Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, and forms the core of the National Capital Region (NCR), which includes the city of Gatineau, bordering Ottawa to the north. Together, the Ottawa–Gatineau metropolitan area has a population of over 1.48 million, the fourth-largest in Canada. As of 2026, there are 90 buildings that stand taller than 75 metres (246 ft). Despite this, Ottawa has few skyscrapers that exceed 100 m (328 ft) compared to similarly populated Calgary and Edmonton, having only eight. It is the largest city in Canada without a skyscraper taller than 150 m (492 ft). The NCR has a system of protected view planes that are governed by the National Capital Commission. This has limited the height of buildings the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau to protect the prominence of the Canadian Parliament Buildings. Instead, the tallest building in Ottawa is Claridge Icon, a 143 m (469 ft), 45-storey residential tower completed in 2022 in Little Italy.

Selected as Canada's capital in 1857, construction on the Parliament Buildings soon began in 1859 and was completed by 1876, housing the Parliament of Canada. After the Centre Block caught fire in 1916, the edifice was rebuilt with the incorporation of the Peace Tower, a bell and clock tower reaching 92 metres (302 ft) in height. Until 1965, buildings in Ottawa were limited to 45.5 m (149 ft) so that the Peace Tower could dominate the skyline. Hence, the Peace Tower stood as the tallest building in Ottawa for about half a century from 1927. The removal of the height limit led to a boom in commercial high-rises that lasted until the mid-1970s, with the tallest of the Place de Ville complex surpassing the Centre Block in height in 1971. High-rise development continued until the early 1990s, after which no buildings taller than 75 m (246 ft) were erected in Ottawa until 2004.

Since then, most new high-rises have been for residential use. An increasing number of high-rises have been added in neighbourhoods outside of downtown, such as the 108 m (354 ft) Minto Metropole in 2004, the tallest building in Westboro, and the Claridge Plaza complex in Sandy Hill, adding to a growing cluster around ByWard Market. Since the early 2020s, there has been a rapid surge in residential towers across Ottawa–Gatineau, spurred on by healthy population growth and policy encouraging transit-oriented development. 29 buildings taller than 75 m (246 ft) have been completed in a four-year span between 2022 and 2025, including Claridge Icon in Little Italy, Luxo Place in Cyrville, Ascent at LeBreton Flats, and The Dale I in Mechanicsville, each being the tallest building in their respective neighbourhoods.

Unlike many urban areas in Northern America, Ottawa–Gatineau's tallest buildings are spread across various neighbourhoods. The largest group of tall buildings is in Downtown Ottawa, forming a cluster that extends to Centretown. Parliament Hill separates the cluster from the Ottawa River to the north. Across the river in Gatineau is the central business district of Hull. While not as built-up as Downtown Ottawa, Hull contains the Terrasses de la Chaudière complex of government office buildings; its main tower was the tallest building in Ottawa–Gatineau from 1978 to 2022. Federal government buildings are also found in Tunney's Pasture. Otherwise, the largest clusters of residential high-rises are found around Little Italy, in Westboro, or near ByWard Market.

History

Map of tallest buildings

Downtown and surrounding neighbourhoods Downtown and Centretown contain the largest cluster of tall buildings in Ottawa–Gatineau, while other groups of tall buildings can be found nearby. The cluster in the ByWard Market and on Rideau Street across the Rideau Canal is northeast of Downtown, and the cluster of Hull, across the Ottawa River in the city of Gatineau, is northwest of Downtown. A system of protected view planes preserve views of the Peace Tower, the oldest building on the map, imposing building height restrictions near the centre of the city. This map shows the location of buildings taller than 75 m (246 ft) in Downtown Ottawa and its surrounding neighbourhoods. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and coloured by the decade of its completion.

Other neighbourhoods A significant share of high-rises in Ottawa are located further from downtown Ottawa, including its tallest building, Claridge Icon, which is in Little Italy. +Little Italy and vicinityMechanicsville and Tunney's PastureWestboro

Cityscape

Tallest buildings

This list ranks completed buildings in Ottawa–Gatineau that stand at least 75 m (246 ft) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement to architectural tip. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Only occupied floors are counted, excluding mechanical only floors. The “Year” column indicates the year of completion. Buildings tied in height are sorted by year of completion with earlier buildings ranked first, and then alphabetically. Most of the buildings are in the city of Ottawa, while the few in Gatineau are all in the neighbourhood of Hull.

RankName ImageLocationHeightm (ft)FloorsYearPurpose Notes1 Claridge Icon Little Italy 46 2022 ResidentialTallest building in Ottawa and in Ontario outside of the Golden Horseshoe. Topped out in 2019. Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 2020s.2Odenak West Tower LeBreton Flats 36 2027ResidentialTallest building in LeBreton Flats.3 Terrasses de la Chaudière I Hull 30 1978OfficeTallest building in Ottawa—Gatineau from 1978 to 2022; remains the tallest building in Gatineau. In 2023, a project began to reclad the precast brick clad building with glass curtain walls, as well as near total replacement of building interior and systems.4Luxo PlaceCyrville352025ResidentialTallest building in Cyrville.5 Place de Ville III Downtown 29 1971 OfficeTallest building in Ottawa from 1971 to 2022. Tallest building in Ottawa—Gatineau from 1971 to 1978. Tallest building in Downtown Ottawa. Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 1970s. Part of the Place de Ville complex.6Odenak East Tower – LeBreton Flats 31 2027Residential7 Minto Metropole Westboro 33 2004 ResidentialTallest building completed in Ottawa in the 2000s. Tallest building in Westboro.8The Dale IMechanicsville332022ResidentialTallest building in Mechanicsville.9Ascent @ LeBreton FlatsLeBreton Flats302025ResidentialTallest building in LeBreton Flats until 2026. Also known as Claridge East Flats I.10 Place du Portage I Hull 24 1973 OfficeSecond tallest building in Gatineau.11 R.H. Coats Building Tunney's Pasture 26 1976 OfficeTallest building in Tunney's Pasture.12Claridge HintonburgHintonburg302025ResidentialTallest building in Hintonburg.13 151 O'Connor Street Downtown 26 1983 OfficeTallest building completed in Ottawa in the 1980s. Also known as Place Export Canada or 234 Laurier West.14Ottawa Marriott HotelDowntown261972HotelBriefly became the tallest building in Ottawa-Gatineau during its construction in 1971.15SoHo ItaliaLittle Italy302023Residential16Parkdale CollectiveMechanicsville312025Residential17Relevé IDowntown292025Residential18One60 ElginCentretown271971OfficeFormerly known as Place Bell. Tallest building in Centretown.19 The Classics Riverview 29 1990 ResidentialTallest building in Riverview. Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 1990s.20 Peace Tower Downtown 11 1927 GovernmentTallest building in Ottawa-Gatineau from 1927 to 1971. Part of the Centre Block, which is home to both houses of the Parliament of Canada.21Minto One80fiveDowntown301989Mixed-useMixed-use residential and hotel building.22The Dale IIMechanicsville292024Residential23Performance CourtDowntown212014Office24Envie Suites ICivic Hospital282016Residential25The MetCentretown272023Residential2666 Slater–Downtown221971Office27Le ParcManor Park291988ResidentialTallest building in Manor Park.28Place de Ville I–Downtown221966OfficePart of the Place de Ville complex.29Place de Ville II–Downtown221966OfficePart of the Place de Ville complex.30L'Esplanade Laurier East–Downtown211975Office31L'Esplanade Laurier West–Downtown211975Office32Livmore Westboro Village–Westboro262024Residential33Claridge Plaza IV–Sandy Hill282014Residential34Claridge Plaza III–Sandy Hill282015Residential35World Exchange Plaza Tower IDowntown201991Office36Muze on Rideau I–ByWard Market282024Residential37Claridge Moon II–Downtown272023Residential38Tribeca EastCentretown272015Residential39Tribeca WestCentretown272015Residential40Rhythm–Carlington242022Residential41Claridge Moon I–Downtown272023Residential42Azure Westboro–Westboro252025Residential43Story of Rideau & Chapel–Lower Town252022Residential44Department of National Defence BuildingSandy Hill181974GovernmentAlso known as the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building.45Terrasses de la Chaudière IIHull191977Office46Envie at 256 Rideau I–Sandy Hill292022ResidentialAlso known as ALMA @ ByWard Market.47Envie at 256 Rideau II–Sandy Hill292022ResidentialAlso known as ALMA @ ByWard Market.48The CarlisleDowntown281986Mixed-useMixed-use residential and office building.49Claridge Royale–ByWard Market272024Residential50Sir William Logan Building–Little Italy211974OfficeHeadquarters of Natural Resources Canada.51Minto Upper West–Westboro242017Residential52Loop by Claridge I–Centretown272022Residential53Loop by Claridge II–Centretown272022Residential54Constitution Square IIDowntown211992Office55SoHo Champagne 2–Civic Hospital252024Residential56Queen Elizabeth Towers East–Downtown281975Residential57Queen Elizabeth Towers West–Downtown281975Residential58Westboro Connection–Westboro252020Residential59Minto Place Canada Building–Downtown181989Office60Place du Portage IIIAHull191979Office61Claridge Plaza II–Sandy Hill262011Residential62Le Viu II–Hull242022Residential63Lithwick Building–Downtown221989Office64Park Place Apartments–Woodroffe281978Residential65Envie Suites IICivic Hospital252020Residential66Chateau Royale East–Rideau View281975Residential67Chateau Royale West–Rideau View281975Residential68The Emmy–Downtown252024Residential69269 Laurier West–Downtown182005Residential70Delta Ottawa City CentreDowntown261967Hotel71Place Vincent Massey I–Hull211972Office72Riviera South–Riverview271988Residential73EDC Headquarters–Downtown192011Office74Claridge Plaza I–Sandy Hill252008Residential75Maison Riverain–Vanier222025ResidentialTallest building in Vanier.76Voda Apartments–Chaudière Island252024ResidentialTallest building on Chaudière Island.77Relevé IIDowntown232025Residential78Jeanne Mance Building–Tunney's Pasture211969Office79Jean Edmonds Towers South–Downtown201973Office80Dunton TowerCarleton University231974EducationPart of Carleton University.81AC Marriott Ottawa Downtown & MRKT Lofts–ByWard Market242025Mixed-useMixed-use hotel and residential building.82Constitution Square IIIDowntown192007Office83Island Park Towers IIIWestboro261970Residential84Frobisher PlaceRiverview261975Residential85CastleviewRiverview261975Residential86180 Kent at Minto Place–Downtown192009Office87Frontier–Carson Grove232019ResidentialTallest building in Carson Grove.88Standard Life Centre North–Downtown181992Office89The Cross Winds–Carson Meadows261975Residential90Place St-George–ByWard Market241988Residential91Albion Executive Tower/Novotel Ottawa–Sandy Hill211989Mixed-useMixed-use hotel and office building.92The Westin OttawaSandy Hill221982Hotel

Tallest under construction or proposed

Under construction The following table includes buildings under construction in Ottawa that are planned to be at least 75 m (246 ft) tall as of 2026, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. Buildings that are on hold are not included.