Situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River, Cumberland is a safe and friendly municipality in which families can work, live and play. Just east of Ottawa and only fifteen minutes from Parliament Hill, this growing municipality of about 39,000 offers its residents and businesses a charming mix of both town and country, old and new.

Once part of the Historic Township of Cumberland, Cumberland joined the Region of Ottawa-Carleton in the 1960s. The farming community continues to thrive, while the urban community is centred around Orléans [link to Orléans] and continues to expand with the development of recreational facilities, shopping plazas, business and industrial parks.

Cumberland offers a full range of housing options, from the residential neighbourhoods bordering Orléans to rural villages and country estates. The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is the area’s largest attraction. With 27 buildings including a church, a one-room school, a service station, a sawmill, a blacksmith and several farmhouses, it recreates the history of Cumberland and its settlers at the turn-of-the-century. Costumed interpreters lead wagon rides, visits with farm animals and tours of the houses and farm buildings. Children will enjoy the old-fashioned games and special activities, while parents can admire a collection of more than 25,000 artifacts.

• St. Theresa Elementary School (Catholic)
• Heritage Public School Cumberland.

Orléans is located about 16 km east from downtown Ottawa, alongside the Ottawa River. The population stood at about 100,000 in 2005 and has a sizeable French-speaking community.

The bulk of the community lies between the Ottawa River and Innes Road, centred around Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and St. Joseph Boulevard. Within Orléans are a number of small communities, including Convent Glen, Hiawatha Park, Orléans Wood, Queenswood Village, River Walk, Chapel Hill North, Chapel Hill South, Orléans Village, Chateau Neuf, Avalon, Fallingbrook, East Village and Queenswood. Close to the area is the Mer Bleue conservation area [link to Mer Bleue] and Petrie Island [link to Petrie Island], a bird-watching beach habitat.

Orléans has continued its steady growth as a suburban community since the late 1970s. The traditional centre has been the Place d'Orleans shopping centre, with over 175 stores just off the Queensway. New business areas and big box stores are now emerging along Innes Road at Tenth Line Road and Trim Road. Its southern and easternmost boundaries continue to grow as more houses and businesses are built.

Located within Gloucester, Blackburn Hamlet is Ottawa's only community to be entirely surrounded by greenbelt and protected by the National Capital Commission. These elements make it a sought-after community in which to live. It remains a partially rural area and has both old and new areas of settlement. The 2001 census placed the population at 8,955.

Blackburn Hamlet has many cross-country and hiking trails. Children can walk to neighbourhood schools in many cases without ever crossing a street. Being a family oriented community, Blackburn Hamlet has many sports facilities, including an arena, tennis courts, the largest group of soccer fields in the region, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and one of the best-known toboggan hills in the region.