best person for this, as you said...
However, I've read another topic on this forum about the Ottawa/Gatineau region and it was very interresting and instructive...Thanks for sharing anyway!
35 years in Montreal, I go to Ottawa a dozen times a year and find the city of Ottawa a bit slow compared to Montreal, not much in the way of concentrated nightlife as on Crescent st. or St Denis, no Old port area, not much in the way of festivals.
Couple of small shopping centers that could probably fit in a corner of the underground city of Montreal,
Lack of subway in Ottawa makes for long congested commutes into town on a bus. well you get the idea from my perspective..
35 years in Montreal, I go to Ottawa a dozen times a year and find the city of Ottawa a bit slow compared to Montreal, not much in the way of concentrated nightlife as on Crescent st. or St Denis, no Old port area, not much in the way of festivals.
Couple of small shopping centers that could probably fit in a corner of the underground city of Montreal,
Lack of subway in Ottawa makes for long congested commutes into town on a bus. well you get the idea from my perspective..
Nightlife in Ottawa isn't as dead as it used to be. Yes, it isn't Montreal, but it isn't that awful either. We have some good festivals here too... Bluesfest is happening right now, we also have a smaller Jazzfest, Folkfest, there's the Ottawa International Animation Festival, the International Chamber Music Festival, Winterlude, the hot air balloon festival in Gatineau, etc.
Some good Ottawa entertainment blogs to check out:
Apt613
Ottawa Xpress
The Wig
Some of my favourite things about Ottawa include: the national art gallery (big Caravaggio exhibit this Summer, last year there was a big show from the London Tate on pop art); the national arts centre; the Great Canadian Theatre Company; two busy repertory movie theatres (the Bytowne and the Mayfair); a growing live music scene at places like the Elmdale, Irene's, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Mercury Lounge, Capitol Music Hall... I love all the farmers' markets that have started up in many neighbourhoods, the availability of locally farmed foods, and the locavore menus at many restaurants.
The list of attractions in Montreal is longer, sure, but Ottawa's got a lot going for it.
35 years in Montreal, I go to Ottawa a dozen times a year and find the city of Ottawa a bit slow compared to Montreal, not much in the way of concentrated nightlife as on Crescent st. or St Denis, no Old port area, not much in the way of festivals.
Couple of small shopping centers that could probably fit in a corner of the underground city of Montreal,
Lack of subway in Ottawa makes for long congested commutes into town on a bus. well you get the idea from my perspective..
I get it :-) you are right about this! I guess if you like to do this kind of things a lot, than you will be bored in a smaller city... Montreal is great on so many levels, and the commutes is one of my biggest concern. In the end, it all depends on what you're looking for in a city!
Ottawa's transit system I find is very bad, and expensive to boot. Montreal's is much better. But I don't do public transit, and I much, much prefer driving in the Ottawa area than Mtl. Traffic is so much more tolerable and the roads are in better condition.
I will echo the sentiment by the Ottawa One regarding the farmers markets. I love them. Restaurants tend to use a lot of local produce and meat, too.
Ottawa's transit system I find is very bad, and expensive to boot. Montreal's is much better. But I don't do public transit, and I much, much prefer driving in the Ottawa area than Mtl. Traffic is so much more tolerable and the roads are in better condition.
I will echo the sentiment by the Ottawa One regarding the farmers markets. I love them. Restaurants tend to use a lot of local produce and meat, too.
Are you living in Ottawa?
I use the transit system in Montreal a lot and find it very useful ( BUT VERY CROWDED) compare to other city (like in Quebec city). I work dowtown Montreal so no way I could drive to work. Are the bus as crowded as in Montreal??
I live on the Quebec side of the National Capital region.
The few times that I used the bus here, I don't recall crowdedness being my biggest complaint. What I hate about the transit system is that there are way too many stops. Some buses wind around over virtually every street in a neighbourhood. The people who devised this system, I believe, think that the measure of a good network is if it goes absolutely everywhere. My measure of a good network is how fast it can take you where you want to go.
Also, innumerable delays due to a bus 'kneeling' for every old person that wants to board, and waiting for some cyclist to clumsily attach his bike to the outside front rack, before the bus driver has to inevitably get out to do it himself.
It's basically a system that tries to be all things to all people and ends up being subpar for everybody.
I live on the Quebec side of the National Capital region.
The few times that I used the bus here, I don't recall crowdedness being my biggest complaint. What I hate about the transit system is that there are way too many stops. Some buses wind around over virtually every street in a neighbourhood. The people who devised this system, I believe, think that the measure of a good network is if it goes absolutely everywhere. My measure of a good network is how fast it can take you where you want to go.
Also, innumerable delays due to a bus 'kneeling' for every old person that wants to board, and waiting for some cyclist to clumsily attach his bike to the outside front rack, before the bus driver has to inevitably get out to do it himself.
It's basically a system that tries to be all things to all people and ends up being subpar for everybody.
Good to know!
And about the Quebec side, do you know the best place to live or area to avoid? I'm apartment huting know, just to see whats out there, but its A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE in Ottawa. I've heard Aylmer was nice, what do you think?? I'd like to be close to everything.
You will see that some bus routes overlap, there are some OC Transpo buses that go from downtown Ottawa to Gatineau, and some STO buses that travel from Gatineau to downtown Ottawa.
Ottawa is a nice city but i think you'll find its just a smaller version of Montreal especially if you are out in the burbs of Orleans or Kanata.
I find Ottawa is more comparable to Quebec City than it is to Montreal. Sure, Quebec City is more French and Ottawa is more English, but size-wise and when it comes to feel (lots of government jobs, big natural areas very close to the city), it's Ottawa and Quebec City that should be compared.
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