, Relocating
Relocating to Ottawa: A Practical Buyer’s Guide
Moving to Ottawa? A practical guide to choosing where to live, understanding transit and winter, and planning your purchase before you arrive.
West of downtown
Westboro is an urban village west of downtown, between Richmond Road and the Ottawa River, with a lively main street and a public beach. Established streets sit alongside newer infill homes and condominiums.
In brief
Westboro sits west of downtown, with Richmond Road as its spine and the Ottawa River as its northern edge. It feels like a village inside the city, with a main street, a beach and long river pathways all within a short walk or ride.
Richmond Road is the heart of Westboro, lined with independent shops, cafes and restaurants. It puts daily life on foot, with what you need close at hand and without the density of downtown.
To the north, the Kichi Zībī Mīkan parkway and the Ottawa River pathway run along the water. Westboro Beach is managed by the National Capital Commission, and the City of Ottawa provides supervised swimming at set hours in summer. Check the City and NCC for current hours and water-quality notices. In every season the river is a short walk away, which is a large part of why people choose the area.
Westboro has seen steady redevelopment, so the housing mix is broad. Established detached homes on tree-lined streets sit beside newer infill houses, townhouses, and low-rise and mid-rise condominium buildings, particularly close to Richmond Road. A single block can combine older bungalows and two-storey homes with new builds.
That variety means the details matter. Lot size, parking, nearby construction and the age of a home’s systems can differ sharply between neighbouring addresses. A thorough inspection and a careful read of the surroundings are especially worthwhile here.
Westboro is easy to get around on foot or by bicycle. Richmond Road offers daily errands on foot, and the Ottawa River pathway links the area to the rest of the capital’s trail network. OC Transpo buses serve the corridor. Westboro is planned to have an O-Train Line 1 station on Scott Street as part of the west extension, which is not yet open. Rely on OC Transpo buses today and check OC Transpo for the current schedule and opening status. Drivers reach downtown by the parkway or the city streets, and Queensway access is close.
Westboro suits buyers who want an urban village with the river close by, with choices that run from a renovated house to a condominium near the main street. The trade-offs are a busy Richmond Road, ongoing redevelopment in places and parking pressure close to the shops.
This guide is general information about the area, not legal, financial or planning advice. Rules, services and transit change, so confirm details with the City of Ottawa, OC Transpo and the relevant school board before you decide.
Westboro is known for Richmond Road, its main street of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and for Westboro Beach and the Ottawa River pathway along its northern edge.
The blocks around Richmond Road are walkable for shops, cafes and services. Further from the main street it depends on the address, so walk the route you would use every day before you decide.
Established detached homes on tree-lined streets are common, alongside newer infill houses, townhouses and low-rise and mid-rise condominium buildings, especially near Richmond Road. A single block can mix older and newer homes.
Yes. Westboro Beach is on the Ottawa River. It is managed by the National Capital Commission, and the City of Ottawa provides supervised swimming at set hours in summer. Check the City and NCC for current hours and water-quality notices.
By OC Transpo bus, by bicycle on the Ottawa River pathway, or by car along the parkway or Richmond Road. Westboro is planned to have an O-Train Line 1 station on Scott Street as part of the west extension, which is not yet open. Rely on OC Transpo buses today and check OC Transpo for the current schedule and opening status.
Collections
Westboro appears in these collections, which group Ottawa homes and neighbourhoods by way of living.
Homes on the Rideau and the Ottawa River
View the collection: WaterfrontModern construction, new to its first owners
View the collection: New buildJournal
Articles from the journal that mention this neighbourhood.
, Relocating
Moving to Ottawa? A practical guide to choosing where to live, understanding transit and winter, and planning your purchase before you arrive.
, Buying
How to choose an Ottawa neighbourhood that fits how you live, from commute and home type to the pace of the street, with a look at eight communities.
Private consultation
Poonam can compare a house with a condominium near Richmond Road on parking, noise and upkeep.