Ottawa

Canada's capital pairs Parliament Hill's federal core with the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that becomes the world's largest skating rink each winter, and a bilingual, government anchored economy that has kept the city's growth remarkably steady.

ByWard Market and Lowertown hold the historic heart of the city, a few blocks from Parliament Hill, with produce stalls, restaurants and heritage stone buildings dating to the 19th century. The Glebe, just south along the canal, offers character homes near Lansdowne Park, while Westboro's shops and cafes along Richmond Road sit steps from the Ottawa River pathway.

Kanata anchors the city's tech sector in the west end, home to a major business park and established family subdivisions, and Barrhaven, part of the former City of Nepean, has grown into one of the south end's busiest suburban communities. Orleans, largely French influenced, fills the east end with newer family neighbourhoods along the Ottawa River.

The O-Train's Confederation Line has reshaped how the city moves east to west, and a workforce anchored by the federal government, tech firms and two universities gives Ottawa a stability few Canadian cities can match. Buyers find everything here from century homes near the canal to new construction in the suburbs, generally at a relative discount to Toronto.