For many, the notion of enjoying one of nature’s finest environments as part of daily living exists only in the imagination, visited now and again when planning for retirement or while on holidays enjoying a bit of R&R. I am told by those who know the area well that living in the vicinity of one of our great Canadian rivers is not only desirable and affordable but entirely possible to add to the list marked “do-able”. For some this means relocating from city living entirely, and for others, combining their cottage and primary residence into one. Some of the best value in Canadian waterfront real estate is nearby to Montreal, on the Ottawa River. A boater and outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, the value of these properties have increased at double the rate over traditional residential properties in the last decade – a very good investment.

An overview of the Ottawa Valley profiles its most important natural feature – the Ottawa River. One of the great rivers on the continent it is approximately 1271 km long, the second longest in Canada after the St. Lawrence. For most of its length, it defines an inter-provincial border and is the natural heart of western Quebec and eastern Ontario.
Historically, consider that beginning with Samuel de Champlain in 1613, many of the great names in North American exploration, often assisted by Algonquin tribe guides who lived on its banks and tributaries, were the first Europeans to travel up the Ottawa and follow the water route west, using it as a river highway into the interior. These and thousands of old world settlers traveled, lived and died along the Ottawa River – the original Trans-Canada highway.

According to industry sources, almost 9 million Canadians enjoy recreational fishing. For expert advice, I consulted with fishing great, television and radio personality and famed member of the Canadian Sportsfishing Hall of Fame, Reno Viola. As one of the early pioneers of the Canadian Fishing industry, he was the producer and co-host of outdoors television shows, most notably The Fish’n Canada Show. According to Viola “some of the finest fishing in the world is on the Ottawa River. Ideal for Musky and in his opinion has Ontario’s best Largemouth Bass fishing in the habitat, unique because of the sheer numbers. Why? Ideal conditions: the water purity is excellent, the perfect temperature and being a full-fledged river and not just a shallow creek, easy to navigate. You can catch ten Musky almost any day of the week!” A controlled waterway by the Carignan Dam, you can boat from Pointe Fortune, Quebec all the way to the Parliament buildings.

Thinking of making this region your new home? Get acquainted by visiting www.ottawariver.org.
To book a fishing tour on the Ottawa River, visit www.renoviolaoutdoors.com.
For information about stunning Waterfront properties in the area, Re/max Supreme Broker of Record John Clouston specializes in this and other eastern Ontario communities.
Call 613-872-1110. www.johnclouston.com