Neighbourhood Guide · Updated July 2026
Posted to Ottawa? Start with your workplace, commute and family routine — then choose the neighbourhood. Here is how I would narrow the city down for a CAF move.
Carling Campus: start with Kanata and Stittsville. CFS Leitrim: start with Riverside South and Findlay Creek. Family amenities: Barrhaven deserves a look. Bilingual and east-end lifestyle: consider Orléans. For downtown or NCR postings, central Ottawa and Nepean can also make sense. The right answer changes with your actual workplace and both partners' commutes.
In this guide
Watch the Ottawa neighbourhood overview NDHQ Carling: Kanata & Stittsville CFS Leitrim: Riverside South & Findlay Creek Barrhaven: amenities & family routine Orléans: bilingual, established & outdoors Downtown / NCR postings Quick comparison The 5 questions to answer before your HHT FAQIf you have just received a posting message to Ottawa, the neighbourhood list can feel enormous. Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Riverside South, Findlay Creek, Orléans, Nepean — all of them can be good places to live. The problem is that “good neighbourhood” and “good neighbourhood for your posting” are not the same thing.
I'm Dwayne Desveaux. I spent 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before becoming an Ottawa REALTOR®. Mallory is a U.S. Navy veteran and Ottawa REALTOR®. We approach a military move the same way we would have wanted someone to approach ours: start with the mission, then build the plan.
If you prefer video, start here. This gives you the Ottawa relocation overview, then the guide below lets you compare the communities in more detail.
Complete Ottawa military relocation guide
Tip: save the neighbourhood comparison videos for your HHT planning session. They make it much easier to eliminate areas before you spend a day driving across the city.
NDHQ Carling is at 60 Moodie Drive in Ottawa's west end. If that is your primary workplace, geography alone makes Kanata and Stittsville sensible communities to investigate first.
Kanata is the obvious starting point for many Carling postings because it keeps you on the west side of the city while giving families a large selection of housing, recreation, shopping and established neighbourhoods. Bridlewood, Kanata Lakes, Morgan's Grant and other pockets each feel different, so treat “Kanata” as a group of communities rather than one uniform suburb.
West-end commuteTech hubLarge housing mixFamily amenities
Stittsville is worth comparing if you want west-end access but prefer a quieter community feel. It mixes established areas with newer development and gives you another option without automatically committing to a cross-city commute.
West endVillage feelNewer development
For a Leitrim posting, I would begin with Riverside South and Findlay Creek. Their south-end locations make them natural candidates before you start expanding the search outward.
Riverside South is a newer suburban community with modern housing, parks, trails and access to Line 2 through Limebank Station. That can be especially useful when one partner works south and the other needs access toward central Ottawa.
Watch: Living in Riverside South — pros & cons
Findlay Creek is another community I would put near the top of a Leitrim search. The major advantage is simple: proximity. If the CAF member can keep the work commute short, it gives the family more flexibility when balancing school, childcare, a spouse's job and everything else that comes with a posting.
South endNewer homesLeitrim proximityFamily-oriented
Barrhaven is one of Ottawa's largest suburban communities. Its biggest strength for a relocating family is not that it “wins” every category — it is that so much of day-to-day life is already there: groceries, recreation, restaurants, services, schools and a broad range of housing.
For some military families, that convenience is worth a somewhat longer commute. For others, especially when the member is working across the city, it is not. This is where lifestyle has to beat the temptation to choose solely by house price.
Full amenitiesLarge communityHousing varietyFamily routine
Orléans has a mature identity that newer suburbs are still developing. It offers established neighbourhoods, strong French-language options, parks, cycling, Ottawa River access and Petrie Island. For bilingual or francophone families — or anyone who simply prefers the east-end lifestyle — it can be a very strong fit.
The trade-off is location. If you are working at Carling Campus, you are putting home and work on opposite sides of Ottawa. That does not automatically rule Orléans out, but you should make that decision with your eyes open.
Watch: Kanata vs Orléans
BilingualEstablishedOttawa RiverOutdoor lifestyle
Not every CAF posting in the National Capital Region points to Carling or Leitrim. DND and CAF workplaces are spread across Ottawa and Gatineau, including downtown locations. If your workplace is central, communities such as Nepean — or even a more urban neighbourhood — may reduce the amount of your life you spend commuting.
Central housing can involve different trade-offs: older homes, smaller lots, higher price per square foot in some pockets, or more condo options. But a shorter commute can be worth far more than an extra bedroom you barely use.
| Community | Start here if... | Strength | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanata | Carling / west-end posting | Commute, housing variety, amenities | Cross-city trips if work changes |
| Stittsville | You want west-end access with a quieter feel | Community feel, newer options | Distance from central Ottawa |
| Riverside South | Leitrim / south-end posting | Newer homes, transit access | Still-developing amenities in some pockets |
| Findlay Creek | Keeping the Leitrim commute short is priority #1 | Proximity, newer housing | Smaller geographic area to search |
| Barrhaven | You want a large amenity base close to home | Daily convenience, housing choice | Commute depending on workplace |
| Orléans | Bilingual / east-end / outdoor lifestyle matters | Mature community, river access | Long west-end commute |
| Nepean / central | Your workplace is downtown or central | Central access, established areas | Older housing stock in many pockets |
There is no single winner. Kanata and Stittsville are logical west-end options for many Carling Campus postings. Riverside South and Findlay Creek are natural south-end options near Leitrim. Barrhaven is strong for amenities, while Orléans appeals to many families looking for an established bilingual community and outdoor lifestyle.
Start by comparing Kanata and Stittsville, then test the commute during the hours you will actually travel. Carling Campus is at 60 Moodie Drive, so west-end geography can make a meaningful difference to your daily routine.
Riverside South and Findlay Creek are logical first comparisons because of their south-end locations. Barrhaven may also fit if your family prioritizes a larger established amenity base.
That depends on your expected time in Ottawa, finances, housing needs, market conditions and preference for flexibility. A posting does not automatically make buying the better choice.
Important: Work locations, transit service, housing conditions and relocation rules can change. Confirm your assigned workplace and current CAF relocation entitlements before making a housing decision.
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