Jane's Walk is offering walking tours as part of Ottawa Architecture Week 2026.

—

Jane’s Walk: How the Rideau Canal shaped a city

Guide:  Jack Hanna

History raconteur Jack Hanna will tell us how Ottawa was founded as the northern end of the Rideau Canal, The Rideau Canal has fundamentally shaped Bytown, and eventually Ottawa, not only in the early days but right up until today.  Jack will recount how the canal came to be created, how it came to be located where it is, and how it had such a dramatic influence on the city.

Click here for full details and to sign up to attend.

—

Jane’s Walk at Ottawa Architecture Week 2026

With this year’s celebration of Ottawa 200, OAW will be reflectng on the city’s origin story, beginning with water. Ottawa is not simply a city beside water—it is a city shaped by it. The Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau Rivers, together with the Rideau Canal, have influenced trade, industry, labour, infrastructure, and urban form for more than two centuries. Water is the city's original infrastructure and the enduring force that continues to shape how we live, move, and gather. It runs through every chapter of Ottawa's history, from the engineering achievement of the Rideau Canal to the working-class neighbourhoods that grew alongside its industrial economy. 

This year's other walks are listed below. Join us for the walks and for other events at this year's OAW to explore this theme through tours, talks, exhibitions, activities, installations, and conversations that celebrate Ottawa, its waterways, and the ideas shaping its future. 

About Jane's Walk:

• The walks are led by volunteers and are free to attend. Check out Tips for Participants.

• Click on the walk title in the schedule below for the walk details.

• Sign-up to attend by entering an email address through the walk page.

• When you sign up for a walk, you will receive a confirmation email.

This year’s other walks include:

Un-Built Ottawa 2:  More City-Warping Mega-Projects . . . that Never Happened!
Evolution of Ottawa's Waterfront over our first 200 years (Sign Up Coming Soon)

Sign Up at Jane’s Walk Ottawa’s Website!