RELOCATING TO OTTAWA

Ottawa Canada's Capital currently has a population of 1 million, and is expected to grow significantly in the future.

Ottawa has been ranked high in terms of quality of life, based on many factors, including low crime rates, environmental cleanliness, public services, political stability, and socio-economic conditions.

Ottawa is home to 12 national museums devoted to Canadian art, nature, science and technology, aviation, war civilization and more. Also of interest are the Royal Canadian Mint and the Byward Market, which is constantly buzzing with people visiting the many restaurants, shops and pubs.

The National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony, Nepean Symphony Orchestra and Kanata Symphony are Ottawa's finest when it comes to classical music, yet the city indulges in tunes of every type to please even the most finicky patron.

Ottawa has a fine selection of Parks city wide for family picnics, fun in the sun activities and outings for children of all ages. Gatineau Park offers ski trails in the wintertime and swimming pools, hike trails, bicycle paths and picnic grounds.

Skiing is a favorite pastime in Ottawa. One will never be alone traveling down the likes of Edelweiss Valley, Vorlage, Mont Cascades, Camp Fortune or Mont Ste. Marie.

Job-wise, Ottawa is also the place to be. According to Statistics Canada, "Job growth, for the most part, has occurred in industries and occupations that tend to pay higher-than-average weekly wages.

Free / Low cost Events in Ottawa:

The Ottawa Fringe Festival (June 18th-28th, 2009) offers up-and-coming talent for roughly $8 per show (even cheaper per show if you purchase a multiple-show pass). www.ottawafringe.com

• The Great Glebe Garage Sale is an annual event in late May sponsored by the Glebe Community Association. Hundreds of families in the upscale neighbourhood known as "the Glebe" participate. Plan to get there early to get the best bargains.
• The Nortel Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival (June 19-21, 2009) is a colourful two-day event that combines the excitement and competition of dragon boat races, multicultural food and entertainment, community spirit and charitable fundraising. www.dragonboat.net
• Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill-the only place to be on July 1 if you're Canadian, or even if you're not. Free concerts, short speeches by politicians, the Snowbirds, the Musical Ride, maple leaf "tattoos," face painting, fabulous fireworks, and everyone in a good mood.
• International Museums Day features many exciting exhibits and events on May 18. On this day, many Ottawa museums usually offer free admission.
• Doors Open offers free admission to hundreds of architecturally or historically interesting buildings over two days. See embassies, churches, even a wind tunnel! June 2009 www.ottawa.ca/doorsopen
• There's a free, bilingual Sound and Light Show on Parliament Hill every night after dark July 06 to September 13, 2009. Images are projected onto the Parliament Buildings.
• Christmas Lights Across Canada: The program lights up in early December and stays lit until early January. Hundreds of thousands of lights decorate Confederation Boulevard, which winds through downtown Ottawa and neighbouring Gatineau, illuminating federal attractions, historic sites and other locales.
• Go to Winterlude. Every February, Canada's Capital Region is host to Winterlude, North America's greatest winter festival. Three fun-filled weekends of excitement and activity await the whole family, from February 6-24, 2009! From spectacular ice carvings to an amazing playground made of snow, Winterlude is a great way to take in the best of our Canadian winter. For a list of activities, go to www.canadascapital.gc.ca/winterlude

A day pass for the bus. The DayPass by OC Transpo entitles you to unlimited same-day travel on the bus and the O-Train (a light rail pilot project in the west end). The pass costs $6.50 if you buy if from an OC Transpo Sales and Information Centres or from one of their affiliated vendors. If you're downtown, you can also purchase one at the National Capital Info Centre and at participating hotels. If you purchase it on board the bus, the cost is $7.25. Just ask the operator for a DayPass and deposit the exact fare in the fare box. On Sundays and statutory holidays, it's an even better deal--just one DayPass entitles your whole family (up to 2 adults and 4 children, age 11 and under) to unlimited same-day travel. How do you use the DayPass Voucher? Simply show the red voucher to the bus operator and drop it in the fare box. The operator will print your DayPass with the current date which you can then hold on to and use all day. If you're using the O-Train, please have a bus print out the DayPass first.