Alta Vista neighbourhood
Alta Vista is a mostly residential area of Ottawa. According to Wikipedia, both the neighbourhood and Alta Vista Drive are named for their relative height, as the area is generally higher than most of the city. The first subdivision here, Rideau Park, dates to 1892, on land that was part of the Billings Estate and used by market gardeners. The Alta Vista name dates to at least 1939, and the area was annexed by Ottawa in 1950 and suburbanized through the 1950s and 1960s. The Ottawa Neighbourhood Study counted 7,765 residents in its Alta Vista area in the 2021 census.
The Alta Vista area has 1 neighbourhoods: and Alta Vista.
Updated · Facts on this page link to their sources
Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa. Photo: Earl Andrew, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 01Alta Vista
A mostly residential, single-detached area on high ground in east-end Ottawa.
Ottawa Neighbourhood Study area 'Alta Vista'; the Alta Vista Community Association uses a wider boundary.
Quick answers
Short answers first; each links to the full answer and its sources.
Is Alta Vista a good place to live?
Alta Vista is a mostly residential Ottawa neighbourhood where 79.9% of dwellings are single-detached houses and 78.6% of households own their home (2021 census, via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study). It has 33.9% tree canopy (2024), 15 parks in the area data and schools from several boards nearby. Most workers commute by car (75.6%, 2021), and the average Walk Score is 37, so whether it fits depends on how you like to get around.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca maps.ottawa.ca
Where is Alta Vista in Ottawa?
Alta Vista is a residential neighbourhood in east-end Ottawa, about 5.0 km in a straight line from Parliament Hill. Per the Alta Vista Community Association's boundaries, it lies south of Smyth Road, north of Walkley Road, east of the Rideau River (and Bank Street) and west of the greenspace under Haig Drive. The City of Ottawa places it in Ward 18 (Alta Vista).
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
What are homes like in Alta Vista?
Homes in Alta Vista are mostly single-detached houses, which made up 79.9% of dwellings in the 2021 census (via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study). Semi-detached houses were 4.6%, row houses 0.8%, and apartments in buildings of under five storeys 5.7% and five or more storeys 6.2%.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca
Do more people rent or own in Alta Vista?
More people own than rent in Alta Vista. In the 2021 census (via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study), 78.6% of households were owners and 21.1% were renters.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca
Which city ward is Alta Vista in?
Alta Vista is in Ward 18 (Alta Vista), per City of Ottawa ward data, October 2026. The councillor for the ward is Marty Carr.
As of 2026-10 · maps.ottawa.ca ottawa.ca
What is the nearest hospital to Alta Vista?
The nearest hospital to Alta Vista is the Ottawa Hospital – Riverside Campus, about 1.0 km away in a straight line. Wikipedia places it at Smyth and Riverside Drive.
As of 2026-10 · maps.ottawa.ca en.wikipedia.org