Ottawa – Canada in One City
#MyOttawa
As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa is a city that tells the stories of Canada like no other. It’s the place where Canadians gather to celebrate their shared heritage. And it’s a region of natural beauty, crisscrossed by rivers, waterways, parks and parkways. Ottawa is home to national landmarks, intriguing cultural events, and year-round outdoor recreation options, all wrapped up in an appealing urban rhythm. It’s accessible location and unique meeting spaces make it an attractive destination for delegates and planners alike. The spectacular new Shaw Center offers 18581 sq.mtrs. of highly flexible meeting space overlooking the Rideau Canal (Ontario’s first Unesco World Heritage Site) and was designed with direct input from professional meeting planners.
Ottawa puts conventions on a national and international stage. Events held here have easy access to policy makers, diplomatic communities, media members, industry experts, and innovators from a variety of sectors. Ottawa is one of Canada’s business and tech hubs, dubbed “Silicon Valley North,” and home to over 1900 tech firms employing over 75 000 people with decades of innovation, R&D and technological expertise. With over 426 associations and organizations calling Ottawa home, it’s here that international conferences and events offer professionals an opportunity to make a significant contribution to their industries and share their knowledge on a global platform.
Ottawa is a unique, accessible and welcoming gathering destination that offers the complete capital experience, tells the story of Canada, and gets people talking.
Why Ottawa?
National Stage
As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa puts conventions on a national stage close to decision-makers, the international diplomatic community, and media. If gaining their attention can help move an organization forward, Ottawa is the best place to get noticed.
World Class Convention Centre
Ottawa is home to one of the world’s elite convention centres. The beautiful Shaw Centre, located in the heart of downtown next to the Rideau Canal—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—was recently named one of the top 3 convention centres in the world in AIPC’s World’s Best Convention Centre rankings.
Smart City
Ottawa is Canada’s smartest city, with more PhDs per capita than any other. The city is filled with scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs active in health and life sciences, cleantech, defense and security, telecommunications, gaming and ecommerce. Conventions that meet here often call on these innovators and subject matter experts as speakers and panelists.
Accessible
Ottawa is easy to get to and even easier to get around with a pedestrian-friendly downtown. It’s within a 2-hour flight of over 200 million North Americans, and its airport is just 20 minutes from its highly walkable downtown. The Ottawa International Airport offers over 125 non-stop flights daily to more than 30 destinations in Canada, the United States and Europe.
Superb Hotels
Ottawa’s hotel community includes big international brands and locally-owned boutique hotels, all accomplished and adept at group hosting and many offering meeting facilities and services. There are over 6000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Shaw Centre with a number of new rooms planned in the next three years.
Exceptional Off-Site Venues
Ottawa is home to the country’s most grand public spaces including national museums, galleries and art centres that serve as unique off-site venues for galas, receptions and special events.
Delegate-Friendly
Ottawa is one of Canada’s most popular visitor destinations, offering a wealth of iconic sites, cultural treasures, scenic beauty and urban delights.
Service
Ottawa Tourism’s Convention team is focused on your success, with services, resources and people that respond to your needs from RFP response to long after your event has ended.
Environmental Sustainability
Ottawa is committed to increasing the number of sustainable operations and boasts a list of eco-friendly venues and green meeting facility options.
For more information contact:
Theresa Gatto, CMP
Manager, Business Events
Ottawa Tourism
Tel: 1-613-237-5150 x 1103
