LGBTQ+ Facts
Ottawa is a welcoming place with a rich LGBTQ2+ history. For instance, the first-ever public gay and lesbian demonstration in Canada occurred on Parliament Hill in 1971. In the city’s Village, you can find a stunning mural called “We Demand,” commemorating this event.
The Village itself is a thriving gayborhood with well-established and newly emerging LGBTQ2+ owned businesses. Some examples are bars like Swizzles and the lesbian-owned coffee house chain, Bridgehead Coffee.
Drag is also an important part of the LGBTQ+ scene in Ottawa. There are regular drag shows nearly every night of the week, along with drag kings and drag burlesque performers. For more low-key, daytime events, you can check out the Vanitea Room for a monthly drag brunch hosted by Devona.
Mental Health in Ottawa, Ontario
Here are some current mental health statistics regarding children and youth in Ontario:
- Half of Ontario parents have mentioned concerns about their child’s anxiety levels.
- A third of Ontario parents have kept a child home from school because of anxiety.
- One-quarter of Ontario parents have missed work so that they can look after a child experiencing anxiety.
- 62% of Ontario youth had expressed concerns about their anxiety levels, with only 3 in 10 (32%) seeking out a mental health care professional to discuss their anxiety.
- As many as 1 in 5 young people in Ontario will have some form of mental health problem.
- 5 out of 6 kids needing mental health care will not receive the treatment they require.
- 70% of mental health problems for kids start during childhood or adolescence.
- 17% of children from ages 2 to 5 meet diagnostic criteria for mental health issues.
- 28% of students said they didn’t know how to access care to talk to someone about their mental health issues.
- Canada’s youth suicide rate is at an ultimate high and ranks as the third-highest in the industrialized world.
To find a psychologist for kids in the Ottawa area, refer to our listing on LGBTQ and ALL.
Top Features for Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, located towards the east of southern Ontario. It can be found near Montréal and close to the U.S. border and lies on the Ottawa River. One of its most significant attractions is Parliament Hill, featuring exquisite Victorian architecture and museums like the National Gallery of Canada. This establishment has renowned collections of indigenous art, as well as other Canadian works. In addition, the park-lined Rideau Canal contains boats in summer and ice-skaters in winter.
Facts
- Queen Victoria of Britain decided that Ottawa would be the capital of Canada in 1857.
- The name Ottawa is derived from the Algonquin word adawe, translating to trade.
- Ottawa is known as the seventh coldest capital globally.
- In the wintertime, the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa is the longest skating rink in the world, at 7.8 km.
- Approximately half the population is under 35 years old, making it one of the youngest cities in the nation.
- Ottawa hosts 35 major festivals every year, with The Canadian Tulip Festival, being one of the most well-known.
- The Château Laurier Hotel is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Charles Melville Hays, the president of the company that constructed the hotel. Twelve days before the hotel officially opened, Hays died on the Titanic.
History/Data
The city, now known as Ottawa, was a trading and lumbering hub that emerged as a significant town in the region. Ottawa continued its status of being the capital of Canada when the nation became a dominion within the British Commonwealth in 1867.
The City of Ottawa celebrates the peoples and land of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation. In addition, this city also honors all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and their current and present contributions to this land.
In 2021, Ottawa’s population was estimated to be 1,407,928 residents.