Chaudière Falls

Chaudière Falls are a set of waterfalls and rapids on the Ottawa River located at the boundary between Ontario and Quebec near the national capital region. The falls have been a prominent geographic and industrial feature of the river corridor.

The site offers river and falls views from urban viewpoints on both the Ottawa and Gatineau sides and from adjacent parkland and pathways. The area combines scenic river vistas with traces of historic industrial infrastructure along the shoreline.

The falls and adjacent islands have long been important for Indigenous peoples and later became a focus for 19th and 20th century mills and hydroelectric developments. Industrial use altered parts of the riverfront, and more recent work has focused on redevelopment and public access.

Chaudière Falls sit on the Ottawa River close to the downtown areas of Ottawa in Ontario and Gatineau in Quebec, at the western end of the river’s downtown corridor. The falls are part of the complex river island and bridge system that separates the two cities.

• Viewing points: Several public viewpoints on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the Ottawa River provide different perspectives on the falls and surrounding rapids.