Sandy Hill neighbourhood overview
Sandy Hill (Côte-de-Sable in French) is a neighbourhood just east of downtown Ottawa, bordered by the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River. It takes its name from its hilly ground and sandy soil. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was Ottawa's wealthiest neighbourhood, and the estate of Louis-Théodore Besserer was subdivided into homes for many of the city's lumber barons. Many of the old mansions later became embassies, and today the University of Ottawa brings many students to the area. The 2021 census counted 13,840 people here.
The Sandy Hill area has 1 neighbourhoods: and Sandy Hill.
Updated · Facts on this page link to their sources
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario (29775014520). Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 01Sandy Hill
A central neighbourhood next to the University of Ottawa, with a long history and a mostly rental housing stock.
Ottawa Neighbourhood Study area "Sandy Hill", described by Wikipedia as running from the Rideau Canal to the Rideau River and from Rideau Street to the Queensway and Nicholas Street.
Quick answers
Short answers first; each links to the full answer and its sources.
Is Sandy Hill a good place to live?
That depends on what you want from a home. Sandy Hill is a central Ottawa neighbourhood about 1.8 km (straight-line) from Parliament Hill, with an O-Train station about 0.6 km away, 10 parks and a mostly apartment-based housing stock. In the 2021 census, 75.1% of households rented and the median age was 29.8.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca en.wikipedia.org
Where is Sandy Hill in Ottawa?
Sandy Hill is a neighbourhood just east of downtown Ottawa. It is bordered on the west by the Rideau Canal and on the east by the Rideau River, according to Wikipedia. Its French name is Côte-de-Sable.
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org
How far is Sandy Hill from downtown Ottawa?
Sandy Hill's centre is about 1.8 km from Parliament Hill, measured in a straight line. Wikipedia describes the neighbourhood as located just east of downtown.
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
What are homes like in Sandy Hill?
Most homes in Sandy Hill are apartments. In the 2021 census, buildings of five or more storeys held 45.7% of dwellings and buildings under five storeys 37.5%, while single-detached houses were 6.3%, row houses 5.7% and semi-detached houses 3.4%. The neighbourhood had 9,065 private dwellings.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca en.wikipedia.org
Do more people rent or own in Sandy Hill?
More people rent. In the 2021 census, via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study, 75.1% of Sandy Hill households were renters and 24.9% were owners.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca en.wikipedia.org
Which city ward is Sandy Hill in?
Per City of Ottawa ward data, October 2026, Sandy Hill is in Ward 12 (Rideau-Vanier). The councillor is Stéphanie Plante.
As of 2026-10 · maps.ottawa.ca ottawa.ca