Gay Guide to Ottawa
Canada opened marriage to same-sex couples nationwide in 2005, the fourth country in the world to do so. Ottawa, the national capital, keeps an easygoing, officially recognized gay village right in the center of town.
The village runs along Bank Street in the Centretown neighborhood, a designated stretch marked with rainbow street signs and lined with queer-owned cafes, shops, bars, and community groups. The Lookout, the city's longest-running gay bar, anchors a small but steady nightlife, and the district doubles as the hub for one of Canada's most extensive slates of daytime and alcohol-free queer programming.
Compact and green, Ottawa pairs its political landmarks and canal with a community that is welcoming and low-key rather than flashy.
Capital Pride fills the city each August with a parade down Bank Street, performances, and a week of events across the capital.