Neighbourhood Comparison · CFS Leitrim · August 2026
Two of the strongest south-end options for CAF families posted to Leitrim — but they are not interchangeable. Here's how I'd compare them before your HHT.
In this guide
Watch the comparisonWhy CAF families compare these twoWhy choose Riverside SouthWhy choose Findlay CreekHow I'd use your HHTIf your posting message says CFS Leitrim, Riverside South and Findlay Creek should both be on your radar. They're close enough geographically that people sometimes treat them as basically the same choice. They aren't.
I'm Dwayne Desveaux. I served 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and now help military families relocate to Ottawa as a REALTOR® and approved BGRS/SIRVA third-party supplier. When I'm helping a Leitrim family, I don't start with which neighbourhood is “better.” I start with which trade-offs fit that family's daily life.
This full neighbourhood comparison looks at the two communities side-by-side — homes, transportation, amenities, commute and lifestyle.
Both communities put you in Ottawa's south end with practical access to CFS Leitrim. That means the decision can come down to the second commute in the household, the type of home you want, transit, airport proximity and which community simply feels better when you're driving it during an HHT.
The biggest mistake is choosing from a map alone. A short-looking commute doesn't tell you what your spouse's trip downtown looks like, whether the kids' routine works, or whether you actually like the streets and amenities around the house.
Riverside South is a larger, fast-growing family community. One of its biggest differentiators is the Limebank O-Train connection, which can matter enormously when one person works at Leitrim and the other needs to get toward downtown. It also gives you a broad mix of newer housing and an established suburban family feel.
Put Riverside South higher on your list if: transit for a spouse matters, you want a larger community footprint, or you prefer the overall Riverside South lifestyle after comparing both areas in person.
Findlay Creek is one of the closest major residential communities to CFS Leitrim. It offers newer housing, parks, schools, everyday shopping and quick access to Ottawa International Airport. For a member whose priority is keeping the Leitrim commute straightforward, that's a compelling combination.
Put Findlay Creek higher on your list if: proximity to Leitrim is a major priority, frequent airport access is useful, or the community's housing and south-end location fit your family's routine better.
Read my complete Riverside South vs Findlay Creek neighbourhood comparison →
Don't spend your first HHT day bouncing randomly across Ottawa. If Leitrim is your destination, I'd tour Riverside South and Findlay Creek back-to-back. Drive the route to the base. If your spouse works downtown, test that trip too. Stop at the shopping areas, look at the schools and parks that matter to you, and then compare actual homes in both communities.
Send me your posting location, COS date, budget, family needs and the kind of home you're looking for. I'll help you build a realistic south-end shortlist before you land in Ottawa.