As already mentioned on other pages of the campaign website, Wellington Street is Ottawa’s oldest street. It is also evolving to become the “premiere avenue of the capital” as recognized by the City of Ottawa’s Official Plan Ottawa 20/20. The city also designates Wellington as being a “distinctive street”. The reason for this is easily understood as most buildings on both sides of the street are recognized for their heritage value and protected under federal jurisdiction.
On the north side of the street, there are plans to develop a pedestrian promenade. This side is also the seat of Canada’s governing institutions including the Parliament Buildings and the Supreme Court of Canada. Also on the north side are found the offices of all MPs and Senators split between the East, Centre and West Block and Confederation Building. As you walk past the Supreme Court, you will see the National Archives and Library building.
On the south side of Wellington walking from west to east, you will see the Garden of Provinces, the East and West Memorial Buildings, the Bank of Montreal building, the old US Embassy building, the NCC’s Info-Centre, Langevin Block, the National Press Gallery building and finally the former Union Station now turned into the Government Conference Centre.
The vicinity of Wellington Street is usually referred to as Parliament Hill or the Parliamentary Precinct. Wellington Street is the southern border of the former and included in the latter.
Wellington Street is also part of the Confederation Boulevard (as seen on the street sign below), a ceremonial road that circles the capital and spans over both sides of the Ontario-Quebec border and crosses two bridges.
In this section you will find more information about all the buildings on the street that would be affected by a street name change, some insights on the history of each building and how each of these contributed to the local and national history.
- Buildings
- Photo Gallery 1 (before 1900)
- Photo Gallery 2 (1900s-1930s)
- Photo Gallery 3 (1940s-1960s)
- Photo Gallery 4 (1970s-1990s)
- Photo Gallery 5 (Then and Now)
- Map Gallery 1
- Map Gallery 2