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About Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada and Ontario's second largest city with a population of over 1,017,449 as of 2021. Located 450 km northeast of Toronto, Ottawa is the most bilingual major city in Ontario.

A large part of the job market in Ottawa is made up of positions requiring high levels of education. Some of these positions include engineers, scientists, computer programmers, doctors and nurses. In addition to these highly skilled positions, retail, tourism and manufacturing are also major sources of employment. Although Ottawa does not have as many large technology companies as it in the past, the number of smaller start-up businesses in this sector is growing.

The federal government is Ottawa's top employer. The government has work in many fields, including administration, communications, finance, law and scientific research.
However, securing a position in the federal government can be challenging. Many positions require both English and French proficiency. The hiring process can be very long and may include obtaining a security clearance, credit checks and criminal record checks.

Ottawa's top industries are:

  • Public administration
  • Retail 
  • Health care and social assistance 
  • Professional, scientific and technical services 
  • Educational services 
  • Accommodation and food services