Great Places in Canada
Visitors to this site say that these are great places in Canada. What is your favourite place in Canada? Search the nominations submitted so far, and place your vote!
If your favourite place isn't on our website, consider nominating it!
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Icefields Parkway (Highway 93)
Banff to Jasper, AB
Street
The natural, pristine beauty of Banff and Jasper National Parks with excellent public access along the Icefields Parkway is world-renowned. Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Maligne Lake, Banff and Jasper townsites, are among the fabulous highlights. It is readily accessible by motorized and non-motorized methods as well as by foot. The broader community of Canadians and foreign tourists are welcome to travel the Parkway...More
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Liberty Street Linear Park
Toronto
Public Space
Located in the creative and vibrant neighborhood of Liberty Village, Liberty Street Linear Park is located on the north side of Liberty Street between Fraser Ave. and Jefferson Ave. The Liberty Village neighbourhood is a mixed-use community with live/work buildings, offices, residential and retail shops contained in a mix of building types including townhouses, towers and mid-rise buildings. A number of heritage buildings in the area have been retained, reflecting the neighbourhood's past. Liberty Street Linear Park is a public space that contributes to the beauty and open space in the community, as well as, serving as a gathering place and north-south pedestrian connection. The park occupies the strip of land between a large parking lot next to Lamport Stadium, and the neighbourhood's main thoroughfare, East Liberty Street. On Liberty Street, between Fraser Avenue and Jefferson Avenue, paving stones, benches, sod and ground cover, low-level ambient lighting and an irrigation system for the vegetation were installed. The plan created “rooms” along an extended wall area, which encourages sitting, eating lunch or holding meetings...More
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Bois-des-Esprits
Winnipeg, MB
Public Space
This is an 80-acre outdoor space that incorporates river bottom, marshland, tall grass prairie, and forest. Wildlife including deer, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, and birds live in this area. The Save our Seine organization lobbied hard in 2003 to keep this area as a natural habitat and was ultimately successful. Local wood carvers have carved dead trees throughout the space into representations of people and animals...More
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St. John's Ecclesiastical District
St. John's, NL
Neighbourhood
This is a nationally recognized area in downtown St. John's (recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 2010). The national designation has formal boundaries, but the neighbourhood has more informal boundaries. The buildings date to the mid 1800s, but the area has been settled since the 1500s. There are several thousand people who live, work, and worship here...More
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Lion's Head
Northern Bruce Peninsula, ON
Neighbourhood
Lion's Head is a village within one of the most dramatic landscape features in the province. The rugged 400-million-year-old cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment that surround this community plunge into the deep turquoise waters of Georgian Bay. This is an intriguing community that offers outdoor experiences for every enthusiast, and that is committed to maintaining a balance between development and the protection of the natural environment as part of its UNESCO World Heritage designation...More
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Wascana Park
Regina, SK
Public Space
Wascana Park is a large public park in Regina, Saskatchewan. It has existed for as long as I can remember -- an early, albeit not my first, memory of it is attending wonderful birthday parties that were held at some of its numerous BBQ or picnic spots. It is one of the largest urban parks and is broken down into many areas, some of which are still not developed...More
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Osborne Street
Winnipeg, MB
Street
You can have it all...on Osborne Street...More
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Ducks Unlimited Trail, "Miner's Marsh"
Kentville, NS
Public Space
Our Ducks Unlimited site, known as "Miner's Marsh" is located just seconds from the downtown core of Kentville. It was officially opened in August of 2010 after 7 years of planning, land negotiation, trail work, grant applications, conservation work, environmental permit applications, and bridge installation. The site includes 1.7 km of walking trails, interpretive signage, picnic areas, benches, viewing stands, and a 100-foot bridge across the Cornwallis River. Amenities at the site are all made to complement the natural landscape of the property, including the color of the bridge, which was designed to blend into the marsh rather than stand out. Crusher dust is used on the trail; viewing stands and boardwalks are constructed from wood. The site is a protected wetland featuring wooded areas, marshland, and ponds. The site is also complemented by the Cornwallis River that runs directly through it and along the north side. The marsh is home to hundreds of species wildlife including ducks, muskrats, frogs, fish, and herons...More
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Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
Kakabeka Falls, ON
Public Space
Kakabeka Falls is a waterfall on the Kaministiquia River, located beside the village of Kakabeka Falls in the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, Ontario, 30 km west of the city of Thunder Bay. The name "Kakabeka" comes from the Ojibwe word gakaabikaa "waterfall over a cliff". The falls has a drop of 40 m, cascading into a gorge carved out of the Precambrian Shield by meltwater following the last glacial maximum. Because of its size and ease of access, it has been consequently nicknamed "the Niagara of the North"...More
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Brewer Park Oval
Ottawa, ON
Public Space
Brewer Park Oval is a 400-metre Olympic sized speed skating track located in downtown Ottawa across from Carleton University. It is a volunteer, community-run outdoor ice surface. It is an all-natural ice surface that is built as soon as the weather permits, usually around Christmas, and then maintained until it melts in March...More
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Hecla Provincial Park
Near Riverton, MB
Public Space
The park was established in August of 1969 and opened for public use in 1975. The year 2005 marked its 30th anniversary. Hecla is 6.5 km wide and 26.5 km long. Other islands which are a part of Hecla Provincial Park include Black Island, Goose Island, Deer Island, Punk Island, and Little Punk Island. In 1926, the present Gull Harbour Lighthouse was constructed; the original one was built in 1898...More
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Mississauga Celebration Square
Mississauga, ON
Public Space
Located outside of Mississauga City Hall in the downtown core, Mississauga Civic Square opened in 1987. In 2011, $40 million was spent to revitalize the space, which was reopened and rebranded as Mississauga Celebration Square...More
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Town of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan
Gravelbourg, SK
Neighbourhood
The Town of Gravelbourg in Saskatchewan is “a Touch of Europe on the Prairies.” Gravelbourg is unique and in a rural central area. For its population of 1,300 people, it offers many amenities. The uniqueness of this town is summarized in its four pillars: Culture; Heritage; Architecture; and Spirituality...More
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Saint-Boniface
Winnipeg, MB
Neighbourhood
Saint-Boniface is an area of Winnipeg that includes areas such as Windsor Park, Southdale, Island Lakes, Norwood, the 'Old St-Boniface' along with other areas of the city. It's home to over 65 000 people, which includes the biggest cluster of French-speaking inhabitants outside of Quebec. In 1818, the Roman Catholic mission settled in this area but it had been an area protected under Lord Selkirk's rule...More
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Le parc du mont Royal
Montreal, QC
Public Space
Le parc du mont Royal est un lieu de convergence pour les résidents du centre-ville de Montréal, les jeunes des grandes écoles autour du mont Royal, les aînés, les touristes du Canada et d'ailleurs, des francophones d'Outremont et des anglophones de Westmount. Diverses activités récréatives se déroulent à chaque saison autour et sur le lac des Castors. En 1874, le Québec vote la première loi pour protéger ce milieu naturel. Depuis 1938, le lac des Castors est un bassin artificiel aménagé par l'architecte-paysagiste, Frédérick Todd et son secteur a été réaménagé en 2005. Les Amis de la Montagne est un organisme citoyen qui veille à la sauvegarde de ce milieu naturel...More
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Cathedral Grove
Near Port Alberni, BC
Public Space
Cathedral Grove is an interpretive forest located close to Port Alberni that shows the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. The story goes that while logging the area BC fallers came upon Cathedral Grove and because of the enormity of the trees, refused to fall them. It features some of the biggest trees in Canada, and is open to visitors 24/7. Parks Canada, as well as numerous community groups, help with maintenance and informative tours of Cathedral Grove. It’s a very big tourist draw, which helps the surrounding communitie...More
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Lake Koocanusa
BC
Public Space
It is a lake in British Columbia where the waters are clean and crisp. It is a great place to camp with the kids and is full of memories for many people. It is called Koocanusa because it is a river that is dammed, the Kootney river, hence the KOO part of the name; it is partly in CANada and the other part is in the USA.. That is why it is called KOO CAN USA...More
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Woodfield
London, Ontario
Neighbourhood
Woodfield is a Victorian neighbourhood located in the heart of London, Ontario. This historic community is bordered by Richmond, Dundas, Adelaide, and the CPR tracks to the north. Woodfield's roughly 1,400 households fall mostly within two Heritage Districts (East and West Woodfield). Homes in Woodfield date from the 1840s, with most homes built between the late 1800s and early 1900s. Woodfield is one of the largest and finest examples of intact Victorian streetscapes in Canada...More
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Prince Arthur's Landing
Thunder Bay
Public Space
Prince Arthur's Landing is located on the North Shore of Lake Superior in the City of Thunder Bay. The newly renovated waterfront now includes an outdoor skating rink that becomes a splash pad in the summer. The historic CP Rail Baggage Building was renovated to become an artisan space that will be used as a workshop for artists and a place to sell their wares...More
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The South March Highlands
Ottawa, ON
Public Space
Just 20 minutes from Parliament Hill, this is Ottawa's Great Forest: an old-growth paradise that is recreationally enjoyed and spiritually revered. It has untapped ecotourism potential, but threatened by urban sprawl. Spanning over a thousand hectares, this Canadian Shield ecosystem is more than a billion years old. Rich in wetlands and mature forest, it is home to more than 654 species, including 18 species that are at risk of becoming extinct...More
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Portage and Main
Winnipeg, MB
Street
Located in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Portage and Main is the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street. It is known as the most famous intersection in Canada. Its history dates back to 1919, the year of the well-known Winnipeg General Strike...More
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Assiniboine Forest
Winnipeg, MB
Public Space
It is unusual to find a forest within a city, but Winnipeg has one, specifically 700 acres of forest, marsh, and wildlife...More
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Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Oakville, ON
Public Space
Bronte Creek Provincial Park is conveniently located between Oakville and Burlington just north of the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW). Established in 1974, it boasts over 10 km of walking trails, 144 campsites, an outdoor swimming pool, children's farm and play barn, nature centre, 1900s living history museum, and 11 picnic shelters and picnic areas. In the winter, you can ice skate on the Olympic-sized outdoor surface or toboggan down any number of slopes...More
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Heartland Forest
Niagara Falls, ON
Public Space
This location is deserving of an award as it is a barrier-free (fully wheelchair accessible) nature trail with a wheelchair accessible treehouse AND playground. It is also FREE ... there is absolutely no cost to visit and walk amongst the protected forest and wetland areas. At any time you can see a variety of animal and plant species. It is just gorgeous there...More
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Komoka Provincial Park
London, ON
Public Space
This provincial park straddles the municipal boundaries of the City of London and Municipality of Middlesex Centre. Land acquisition began in the early 1970s, and 198 hectares were regulated in 1989 under the former Provincial Parks Act. The park protects a portion of the Thames River, a Canadian Heritage River in addition to significant natural heritage features including species at risk...More
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Victoria Park Neighbourhood
Kitchener, ON
Neighbourhood
The Victoria Park neighbourhood is bounded by Queen, Joseph, and Victoria Streets, as well as Highland Road and West Avenue in Kitchener, Ontario. It includes hundreds of homes as well as Victoria Park. The first home was built in 1816 and is now the Joseph Schneider House Museum and Gallery — a National Historic Site and Kitchener’s oldest building...More
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Main Street
Warkworth, ON
Street
Warkworth is a small, rural town nestled in the rolling hills of Northumberland, approximately 90 miles east of Toronto, Ontario. Although Main Street is less than a mile long, it features a vibrant community of unique stores, boutiques, studios, and a stylish coffee shop. Over the past few decades, it has grown from a simple farming community into a thriving artistic and social location that showcases many seasonal events...More
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City of Fernie
Fernie, BC
Neighbourhood
Fernie was incorporated in 1904 and now has a population of over four thousand residents. The municipality of Fernie covers a smaller footprint than the social and economic community of Fernie, as many would consider West Fernie, Fernie Alpine Resort and other outlying rural areas as part of our community...More
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Cultus Lake Park
Cultus Lake, BC
Public Space
Cultus Lake Park is the lower mainland of BC's best-kept secret! It is only about one hour away from Vancouver, yet you are in the country...More
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White Rock Beach
White Rock, BC
Neighbourhood
White Rock Beach is the waterfront area of the City of White Rock in the southwest corner of the lower mainland of British Columbia, bordering Washington State. The White Rock Beach district runs along Marine Drive and overlooks the warm, shallow waters of Semiahmoo Bay. The borders of this area are defined somewhat informally by approximately 8 km of sandy beach, with a 2.5 km waterfront promenade. The actual city of White Rock is 45 minutes from Vancouver, BC and minutes from the Canada/USA border. The city dates back to the turn of the 20th century (1900) and has a population of 18,250...More
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Whistler Olympic Plaza
Whistler
Public Space
Whistler Olympic Plaza is in the heart of Whistler Village. A destination in and of itself, Olympic Plaza provides a permanent outdoor venue for recreation, community celebrations, arts and culture. The long-standing intention for this space to be a vital community focal point in the Village was made real during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The transformation of the 4-acre, municipally-owned site has created a tangible legacy for public enjoyment in all seasons. At the north end of the Village stroll, visitors will discover...More
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Beacon Hill Park
Victoria, BC
Public Space
The crown jewel in Victoria's park system, Beacon Hill Park is an oasis of both natural and landscaped beauty. The park is a spectacular, publicly owned 183-acre property. Wildlife abounds in Beacon Hill Park. More than a hundred bird species occur here, along with a number of mammals such as river otters, raccoons, and squirrels. Sunfish, painted turtles, and crayfish make their homes in the waterways. The park is a perfect blend of natural and recreational features...More
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Millennium Park
Creston, BC
Public Space
Discover a pocket of paradise in the heart of the Kootenays in a town called Creston. Creston is in fact a natural paradise with a unique climate of its own. A place where the climate is mild, the views are stunning, and quality of life is the best. Creston’s outdoor Millennium Park opened in 2004, thanks to amazing efforts by the Creston Valley Rotary Club, Creston Valley citizens, service groups, and businesses. It is located on 16th Avenue South, at Dogwood Street, on land that was donated to the Town by Crestbrook Forest Industries. The park features unique landscape elements and a variety of ornamental trees. The locally designed and constructed Japanese-style garden was a generous gift from Creston’s sister city of Kaminoho, Japan...More
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Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre
Haliburton, ON
Public Space
Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre is a public art gallery located in Haliburton's historic railway station. In 1980, a group of committed artists and arts-minded individuals were granted use of the decommissioned station by the township. The Gallery is the steward of this grand old building, which now houses two exhibition spaces and a gallery shop. The 1878 structure retains its original look from the outside, and many inside features such as the original ticket window and "wire from here" sign remain. The building has a wood frame exterior, cedar shingles, and the painted exterior is true to what would they would have been in the heyday of the lumber trade in Haliburton County. Today, the economy of the area is driven by tourism and a thriving arts community centred on the Gallery and Haliburton School of The Arts (founded by the same intrepid group that secured the railway station for the gallery)...More
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Chinatown
Ottawa, ON
Neighbourhood
Located moments from Parliament Hill and Downtown, Chinatown is a charming neighbourhood where east meets west in the heart of Canada's multicultural capital. Home to the award-winning Chinese imperial style arch. Ottawa's Chinatown welcomes visitors 365 days a year...More
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Waterton Lakes National Park
Near Pincher Creek, AB
Public Space
Waterton. Where epic prairie skies meet majestic mountain grandeur. Nestled in the corner of southwest Alberta lies 505 square kilometres of rugged windswept beauty. Chinook country. The Crown of the Continent. Some of the oldest sedimentary rock in Canada forms the shining mountains that pierce the clouds in variegated red and green, surrounding deep glacier sculpted lakes and hanging valleys, where life exists as it has since the days of the Assiniboine. Their ancient hunting trails and trade routes still in use by the 400, 000 visitors Waterton attracts every year from all over the world...More
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Roncesvalles Village
Toronto, ON
Neighbourhood
Roncesvalles Village is located in west Toronto, just east of High Park. It has semi-formal boundaries due to local geography and urban features. Roncesvalles Village is bounded by High Park on the west, Lake Ontario/Queen Street to the south, Lansdowne/rail corridor to the east, and Bloor Street to the north. The neighbourhood is approximately 100 years old; many houses, churches and commercial buildings in this neighbourhood were built between 1909 and 1914. According to the 2006 census, Roncesvalles Village had a population of approximately 16,000. This has probably increased by about 1000 since then...More
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Algonquin Provincial Park
Ontario
Public Space
The most scenic trajectory through the park is on Highway 60 between Barry's Bay and Huntsville. The park is readily accessible from major urban centres such as Ottawa and Toronto. You can see the boreal forest and its inhabitants, including many Canadian animal icons like the beaver, spotted loon, moose, timber wolf, and the black bear without much exploratory effort...More
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Cape Forchu Lighthouse
Yarmouth, NS
Public Space
Located at the tip of scenic Cape Forchu, approximately ten minutes from the Town of Yarmouth, the Cape Forchu Lighthouse is home to the first “applecore” style lighthouse with its 75 feet of statuesque beauty and 19 acres of pristine grounds. This towering beacon sits atop picturesque volcanic rocks, and has guided vessels safely into the Yarmouth Harbour since 1840. The light keeper's home is a duplex that housed both the light keeper and his assistant and their families. Today it's a museum, and a Tea Room is located in the kitchen and dining area. The fog building is still functional, but must be sounded manually. Cape Forchu is Nova Scotia's only intact lightstation open to the public. All the others have lost one or more keeper's houses and outbuilding...More
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King Street
Lunenburg, NS
Street
"UNESCO FRESCO" is the nickname of King Street, which is at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The street was established in 1753 as part of the town’s original British town plan of residential and commercial streets. King Street, along with the other streets in town, has remained unaltered since its early construction. With its colorful houses dating back to the 1830s, this street is cheerful and bright in almost any weather. Three blocks in length and the widest in the town plan, it stretches from Pelham St. near the harbor to Cumberland St., where it meets up with Lunenburg's historic parade square...More
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Parc Régional Éducatif Bois de Belle-Rivière
Mirabel, QC
Public Space
Cette espace public est situé à Mirabel. Elle se trouve à l'extérieur et existe depuis 1997. Elle constitué d'une forêt exceptionnelle, un refuge de grande valeur pour la faune, Elle comprend plusieurs spécimens d'arbres et espèces végétales. En parcourant les sentiers il est possible d'admirer de nombreux couverts forestiers tout aussi différents les uns des autres. Deux grands jardins sont aussi aménagés afin de vous faire apprécier la splendeur de plusieurs grands arbres indigènes du Québec...More
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The Lunenburg Heritage Society Bandstand
Lunenburg, NS
Public Space
The Lunenburg Heritage Society Bandstand sits in the centre of the Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The current bandstand is an exact replica of the original built in 1889 and was rebuilt in 1987 by the Lunenburg Heritage Society. It is located at the junction of Cumberland and King Streets – next to the Town Hall. The great wooden structure was re-created with great attention to detail and is a favorite of townspeople and visitors to the town...More
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Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
Street
Yonge Street is a historic main shopping street in Toronto. It's the Times Square of Canada, a singular melting pot with unparalleled history (especially music history). Tons of musicians come to mind: Ronnie Hawkins, The Band, Gordon Lightfoot even wrote a song about the street. It's remained a great pedestrian stroll with vibrant storefronts and buildings (for the most part) kept to a human scale. There really is something for everyone on Yonge Street; it's the biggest and best example of large-scale urbanism come to Canad...More
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West Montrose Covered Bridge
Waterloo, ON
Public Space
The bridge was built in 1881 and underwent major repairs in 1999. Light traffic is still crossing the bridge daily including horse and buggies. The bridge is often referred to as "The Kissing Bridge" because it is enclosed and the soft light provides a feeling of intimacy for the romantic...More
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Old Montreal
Montreal, QC
Neighbourhood
Old Montreal can be measured by the number of people visiting it. It has reached millions of people, including regional residents. It is located on the waterfront and the access is easy by subway or walking from downtown Montreal. Several old buildings made the renown of this beautiful location...More
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Old Ottawa South Neighbourhood
Ottawa, ON
Neighbourhood
Old Ottawa South (OOS) is a vibrant urban community in the heart of Canada's capital of Ottawa with a population of approximately 3,000 households (about 10,000 residents). The area developed as an early suburb at the turn of the last century, and was annexed by the City in 1907...More
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Parkdale
Toronto, ON
Neighbourhood
Parkdale is located in the southwest of downtown Toronto. It's a residential and commercial neighbourhood adjacent to the Roncesvalles and High Park neighbourhoods, and it includes the historic Sunnyside waterfront park. Currently home to about 50,000 people, Parkdale was founded as an independent settlement in 1850, eventually joining Toronto in 1889...More
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Town of Churchill
Churchill, MB
Neighbourhood
Churchill is located on the shore of Hudson's Bay in Manitoba. It is believed that nomadic Arctic people who first populated this area in 1000 AD evolved into the Inuit. The Dene people also came into this area around 500, long before the Europeans first arrived in 1619 where only three of the 64 explorers survived their expedition. The Hudson's Bay Company had an important role in colonizing the area by setting up a permanent settlement in 1717, and named this trading post after one of Winston Churchill's ancestors, John Churchill, who was governor of this famous company and also known as the first Duke of Marlborough. Like many newly populated areas, Churchill had its share of wars, conflicts, and growing pains. Approximately 1000 people live in Churchill consisting of non-native, Aboriginal (Chipewyan and Swampy Cree), Métis, and Inuit...More
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Old Port of Montreal
Montreal, QC
Public Space
In the summer, this is a gathering and entertainment centre of Montreal. On the water of the St. Lawrence, there are piers with the Montreal Science Centre, a promenade stretching the length of the port adjacent to the old city that is a tourist destination...More
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Powell River's Historic Townsite
Powell River, BC
Neighbourhood
"This is the coastal town that they forgot to close down," goes the lyric from 'Everyday Is Like Sunday,' one of Morrissey's early great hits. It's also the theme song for Powell River community radio host Bad Karen's Friday night show of the same name...More
