As of 2020, the population of Ottawa is over 1 million people. It is the fourth largest city in Canada.
Ottawa was founded in 1826 and has become the political center of Canada. The name of the city, Ottawa, references the Ottawa River.
Ottawa has one of the most educated populations of Canadian cities. It is home to several colleges, universities, and research and cultural institutions, including:
- The University of Ottawa;
- Carleton University;
- The National Arts Center;
- The National Gallery of Canada; and
- National museums.
The City of Ottawa is on the south bank of the Ottawa River. It contains the mouth of the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal.
The older part of Ottawa is known as Lower Town and is between the canal and the rivers. It is at the junction of three major rivers:
- The Ottawa River;
- The Gatineau River; and
- The Rideau River.
The median age of the population of Ottawa is 40.1 years of age. Over 20% of the population of the city was not born in Canada. The primary employers in Ottawa are the Public Service of Canada and the high-tech industry. However, tourism and healthcare are also major employers.
The largest employer in the city of Ottawa is the Federal government. It employers over 110,000 individuals. The national headquarters of many Canadian federal departments are located in Ottawa. The main command center for the Canadian Armed Forces, The National Defence Headquarters, is located in Ottawa.
The city of Ottawa is also an important technology center. Because of the concentration of technology companies in the area, it has the nickname of “Silicon Valley North.”
Healthcare employers are also another major employer in the area. There are 4 general hospitals in Ottawa, including:
- The Queensway Carleton Hospital;
- The Ottawa Hospital;
- The Montfort Hospital; and
- The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
The city is also home to national museums and galleries, including:
- The National Gallery of Canada;
- The Canadian War Museum; and
- The Canadian Museum of Nature.
The Canadian Museum of Natural History is the most visited museum in Canada. This museum also includes:
- The Canadian Children’s Museum;
- The Canadian Postal Museum; and
- A 3D IMAX Theater.
If an individual has an affinity for visiting museums, Ottawa is the city to visit. It is also home to numerous other museums, including:
- The Canada Agriculture Museum;
- The Canada Aviation and Space Museum;
- The Canada Science and Technology Museum;
- The Billings Estate Museum;
- The Bytown Museum;
- The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography;
- The Bank of Canada Museum; and
- The Portrait Gallery of Canada.
As with any other province or country, Ottawa has its own quirky laws on the books, including:
- It is illegal to eat ice cream on Bank Street on a Sunday;
- Children under the age of 5 cannot be locked in a refrigerator;
- It is illegal for an individual to remove their feet from the pedals when they are biking;
- It is against the law to bike one-handed; and
- It is against the law to have more than 5 pets in one home without a permit.
Additional Ottawa Law Information
It may be helpful for individuals seeking the assistance of a lawyer in Ottawa Canada to know that there are differences between the United States legal system and the Canadian legal system as well as the terminology used in both.
In the United States, lawyers and attorneys are individuals who are licensed to practice law. There is no distinction in the U.S. between lawyers who practice in court and those who do not.
In Canada, individuals who practice law are referred to as lawyers, with the distinction between those who practice in court and those who do not. All lawyers in Canada can represent their clients in court, but they can choose to distinguish their practice by using the title solicitor or barrister.
Barristers are lawyers who practice law in court and represent clients in mediation, and arbitration. Solicitors perform legal work outside of the courtroom which is related to transactional matters, including:
- Business mergers and acquisitions;
- Drafting contracts;
- Drafting wills;
- Real estate transactions;
- Corporate matters; and
- Other legal issues.
In Canada, attorney is a term that is used to describe an individual who is appointed under a power of attorney as opposed to an individual who is licensed to practice law, as in the United States. This distinction may be important to know when an individual is searching for lawyers in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada using a United States based service, such as LegalMatch.
When searching for an Ottawa lawyer on LegalMatch, a potential client can use the terms lawyer or attorney because the content on LegalMatch is written by individuals with American vocabularies.
In Ottawa Ontario, if an individual has a legal issue, it will likely be handled by one of the two divisions of The Court of Ontario. The two divisions of the court include The Superior Court of Justice and The Ontario Court of Justice.
More serious cases are heard by The Superior Court of Justice. Types of cases this court hears may include:
- Serious criminal offenses;
- Divorces;
- Civil cases;
- Civil cases which involve large sums of money; and
- Any challenges to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Other types of cases are heard by The Ontario Court of Justice, including:
- Criminal offenses, except for the most serious offenses;
- Pre-trial hearings, or preliminary hearings, in criminal cases which will go to The Superior Court; and
- Violations of provincial laws.
These two court divisions also have specialized branches which hear specific types of cases. The Superior Court of Justice has a Family Court branch as well as a Small Claims branch.
When a court decision or ruling is in dispute, it may be appealed to The Court of Appeal for Ontario. In general, The Court of Appeal for Ontario will provide a final ruling on the legal issues that come before it. If a ruling from this court is appealed, it will go before the highest court in Canada, The Supreme Court of Canada.
Locate Lawyers in Ottawa, Canada and Ottawa, Canada Attorneys Quickly
If a potential client is searching for an Ottawa lawyer, it may be helpful for them to know the education and training requirements an individual must complete to become a lawyer in the province. An individual must obtain an undergraduate degree as well as complete law school to become a lawyer in Canada.
After obtaining the proper education, the potential lawyer must complete an articling program and then pass the bar exam. Once they are licensed to practice law in Ottawa, Ontario, they may decide whether they want to be a barrister or solicitor.
LegalMatch is an excellent resource for finding information on lawyers as well as lawyer ratings in Ottawa. LegalMatch provides information on pre-screened Ottawa lawyer, including the lawyer’s:
- Background information;
- Experience and educational information;
- Fee information;
- Malpractice coverage; and
- Reviews from former clients.
If you are interested in finding a lawyer in Ottawa, have questions regarding legal procedures or the laws in Ottawa, Canada, you can visit the following websites: