The City of Ottawa recently released a population and residential growth study, analyzing Ottawa’s growth across the city for the past six years. According to City estimates, Ottawa’s population was 870,254 in 2006. 2001 projections expect Ottawa’s population to reach 1,011,800 by mid-2011 and 1,192,000 by mid-2021.

In terms of tracking neighbourhood growth, the City reported that Ottawa has seen an increased demand for housing closer to the centre of the city, and in the Algonquin College campus area where hundreds of student residences have been added.

Hunt Club and Alta Vista have experienced high levels of new development and redevelopment. Similarly Greely and Stittsville have seen large growth. Numerous condominium and infill projects have brought a fresh influx of new residents to Ottawa West; in particular along the West Wellington-Richmond corridor where empty-nesters and retirees are moving in. Outside of this corridor, the older residential neighbourhoods are being repopulated by families wishing to raise children in an urban environment.

Conversely, Kanata has not sustained its growth rate since the millennium and is 12,338 people shorter than anticipated, most likely due to the sharp downturn of the high-tech sector in 2001.

With regard to housing trends, the City reported that houses are becoming smaller and denser in Orléans and South Nepean, where more housing is being built, but fewer people are living within them. In general, these observations reveal the suburbs are no longer predominantly populated by families with children – more and more couples without children, young professionals, empty nesters and retirees are buying houses in suburban areas.