The Ottawa River separates Ottawa from Gatineau during National Capital Region Canada Day events.
The river forms much of the boundary between Ontario and Quebec, placing Ottawa on its southern side and Gatineau on its northern side. The two cities are connected by several bridges and function as parts of the wider National Capital Region, even though they belong to different provinces and have separate municipal governments.
The Ottawa River rises in western Quebec, flows through the Ottawa Valley and continues toward the Lake of Two Mountains and the St. Lawrence River. Near the capital, it passes Chaudière Falls and receives the Rideau and Gatineau rivers. For centuries it was an important route for Algonquin peoples, and its name reflects the Ottawa people’s historic trading connections.
The river is more than scenery during Canada Day: it helps frame views between Parliament Hill and Gatineau, supports cross-river transportation and gives national celebrations a distinctly regional setting. The Rideau River, by contrast, runs through Ottawa but does not separate the two cities.