Canada celebrated its birthday on July 1, marking 159 years since our Confederation of 1867. While it might be considered a ‘young country’ compared to many, the history of Canada runs deep in our nation’s capital. All the way back to time immemorial.

The region is part of the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation, whose communities have lived, travelled, hunted, fished, and cared for these lands for thousands of years as the original stewards of the valley and watershed.

Long before colonization, the Ottawa region was an important place for gathering and trading. In fact, the name ‘Ottawa’ is said to be derived from an Algonquin word that means ‘to trade.’ To the Indigenous peoples of North America, the Ottawa River was one of the most significant travel and trade routes.

Ottawa’s European roots go back to 1826 and the settlement of ‘Bytown,’ established during construction of the Rideau Canal under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel John By. The ambitious plan for a navigable waterway between Lake Ontario and the Ottawa River that would bypass the vulnerable St. Lawrence River was conceived after the War of 1812. The vision was to create a secure military and supply route between Montréal and Kingston.