thumb|300x300px|The business district of [[Hull, Quebec|Hull in Gatineau, Quebec]]
thumb|300x300px|When viewed from the north across the [[Ottawa River, the downtown buildings are hidden behind the Canadian Parliament Buildings on Parliament Hill]]
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 high-rises 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.
{|
|+
|-
| style="text-align:center" |Little Italy and vicinity
| style="text-align:center" |Mechanicsville and Tunney's Pasture
| style="text-align:center" |Westboro
|-
| style="vertical-align:top"|
| style="vertical-align:top"|
| style="vertical-align:top"|
|}
Cityscape
center|thumb|1100x1100px|Panorama of Ottawa in 2022, with [[Parliament Hill (left), Downtown Ottawa (centre), Little Italy in the background (right), and Tunney's Pasture, Mechanicsville, and Westboro (far right)]]
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.
{|class="wikitable sortable defaultcenter col9left"
|-
! scope="col" |Rank
! scope="col" |Name
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Image
! scope="col" |Location
! scope="col" |Height<br /><small>m (ft)</small>
! scope="col" |Floors
! scope="col" |Year
! scope="col" |Purpose
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|- style="background:#dfd;"
|1
| Claridge Icon
| 156x156px
| Little Italy
|
| 46
| 2022
| Residential
|Tallest building in Ottawa and in Ontario outside of the Golden Horseshoe. Topped out in 2019. Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 2020s.
|- style="background:#dfd;"
|2
| Terrasses de la Chaudière I
| 156x156px
| Hull
|
| 30
| 1978
|Office
|Tallest 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.
|-
|3
|Luxo Place
|156x156px
|Cyrville
|
|35
|2025
|Residential
|Tallest building in Cyrville.
|- style="background:#dfd;"
|4
| Place de Ville III
| 156x156px
| Downtown
|
| 29
| 1971
| Office
|Tallest 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.
|-
|5
| Minto Metropole
| 156x156px
| Westboro
|
| 33
| 2004
| Residential
|Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 2000s. Tallest building in Westboro.
|-
|6
|The Dale I
|frameless|156x156px
|Mechanicsville
|
|33
|2022
|Residential
|Tallest building in Mechanicsville.
|-
|7
|Ascent @ LeBreton Flats
|156x156px
|LeBreton Flats
|
|30
|2025
|Residential
|Tallest building in LeBreton Flats. Also known as Claridge East Flats I.
|-
|8
| Place du Portage I
| 156x156px
| Hull
|
| 24
| 1973
| Office
|Second tallest building in Gatineau.
|-
|9
| R.H. Coats Building
| 156x156px
| Tunney's Pasture
|
| 26
| 1976
| Office
|Tallest building in Tunney's Pasture.
|-
|10
|Claridge Hintonburg
|156x156px
|Hintonburg
|
|30
|2025
|Residential
|Tallest building in Hintonburg.
|-
|11
| 151 O'Connor Street
| 156x156px
| Downtown
|
| 26
| 1983
| Office
|Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 1980s. Also known as Place Export Canada or 234 Laurier West.
|-
|12
|Ottawa Marriott Hotel
|156x156px
|Downtown
|
|26
|1972
|Hotel
|Briefly became the tallest building in Ottawa-Gatineau during its construction in 1971.
|-
|13
|SoHo Italia
|156x156px
|Little Italy
|
|30
|2023
|Residential
|
|-
|14
|Parkdale Collective
|156x156px
|Mechanicsville
|
|31
|2025
|Residential
|
|-
|15
|Relevé I
|156x156px
|Downtown
|
|29
|2025
|Residential
|
|-
|16
|One60 Elgin
|156x156px
|Centretown
|
|27
|1971
|Office
|Formerly known as Place Bell. Tallest building in Centretown.
|-
|17
| The Classics
| 156x156px
| Riverview
|
| 29
| 1990
| Residential
|Tallest building in Riverview. Tallest building completed in Ottawa in the 1990s.
|- style="background:#dfd;"
|18
| Peace Tower
| 125x125px
| Downtown
|
| 11
| 1927
| Government
|Tallest building in Ottawa-Gatineau from 1927 to 1971. Part of the Centre Block, which is home to both houses of the Parliament of Canada.
|-
|19
|Minto One80five
|156x156px
|Downtown
|
|30
|1989
|Mixed-use
|Mixed-use residential and hotel building.
|-
|20
|The Dale II
|125x125px
|Mechanicsville
|
|29
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|21
|Performance Court
|187x187px
|Downtown
|
|21
|2014
|Office
|
|-
|22
|Envie Suites I
|156x156px
|Civic Hospital
|
|28
|2016
|Residential
|
|-
|23
|The Met
|frameless|189x189px
|Centretown
|
|27
|2023
|Residential
|
|-
|24
|66 Slater
|–
|Downtown
|
|22
|1971
|Office
|
|-
|25
|Le Parc
|152x152px
|Manor Park
|
|29
|1988
|Residential
|Tallest building in Manor Park.
|-
|26
|Place de Ville I
|–
|Downtown
|
|22
|1966
|Office
|Part of the Place de Ville complex.
|-
|27
|Place de Ville II
|–
|Downtown
|
|22
|1966
|Office
|Part of the Place de Ville complex.
|-
|28
|L'Esplanade Laurier East
|–
|Downtown
|
|21
|1975
|Office
|
|-
|29
|L'Esplanade Laurier West
|–
|Downtown
|
|21
|1975
|Office
|
|-
|30
|Livmore Westboro Village
|–
|Westboro
|
|26
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|31
|Claridge Plaza IV
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|28
|2014
|Residential
|
|-
|32
|Claridge Plaza III
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|28
|2015
|Residential
|
|-
|33
|World Exchange Plaza Tower I
|188x188px
|Downtown
|
|20
|1991
|Office
|
|-
|34
|Muze on Rideau I
|–
|ByWard Market
|
|28
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|35
|Claridge Moon II
|–
|Downtown
|
|27
|2023
|Residential
|
|-
|36
|Tribeca East
|156x156px
|Centretown
|
|27
|2015
|Residential
|
|-
|37
|Tribeca West
|156x156px
|Centretown
|
|27
|2015
|Residential
|
|-
|38
|Rhythm
|–
|Carlington
|
|24
|2022
|Residential
|
|-
|39
|Claridge Moon I
|–
|Downtown
|
|27
|2023
|Residential
|
|-
|40
|Azure Westboro
|–
|Westboro
|
|25
|2025
|Residential
|
|-
|41
|Story of Rideau & Chapel
|–
|Lower Town
|
|25
|2022
|Residential
|
|-
|42
|Department of National Defence Building
|125x125px
|Sandy Hill
|
|18
|1974
|Government
|Also known as the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building.
|-
|43
|Terrasses de la Chaudière II
|156x156px
|Hull
|
|19
|1977
|Office
|
|-
|44
|Envie at 256 Rideau I
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|29
|2022
|Residential
|Also known as ALMA @ ByWard Market.
|-
|45
|Envie at 256 Rideau II
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|29
|2022
|Residential
|Also known as ALMA @ ByWard Market.
|-
|46
|The Carlisle
|156x156px
|Downtown
|
|28
|1986
|Mixed-use
|Mixed-use residential and office building.
|-
|47
|Claridge Royale
|–
|ByWard Market
|
|27
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|48
|Sir William Logan Building
|–
|Little Italy
|
|21
|1974
|Office
|Headquarters of Natural Resources Canada.
|-
|49
|Minto Upper West
|–
|Westboro
|
|24
|2017
|Residential
|
|-
|50
|Loop by Claridge I
|–
|Centretown
|
|27
|2022
|Residential
|
|-
|51
|Loop by Claridge II
|–
|Centretown
|
|27
|2022
|Residential
|
|-
|52
|Constitution Square II
|167x167px
|Downtown
|
|21
|1992
|Office
|
|-
|53
|SoHo Champagne 2
|–
|Civic Hospital
|
|25
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|54
|Queen Elizabeth Towers East
|–
|Downtown
|
|28
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|55
|Queen Elizabeth Towers West
|–
|Downtown
|
|28
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|56
|Westboro Connection
|–
|Westboro
|
|25
|2020
|Residential
|
|-
|57
|Minto Place Canada Building
|–
|Downtown
|
|18
|1989
|Office
|
|-
|58
|Place du Portage IIIA
|125x125px
|Hull
|
|19
|1979
|Office
|
|-
|59
|Claridge Plaza II
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|26
|2011
|Residential
|
|-
|60
|Le Viu II
|–
|Hull
|
|24
|2022
|Residential
|
|-
|61
|Lithwick Building
|–
|Downtown
|
|22
|1989
|Office
|
|-
|62
|Park Place Apartments
|–
|Woodroffe
|
|28
|1978
|Residential
|
|-
|63
|Envie Suites II
|156x156px
|Civic Hospital
|
|25
|2020
|Residential
|
|-
|64
|Chateau Royale East
|–
|Rideau View
|
|28
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|65
|Chateau Royale West
|–
|Rideau View
|
|28
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|66
|The Emmy
|–
|Downtown
|
|25
|2024
|Residential
|
|-
|67
|269 Laurier West
|–
|Downtown
|
|18
|2005
|Residential
|
|-
|68
|Delta Ottawa City Centre
|167x167px
|Downtown
|
|26
|1967
|Hotel
|
|-
|69
|Place Vincent Massey I
|–
|Hull
|
|21
|1972
|Office
|
|-
|70
|Riviera South
|–
|Riverview
|
|27
|1988
|Residential
|
|-
|71
|EDC Headquarters
|–
|Downtown
|
|19
|2011
|Office
|
|-
|72
|Claridge Plaza I
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|25
|2008
|Residential
|
|-
|73
|Maison Riverain
|–
|Vanier
|
|22
|2025
|Residential
|Tallest building in Vanier.
|-
|74
|Voda Apartments
|–
|Chaudière Island
|
|25
|2024
|Residential
|Tallest building on Chaudière Island.
|-
|75
|Relevé II
|156x156px
|Downtown
|
|23
|2025
|Residential
|
|-
|76
|Jeanne Mance Building
|–
|Tunney's Pasture
|
|21
|1969
|Office
|
|-
|77
|Jean Edmonds Towers South
|–
|Downtown
|
|20
|1973
|Office
|
|-
|78
|Dunton Tower
|125x125px
|Carleton University
|
|23
|1974
|Education
|Part of Carleton University.
|-
|79
|AC Marriott Ottawa Downtown & MRKT Lofts
|–
|ByWard Market
|
|24
|2025
|Mixed-use
|Mixed-use hotel and residential building.
|-
|80
|Constitution Square III
|169x169px
|Downtown
|
|19
|2007
|Office
|
|-
|81
|Island Park Towers III
|160x160px
|Westboro
|
|26
|1970
|Residential
|
|-
|82
|Frobisher Place
|125x125px
|Riverview
|
|26
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|83
|Castleview
|125x125px
|Riverview
|
|26
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|84
|180 Kent at Minto Place
|–
|Downtown
|
|19
|2009
|Office
|
|-
|85
|Frontier
|–
|Carson Grove
|
|23
|2019
|Residential
|Tallest building in Carson Grove.
|-
|86
|Standard Life Centre North
|–
|Downtown
|
|18
|1992
|Office
|
|-
|87
|The Cross Winds
|–
|Carson Meadows
|
|26
|1975
|Residential
|
|-
|88
|Place St-George
|–
|ByWard Market
|
|24
|1988
|Residential
|
|-
|89
|Albion Executive Tower/Novotel Ottawa
|–
|Sandy Hill
|
|21
|1989
|Mixed-use
|Mixed-use hotel and office building.
|-
|90
|The Westin Ottawa
|125x125px
|Sandy Hill
|
|22
|1982
|Hotel
|
|}
Tallest under construction
There are 7 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.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:80%;"
! Name || Location || Estimated height
! Floors
!Estimated year of completion
!Purpose|| class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|Odenak West Tower
|LeBreton Flats
|
|36
|2027
|Residential
|
|-
|1047 Richmond Rd. — Tower A
|Woodroffe
|
|38
|–
|Residential
|
|-
|Renaissance Marriott Ottawa
|Downtown
|
|36
|2027
|Residential
|
|-
|320 Lees Tower 1
|Sandy Hill
|
|32
|2028
|Residential
|
|-
|1071 Ambleside Dr. - Tower B
|Ambleside
|
|32
|–
|Residential
|
|-
|Le WE 3
|Hull
|–
|29
|2026
|Residential
|Topped-out.
|-
|1649 Montreal Road
|Gloucester
|
|25
|–
|Residential
|
|}
Timeline of tallest buildings
Four buildings held the title of tallest building in Ottawa–Gatineau.
{| class="wikitable sortable defaultcenter"
! scope="col" |Name
!Image
! scope="col" |Years as tallest
! scope="col" |Height<br>
! scope="col" |Floors
! class="unsortable" scope="col" |Notes
|-
|Peace Tower
|125x125px
|1927–1971
|
|11
|