Population Demographics and Health Equity

Demographics and Population Projections

• In 2023, an estimated 1,095,575 people live in Ottawa.[1] Males account for 49% of the population and females for 51%. [2]

• The median age of Ottawa residents is 39 years; 39 years for men and 41 years for women. [2] The estimated age distribution of the Ottawa population in 2023, 2030 and 2040 is detailed in Figure 1. 
• In the coming decades, the greatest growth is projected to occur among those 20 to 49 and those 65 and over. By 2030, it is estimated that older adults, aged 65 and over, are projected to account for 20% of the population.[1]

Figure 1.  Population distribution as counts, for males and females, in Ottawa in 2023 and projections for 2030 and 2040

Origin and Identity

Indigenous Identity

• In 2021, 3% of Ottawa residents identify as Indigenous, including First Nations (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit), an increase from 2.5% in 2016. [2,3] While the Census provides an estimate of the Indigenous population in Ottawa, Indigenous identity is underestimated. [4]

Please refer to these reports for more information about Indigenous populations in Ottawa: Our Health Counts, My Life, My Wellbeing, Diversity Snapshot: Aboriginal Peoples.  

Racialized Groups

• In 2021, 35% of Ottawa residents identified as racialized, a 7% increase compared to 2016 (28%). [2,3]
• Black, Middle Eastern, and South Asian were the most frequently reported racialized groups. [2]

Immigration

• About a quarter (26%) of Ottawa residents in 2021 were born outside of Canada, a slight increase from 2016 (24%).[2]
• Five percent of Ottawa residents are recent immigrants (those who immigrated in the past five years).
• Just over half (54%) of recent immigrants to Ottawa came from Asia, with India being the most frequently reported country of origin. [2]

Language

• Almost all Ottawa residents can conduct a conversation in English or French. In 2021, 61% of people living in Ottawa spoke English only, 1% spoke French only, 36% spoke English and French, and 2% spoke neither English nor French. [2] This is not substantively different from the previous two censuses (Table 2). 
• Nearly one quarter (23%) of people’s mother tongue is a language other than English or French. The top three mother tongue languages for people whose mother tongue is a language other than English or French are Arabic (16%), Chinese (12%), and Spanish (5%).  [2]

Education, Employment and Income

• People in Ottawa are well-educated with three quarters (77%) of adults (aged 25 to 64 years) holding a postsecondary education certificate, diploma or degree, 18% hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and only 5% not having completed high school. This is a higher proportion that hold a postsecondary education (77% vs 75%) compared to 2016. [2]
• Unemployment has improved since the earliest years of the pandemic. In 2022, monthly unemployment ranged from 3% to 6%, which is lower compared to the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 monthly range: 4% to 10%; 2021 monthly range: 5% to 13%). [2]
• The median after-tax individual income for people living in Ottawa over 15 years of age was $44,000 in 2020,18 up 18% from $37,136 in 2015. This increase exceeded cumulative inflation over the same time period (10%). [2]
• The median after-tax household income was $88,000 in 2020, up only 2% from $85,981 in 2015. This increase was less than the rate of inflation.[2]
• The estimated cost of living for a family of two adults and two children was $50,355 in Ottawa in 2021, a 9% increase over five years from 2017 ($46,123). This estimate, called the Market Basket Measure (MBM), considers the cost of clothing, food, footwear, transpor tation, shelter, and other expenses. [8]

• Close to 89,000 individuals, or 9% of people in Ottawa, lived in low income in 2020, adjusting for household size using the after-tax low income measure (LIM-AT). This is a decrease from 13% in 2015. [2]
• Ottawa residents aged 18 to 64 years were less likely to live in low income in 2020 (8%) than those aged 17 and under (11%) or individuals 65 years and older (9%). [2]

Housing and Shelter

• In 2021, there were 407,250 private dwellings in Ottawa. About two-thirds (64%) of these dwellings are owned, while 36% are rented. The average monthly cost for owned dwellings is $1,668 and for rented dwellings is $1,422. [2]
• One fifth (20%) of private households in Ottawa spent 30% or more of their household income on shelter costs in 2021. [2]
• 14% of owner households spent 30% or more of their household income on shelter costs
• 35% of tenant households (e.i., people who rent) spent 30% or more of their income on shelter costs; and
• 14% of tenant households were in subsidized housing. [2]
• The average household size in Ottawa was 2.5 people in 2021. [2]
  • One-person households made up 29% of households in Ottawa;
  • Almost one quarter (24%) of households were married or common-law couples with no children; and
  • 36% of households were couple or lone parents. [2]
• In 2021, the family structure of Ottawa families was predominantly couples with (44%) or without (40%) children. Lone parents make up 16% of families in Ottawa, the majority of which are female lone parents (79%). [2]

Core housing need is a measure that considers suitability, adequacy and affordability of a dwelling. A household living in a dwelling that is unsuitable, inadequate or unaffordable, and whose income level would not allow alternative suitable and adequate housing is considered in a core housing need. [6]

• In 2021, 11% of Ottawa households were in a core housing need. [2]
  • 5% of owner households were in core housing need; and
  • 23% of tenant households were in core housing need. [2]

Urban and Rural Population

• All sub-areas in Ottawa experienced an increase in population growth in 2022 except Bayshore, which experienced a 0.3% decrease in population, and the Rural Northeast, which saw no change in population.
• Within Ottawa, the largest population growth in 2022 took place in suburban areas outside the Greenbelt (3.1% growth from 2021), following the pattern of past years. [7] 

• In 2022, the percentage of Ottawa’s population living [7]:
  • downtown was 10.5% representing an estimated 112,290 people,
  • inside the Greenbelt but outside of downtown core was 52% representing an estimated 443,220 people,
  • in suburban areas outside the Greenbelt was 38.5% representing an estimated 411,220 people, and
  • in rural areas was 9.4% representing an estimated 100,570 people.

References

1. Population Estimates 2023, Ontario Ministry of Health, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Date Extracted: Jan 27, 2023.
2. Statistics Canada. 2023. Ottawa, CV [Census subdivision], Ontario and Canada [Country] (table). Census Profile. 2021 Census of Population. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316- X2021001. Ottawa. Released February 8, 2023. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/ prof/index.cfm?Lang=E (accessed March 8, 2023).
3. Statistics Canada. 2017. Ottawa, CV [Census subdivision], Ontario and Canada [Country] (table). Census Profile. 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001. Ottawa. Released November 29, 2017. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E  (accessed November 29, 2017).
4. City of Ottawa. Diversity Snapshot: Aboriginal Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis). 2010.
5. Statistics Canada. 2023. Ottawa. Table 14-10-0354-01 Regional unemployment rates used by the Employment Insurance program, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1410035401 Released Jan 6, 2023. (accessed February 2, 2023) 
6. Statistics Canada. 2017. Core Housing Need, 2016 Census of Population, 2016001. Statistics Canada Catalogue no 98-509-X2016001. Ottawa. Version updated Nov 15 2017. Ottawa. [accessed Oct 16, 2018]  https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/chn-biml/index-eng.cfm
7. City of Ottawa. 2024. 2022 Annual Development Report. City of Ottawa, Planning, Development and Building Services [Accessed online Aug 15, 2025] https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/default/files/annual_dev_report_2022_en.pdf
8. Statistics Canada. 2023. Ottawa [CMA]. Table 11-10-0066-01 Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for the reference family by Market Basket Measure region, component and base year. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/ tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1110006601 Released January 17, 2023. (accessed February 1, 2023).

 The Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Community Dashboard presents :

1. community level data on mental health, addictions and substance use health issues
2. the needs of people in the community including a targeted look at data related to the overdose crisis, and
3. data on the root causes of poor health.

The MHASUH dashboard is framed by 4 domains (see image below). The first 3 domains, depicted as the branches of a tree, look at key factors that impact mental health, addictions and substance use health. These factors include needs, harms, stigma and access to health and social services. Domain 4, depicted as the roots of a tree, shows key factors that are the root causes of poor health and influence the wellbeing of every person in our community.

• For socio-demographic data on:
  • self-reported mental health, substance use health, gambling, and access and interest in presentative supports (e.g., regular healthcare provider, mental health supports), check out the "Do people feel well?" page.
  • interactions with mental health providers, check out the "Are people free of stigma?"  page.
  • access to harm reductions services (e.g. naloxone, needle distribution program), access to brief counselling and system navigation services, access to youth mental health supports and crisis lines, and barriers to accessing mental health supports, check out the "Can people access treatment and services" page
  • food insecurity, youth feelings of safety, life satisfaction, sense of community belonging, and youth social connections, social media and screen time, check out the "Do people live with opportunity and equality?" page

In fall 2022, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) began inviting clients of the Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) Home Visiting Program to voluntarily share additional information about themselves.  

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted us in significant ways. We were all affected by the closure of schools and businesses, and the challenges that come with physical distancing and wearing a mask in our daily lives.  

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is committed to monitoring the health and social impacts of COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic – to understand how Ottawa residents are managing through this time, and to use this information to work with the community to provide supports where needed.  

One of the tools OPH used to shape our understanding of these impacts is a population-level survey of Ottawa residents. The survey was conducted at regular intervals over the course of the pandemic. Results were summarized in themes and posted once available. Explore the links below to learn more about our findings to date. Other sources of information aligned with these themes will be investigated and added as available.

Perceptions of Seriousness, Risk and Sources of Concern for COVID-19

Key Findings from the October 2020 survey:  Most residents (85%) continued to consider the COVID-19 pandemic to be extremely or very serious.  Across all age groups, more people believed the pandemic was extremely or very serious in October compared to June. The biggest change was seen among residents aged 45-54, with 85% considering the pandemic to be extremely or very serious in October compared to 74% in June.   In October, some groups viewed the pandemic as more serious than others:  More women than men considered the pandemic to be extremely or very serious (88% vs. 83% respectively).  More people with an annual household income of <$60,000 considered the pandemic to be extremely or very serious (93%) compared to those with higher household incomes (83%). Table 1. In general, how serious would you say the COVID-19 pandemic is?   March 2020 June 2020 October 2020 Extremely or Very serious  94%  82%  85%  Somewhat serious  5%  13%  10%  Not serious  1%  4%  5%  March 2020 survey = 559 respondents (March 26 to April 2, 2020)   June 2020 survey = 566 respondents (June 3 to 8, 2020)   October 2020 survey = 617 respondents (October 8 to 20, 2020)    Key Findings from the June 2020 survey:  The majority of Ottawa residents (82%) consider the COVID-19 pandemic to be extremely or very serious. This is lower than what was reported in late March (94%) at the start of the pandemic (Table 1). Nearly all (95%) residents aged 65 or older consider the COVID-19 pandemic to be extremely or very serious, and this has remained the same since March. Some age groups consider the pandemic to be less serious when compared to the Ottawa population overall. Only three quarters (74%) of those aged 18 to 29 and 45 to 54 years consider it to be extremely or very serious.   Table 1. In general, how serious would you say the COVID-19 pandemic is?   March 2020 June 2020 Extremely or Very serious 94% 82% Somewhat serious 5% 13% Not serious 1% 4% March 2020 survey = 559 respondents (March 26 to April 2, 2020) June 2020 survey = 566 respondents (June 3 to 8, 2020)    Figure 1. Perceived seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, Ottawa, June 2020  Data Source and Notes for Figure 1  Ottawa Public Health. Impact of COVID-19 online survey of Ottawa adults. June 2020. EKOS Research Associates Inc. was commissioned by Ottawa Public Health to conduct a bilingual (English and French) online survey of Ottawa residents regarding the impact of COVID-19. The survey was completed by a random sample of 566 Ottawa residents between June 3 and June 8, 2020. Error bars in the figure represent 95% confidence intervals.  Data Table for Figure 1 Perceived seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, Ottawa, June 2020 Age group Extremely / very serious(%, 95% CI) Somewhat serious(%, 95% CI) 18 – 29 years 74.3, 56.0 – 86.8 22.2, 10.6 – 40.7 30 – 44 years 81.8, 73.8 – 87.8 11.7, 7.0 – 19.0 45 – 54 years 73.9, 63.9 – 81.9 19.8, 12.6 – 29.7 55 – 64 years 83.0, 74.5 – 89.0 11.3, 6.5 – 18.9 65+ years 95.1, 90.2 -97.7 4.9, 2.3 – 9.8 Key Findings from the March 2020 survey: Most people in Ottawa believe the pandemic is a serious issue (94%) The priority for 40% of people in Ottawa is to do their part to prevent COVID-19 from spreading to others. Another 39% of people are concerned that others they know will get sick. 84% of people have changed their social behaviour in response to COVID-19 by only socializing using remote connections such as communication online or telephone (50%) or using remote connections and socializing outdoors on walks or in the yard (34%). Only 5% of people in Ottawa report socializing in their homes or the homes of friends and family. Over half of people in Ottawa (57%) are worried about the safety of people they know with frail health. A third of people in Ottawa are worried about physical and mental health of themselves or those in their households (35% and 32%, respectively). Compared with the total population, Ottawans who identify as living with a disability are two to three times as likely to identify difficulty in all areas of preparing for when they or someone in their household may become ill as those not living with a disability. Over half of people living with a disability are worried about physical and mental health (50% and 52%, respectively). Over half (53%) of people in Ottawa expect that the current measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 will be in place for two to three months. Report: Perceptions and practices in Ottawa during the COVID 19 response. Results of a population survey March 26 to April 2, 2020 [PDF 640k]

Mental Health, Substance Use and Health Behaviours

Key Findings from the November 2021 survey: The current survey findings reflect a point in time in November 2021 when COVID-19 cases were stable, and the province was in a re-opening phase. Results for self-rated mental health and well-being may be sensitive to changes in policies related to COVID-19. While overall results show an improvement compared to 2020, some indicators remain worse than pre-pandemic levels. One in four Ottawa residents (26%) rated their mental health and emotional well-being as ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ (vs. 6% in 2015-16 and 9% in 2017-18). Half of Ottawa residents (52%) reported a strong sense of community belonging (vs. 66% in 2015-16 and 67% in 2017-18). There continues to be evidence that some groups are more affected, or are faring worse, than other groups within the population. These groups include people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ2S+, people who identify as racialized, younger age groups (under 55 years), people with children (under 17), and people with low income (less than $60,000).  One in four Ottawa residents (24%) wanted to talk to someone about their mental health and did not know who to reach out to. This is unchanged from 2020 (25%). New questions were added to the current survey to better understand the stigma that exists in the community around mental health and substance use health.  Many of the findings were promising. For example, 90% or more of Ottawa residents strongly or somewhat agreed that mental health conditions and substance use health conditions can affect anyone, deserve healthcare, and need the right treatment and support.  There were, however, indications that stigma continues to be a barrier for people with mental health conditions, and especially for those with substance use health conditions.  For example, less than half of Ottawa residents (46%) agreed they would hire someone with a substance use disorder, and 62% agreed they would feel comfortable working with someone with a substance use disorder. In summary, while encouraging to see some improvement in 2021 compared to 2020, pre-pandemic data, feedback from service providers and from community partners and residents suggest that mental health and substance use health challenges persist for many Ottawa residents.  Report: Status of Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health in Ottawa During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fall of 2021. Results of a population survey November 5 to 18, 2021 [PDF 1MB]  Key Findings from the October 2020 survey:   Overall, in October 2020, Ottawa residents continued to report worsened mental health and emotional well-being, loneliness, weaker community connectedness and concern for burnout.  While most of these indicators have remained stable since June, some groups continue to be more affected – or are faring worse than in June, and some appear to be reporting signs of improvement in their mental health.  Of concern, Ottawa residents that generally fared worse in October or continued to report poorer mental health, stress, loneliness or concern for burnout more than others include: women, younger adults (<45 years), people with a disability, people identifying as racialized or a visible minority, people not born in Canada and people identifying as LGBTQ2S+.  There appears to a positive effect of school and daycare re-openings on family mental health. Ottawa parents are showing some indication of coping better and expressed some small improvements over concern for their children around missing social interactions and school supports. However, some parents continue to struggle. Generally, these included parents with lower household income and parents with a disability.  One-quarter (25%) of Ottawa residents wanted to talk to someone about their emotional state or mental health but did not know where to turn. While improvements can still be made and it was not significantly different from June (29%), this optimistic shift was seen across most population groups and may be an indication of the work and positive strides made by community partners and providers to increase awareness and access to mental health services.  Report: Status of Mental Health in Ottawa During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fall of 2020. Results of a population survey October 8 to 20, 2020 [PDF 876k] Key Findings from the June 2020 survey: The COVID-19 pandemic is a very stressful event for Ottawa residents and communities in Ottawa. Ottawa residents are reporting worsened mental health and emotional well-being, loneliness and weaker community connectedness. Three in ten Ottawa residents want to talk to someone about their emotional state or mental health, but do not know who to talk to. Some Ottawa residents are affected by poorer mental health, stress and isolation more than others, including: parents of school-aged children, younger adults (<45 years), those self-identifying as a visible minority or with a disability, those with lower household income (<$60,000), those working with regular public interactions and those not working due to the pandemic. Following two and a half months of school and daycare closures, a high proportion (84%) of parents are concerned about their child(ren) missing social interactions and connecting with their school or daycare communities (70%). Two-thirds of parents with school-aged children at home are concerned about their child(ren)’s mental health and emotional well-being. Report: Status of Mental Health in Ottawa During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Results of a population survey June 3 to 8, 2020 [PDF 802k]

Income and Employment

Key Findings from the October 2020 survey:  The percentage of Ottawa residents not working because of the pandemic was significantly lower in October 2020 (5%) compared to June 2020 (11%).   Over a quarter (28%) of residents said their household income had decreased between mid-March and October 2020 and 58% said it had remained the same. These are similar to findings reported in June when Ottawans were asked about any changes in household income during the spring.  Among those who experienced income losses between mid-March and October 2020, nearly three-quarters (73%) said their monthly household income had not regained pre-pandemic levels.   Although not statistically significant, this differed by income bracket: among those in households earning $60,000 or less, 88% of people said their monthly incomes had not regained pre-pandemic levels compared to 70% among those in households earning more than $60,000.   There was also a significant shift between June and October 2020 in the percentage of those with income losses who said they were moderately to extremely worried about burn out (39% in June to 62% in October).  The percentage of residents reporting difficulties paying for basic living costs (housing, food or utilities) did not significantly change between October and June 2020 (18% vs. 19%, respectively).   The percentage of people reporting difficulties paying for basic living costs was notably higher for people in households earning under $60,000 per year, people not born in Canada, people who identified as visible minority or racialized, people who identified as LGBTQ2S+ and people with disabilities.  A significantly higher percentage of people reported difficulties putting money into savings in October (38%) compared to June (27%). Compared to June, the percentage of people reporting difficulties increased across all sub-populations.  Report: Status of Employment and Income Pressures During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ottawa, Fall 2020. Results from a population survey (October 8 to 20, 2020) with supporting data from Statistics Canada [PDF 980k] Key Findings from the June 2020 survey: The closure of non-essential business, schools and daycares, and stay-at-home measures in mid-March has led to unemployment, a decrease in job seeking and income loss for some Ottawans. Many individuals and businesses applied for emergency response benefits, subsidies, and payment deferrals. One in ten (11%) Ottawans are not currently working because of the COVID-19 pandemic and 28% report a decrease in income since mid-March. It is too early to know how many Ottawans will lose their job permanently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent financial impact. One-fifth (19%) of Ottawa residents said they had difficulty paying for either housing, food or utilities. This was more common among residents with a disability, those with lower household income and those who had a decrease in income since mid-March. Groups that appear to be most impacted by income loss and the ability to pay for basic living costs (housing, food, utilities) include visible minorities and those with a disability. Report: Status of Employment and Income Pressures During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ottawa. Results from a population survey (June 3 to 8, 2020) with supporting data from Statistics Canada [PDF 935k]

Health Services

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in health care. Many non-urgent surgeries and appointments were delayed or cancelled, and other in-person health services were closed or limited. In addition, Ontarians were asked to stay at home and limit their public outings and many may have avoided or delayed seeking health services. Health services may include those received from a doctor, nurse, counsellor, dietitian, therapist, dentist, surgeon or emergency care provider. Key Findings from the October 2020 survey:   39% of Ottawa residents expressed worry about the impact of COVID-19 on their physical health or that of others in their household. This is consistent with what we heard early in the pandemic (33% in March-April). Some groups were more likely to express worry, including those with a disability (53%), those aged 65 and older (49%), and those who reported worsened mental health and well-being (53%), high stress (54%), feeling lonely (69%) or wanting to talk to someone and not knowing where to turn (57%).   Compared to survey results from June, small improvements were seen in the proportion of Ottawa residents avoiding health services (October: 38% vs. June: 45%) or experiencing delays or cancellations (October: 58% vs. June: 68%), though these changes were not statistically significant.  Across age categories, avoidance was lowest among those aged 65 and older (20%), and highest among those aged 45-54 (47%).  Appointment delays or cancellations were highest among residents with a disability (72%), and those who reported feeling lonely (75%), wanting to talk to someone and not knowing where to turn (67%), or reporting high stress (66%).   37% of Ottawa residents felt the disruptions in access to health services had a negative impact on their health. This is somewhat higher than June (28%), though not statistically significant.   This finding continues to be most pronounced among those with a disability, with 18% reporting significantly worse health and 39% somewhat worse health.  Half of Ottawa residents (49%) reported getting a flu shot since September 2019.   Across age categories, this was lowest among those aged 18-29 (33%) and highest among those aged 65 and older (64%).  More Ottawa residents currently working outside the home did not get a flu shot (61%) compared to those who are retired (35%) or working from home (50%).   72% of Ottawa residents reported that they are likely to get a flu shot this season.   Likelihood increased with age, from 61% among those aged 18-29, to 90% among those aged 65 and older.   Some groups reported that they are less likely to get a flu shot this season; notably, 33% of those who identify as first-generation immigrants, 30% of those working outside the home, and 30% of those with a household income under $60,000 are not likely to get a flu shot this season.  Those who perceived the COVID-19 pandemic as serious are significantly more likely to get a flu shot this season compared to those who do not (76% vs. 49%).  Key Findings from the June 2020 survey: Almost half (45%) of Ottawa residents avoided getting health services for something they normally would have sought care for before the pandemic. This was more likely among those with a disability (65%). Nearly two thirds of Ottawa residents (68%) experienced appointment delays or cancellations since the start of the pandemic. This was more likely among those aged 45 to 54 (79%) and among households with a child aged 12 to 18 (79%).       28% of Ottawa residents felt the disruptions in access to health services had a negative impact on their health. This was particularly notable among those with a disability, with 17% reporting significantly worse health and 32% somewhat worse health. Ottawa residents who reported concerns about their mental health and emotional well-being, such as higher stress or feeling lonely, or wanting to talk to someone about their mental health and not knowing where to turn, were more likely to report avoiding health services, experiencing delays, or feeling their health has worsened.

Support for Leadership

Key Findings from the October 2020 survey:  Most residents (84%) agreed that the information provided by OPH is trustworthy.   This finding was generally consistent across age groups but differed depending on where people live. Residents in rural Ottawa were significantly less likely to agree that the information provided by OPH is trustworthy (69%) compared to residents in the urban central region (95%).  Key Findings from the June 2020 survey: Overall, the majority of residents agree that the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health are doing a good job of providing up-to-date information during the COVID-19 response and doing everything it can to protect the health of residents. The June findings on public opinions about City of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were similar to those collected in March 2020. Refer to the table below for details.   Agree Neither Disagree    March 2020 June 2020  March 2020 June 2020  March 2020  June 2020 The City of Ottawa is doing a good job of providing up-to-date information on City operations and services during the COVID-19 response 71%  73%  13% 8% 10% 15% The City of Ottawa is doing everything it can to protect the health of residents from COVID-19 70% 68%  11% 9% 15% 20% Ottawa Public Health is doing everything it can to protect the health of residents from COVID-19 77% 76%  9% 8% 9% 14% March 2020 survey = 559 respondents (March 26 to April 2, 2020)June 2020 survey = 566 respondents (June 3 to 8, 2020)  Key Findings from the March 2020 survey: Most people in Ottawa believe that governments in Canada are taking the necessary steps to contain COVID-19 (93%). Report: Perceptions and practices in Ottawa during the COVID 19 response. Results of a population survey March 26 to April 2, 2020 [PDF 640k]

COVID-19 in Ottawa –The relation to racialized communities and deprivation

Areas with a high proportion of racialized communities and high material deprivation have higher rates of COVID-19 compared to areas with a lower proportion of racialized communities or lower material deprivation. Report: COVID-19 in Ottawa –The relation to racialized communities and deprivation [PDF 290 k]

The Urban Public Health Network (UPHN) measures health inequalities in Canada’s cities and lays a foundation for regular monitoring under the project banner “Measuring Trends in Health Inequalities in Cities” (MTHIC). A total of 29 health indicators from 2011 to 2015 were examined including 16 on hospitalizations/day surgeries and 13 self-reported indicators, such as COPD hospitalization and day surgeries for dental caries (Measuring Trends in Health Inequalities in Cities, 2019).

The Ottawa-specific report summarizes results of health inequality by income groups and trend over time. Households in the lowest income quintile had significantly worse health compared to the highest quintile on 20 out of the 29 health indicators. A significant increase in health inequality from 2006-2010 to 2011-2015 was seen in hospitalizations for COPD, congestive heart failure, all injury combined, and falls injury. 

Measuring Trends in Health Inequalities in Ottawa, 2019 (PDF) [602 KB]

• We want to know more about you so that we can serve you better.
• Combining your information with everyone else’s lets us see who is accessing Ottawa Public Health services and improve services for everyone.

“Demographic” means information about a group of people that helps describe who they are. 

Demographics include things like:

• Language
• Indigenous Identity
• Ethnicity or Ethnic Origin
• Race or Racial Identity
• Sexual Orientation
• Household Income and Household Size

We take your privacy seriously.  Your information will be kept confidential and only accessible to those within Ottawa Public Health who have permission to access it in order to carry out their duties.

We may use some of this information to help support your visit and offer community resources. We will also combine your demographic information with data from all the other people accessing Ottawa Public Health services. This will tell us more about who is and is not accessing our services. We use this information to make improvements to our services for everyone.

Providing this information is completely voluntary. You can answer all, some, or none of the questions. We will ask whether you consent/agree to provide this information and there will be a “prefer not to answer” option for all questions. Choosing not to answer or responding with “prefer not to answer” will not affect your care or the services you receive today or in the future.  And, if you provide your demographic information and later change your mind about having this information stored, analyzed, and reported, you may contact Ottawa Public Health at OPH-Epidemiology@ottawa.ca and ask that it be removed from your files.

This report provides an overview of the health of Ottawa’s population, including information about the demographic characteristics of Ottawa residents; key measures of general health such as longevity, disease prevalence and hospital visits; and behaviours that affect health, such as physical activity and substance use. More detailed information on the topics described in this report can be found in the health profiles available online at the OPH Research & Statistics web page.

State of Ottawa's Health, 2018 (PDF) [1 MB]

Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health in Ottawa, 2016 (PDF) [625 KB]

Enhanced Street Youth Surveillance in Ottawa, 2011