Alta Vista: green, residential, high ground
Alta Vista is a mostly residential Ottawa neighbourhood of single-detached homes, mature streets and a lot of green space. About 5.0 km in a straight line from Parliament Hill, it has Transitway stations close by and schools from four boards within a few kilometres. This guide gathers census, City of Ottawa and public data so you can judge whether it fits.
Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa. Photo: Earl Andrew, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
altavista.homes is an independent guide to Alta Vista, Ottawa. It lists 26 schools, 21 parks and recreation places and 31 grocery stores, pharmacies and shopping centres, each with its source.
Updated · Facts on this page link to their sources
The neighbourhood
Population, housing and history for the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study area.
For sale now
Each home has its own website; tap through for photos, rooms and the open house.
No homes listed right now
New homes appear here as soon as their websites go live. See recently sold.
Latest guides
Researched from public sources, with every source linked on the page.
Parks & trailsParks & green space
15 parks in the area data, with Cunningham Woods closest to the centre.
Updated October 2026
SchoolsSchools
Four school boards and several independent schools within a few kilometres.
Updated October 2026
Shops & diningShops & errands
Supermarkets, shopping centres and everyday errands, not restaurants.
Updated October 2026
TransitGetting around
Transitway stations nearby, the O-Train about 2.3 km away.
Updated October 2026
MarketThe market, honestly
OREB's latest numbers for Ottawa, what they mean, and what they don't.
Updated October 2026
Alta Vista at a glance
This guide covers Alta Vista as defined by the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS) area 'Alta Vista'. The Alta Vista Community Association uses a wider boundary, so population figures differ between sources and are labelled.
The market, honestly
Citywide Ottawa figures from OREB's monthly MLS® report. They describe the whole city, not one neighbourhood.
- $705,100Single-family benchmark price (MLS® HPI)Nearly unchanged from Sept 2025; down 3.0% from August
- 4.4Months of inventory, single-familyAll homes: 4.8, up from 4.1 a year earlier
- $685,640Average sale price, all homesDown 1.0% from Sept 2025
- 1,010Homes sold in SeptemberDown 6.6% from Sept 2025
Figures for September 2026, released October 5, 2026 · Source: oreb.ca
Quick answers
Short answers first; each links to the full answer and its sources.
Is Alta Vista a good place to live?
Alta Vista is a mostly residential Ottawa neighbourhood where 79.9% of dwellings are single-detached houses and 78.6% of households own their home (2021 census, via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study). It has 33.9% tree canopy (2024), 15 parks in the area data and schools from several boards nearby. Most workers commute by car (75.6%, 2021), and the average Walk Score is 37, so whether it fits depends on how you like to get around.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca maps.ottawa.ca
Where is Alta Vista in Ottawa?
Alta Vista is a residential neighbourhood in east-end Ottawa, about 5.0 km in a straight line from Parliament Hill. Per the Alta Vista Community Association's boundaries, it lies south of Smyth Road, north of Walkley Road, east of the Rideau River (and Bank Street) and west of the greenspace under Haig Drive. The City of Ottawa places it in Ward 18 (Alta Vista).
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
How far is Alta Vista from downtown Ottawa?
Alta Vista is about 5.0 km from downtown Ottawa, measured in a straight line to Parliament Hill. Real driving, cycling or transit distances will be longer and depend on the route.
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org maps.ottawa.ca
What schools serve Alta Vista?
The City of Ottawa schools layer lists 26 schools within about 2.7 km (straight-line) of the Alta Vista centre: 11 OCDSB, 3 OCSB, 5 CECCE, 1 CÉPEO and 6 independent. Nearby elementary schools include Alta Vista Public School, St. Gemma School and Pleasant Park Public School. Families must confirm which school serves a given address with each board's school locator.
As of 2026-10 · maps.ottawa.ca en.wikipedia.org
What are homes like in Alta Vista?
Homes in Alta Vista are mostly single-detached houses, which made up 79.9% of dwellings in the 2021 census (via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study). Semi-detached houses were 4.6%, row houses 0.8%, and apartments in buildings of under five storeys 5.7% and five or more storeys 6.2%.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca
How much do homes cost in Alta Vista?
This guide has no neighbourhood-level sale price for Alta Vista. The 2021 census (via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study) put the median owner-estimated value of owned dwellings at $800,000. For comparison, OREB's citywide single-family benchmark price was $705,100 in September 2026, and the citywide average sale price for all homes was $685,640.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca oreb.ca