Ottawa commercial/business districts and real estate

Ottawa has a number of different commercial districts, each with its own unique blend of companies and industries. There are 5 key districts: west end, south end, downtown, east end, and Gatineau. Inquiries relating to available real estate can be made by visiting the Ottawa Real Estate Board’s website, where you can find an agent and view properties for sale, lease or rent in Ottawa.

West end

The west end commercial district, encompassing most of the former cities of Kanata and Nepean, is the main centre for technology companies. It is home to companies such as Nortel, Mitel, Alcatel, Siemens, Lockheed-Martin, Cisco, CRC and MDS Nordion.

South end

The south end commercial district, encompassing parts of the former Gloucester and Nepean, is near the Ottawa International Airport and close to the main highway to Toronto. It is the main centre for light manufacturing and transport companies, and is home to giants such as Cognos and JDS Uniphase.

Downtown

The downtown commercial district is the main centre for retail shopping, museums, arts institutions, major hotels, federal government, and professional services companies. It is home to Bell Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada, and Parliament.

East end

The east end commercial district, encompassing some of the former cities of Gloucester and Cumberland, is a centre for software and technology companies. It is home to MBNA Canada, Telesat Canada, ABB and the National Research Council (NRC).

Gatineau

Across the river from downtown Ottawa is the Gatineau business district. It is a centre for federal government, the forest products industry and emerging technology companies, and is home to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), the Museum of Civilization, and a number of startup technology firms. Gatineau is also served by a small-aircraft airport.