National Capital Region (Canada)

The National Capital Region (Canada) is the federal designation for the metropolitan area centred on Ottawa and Gatineau, straddling the Ontario-Quebec boundary and centred on the national capital of Canada. It encompasses the twin cities of Ottawa (Ontario) and Gatineau (Quebec) together with surrounding municipalities, federal institutions and national cultural assets.

The region contains Canada’s principal federal government buildings, national museums and major cultural institutions as well as extensive parkland and protected green spaces. Key visitor attractions include national museums, ceremonial sites and landscape features such as the Rideau Canal and Gatineau Park.

The National Capital Region occupies territory on both sides of the Ottawa River in eastern Ontario and western Quebec and functions as Canada’s political and symbolic capital area. It integrates urban, institutional and natural landscapes within a cross-provincial metropolitan zone.

• Geography: The region straddles the Ontario-Quebec border and is officially oriented around the federal capital, combining urban centres, green belts and protected parkland.
• Language: Bilingualism is common across the area, with English and French used in public institutions and signage.

What to See #

• Ottawa: Ottawa is the national capital city and the region's principal urban centre, hosting federal government institutions, national museums and cultural organisations.
• Gatineau: Gatineau forms the Quebec-side urban area across the Ottawa River and contains museums and parkland that complement the Ontario side of the region.
• Parliament Hill: Parliament Hill is the seat of Canada's federal government, a cluster of Gothic Revival buildings on the Ottawa River that includes legislative chambers and national ceremonial spaces.