Photo: Tim & Selena Middleton from Toronto, Canada · CC BY 2.0A flood study covers Lowertown East: 5 on the national inventory, the newest from Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
Around Lowertown East, wildfire is practically absent from the record: 0% within 25 km since 1986, 0.001% a year. Shaking is a bigger worry than in most places, at $0.15 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). In Health Canada’s survey, 6.2% of homes tested in Lowertown East’s area exceeded 200 Bq/m³, close to the typical 6.6%. Lowertown East grades C+ for hazard risk; wildfire is low here, so it earns no credit.
What stands out about Lowertown East’s hazards
For Lowertown East, from NRCan’s seismic model, Health Canada’s radon survey, the national burned-area record and the flood map inventory.
What Lowertown East faces
Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.
Wildfire
Earthquakes
Radon
Flood study
Lowertown East grades C+ for hazard risk
The grade weighs Lowertown East’s seismic risk and radon equally, and wildfire is one-sided: a high band counts against a town, a low one earns nothing.
Its place: #703 of 866 in Ontario and #1,894 of 2,589 Canadian towns.
How sure: The seismic figure is a long-run average from NRCan’s model, not a prediction. Only 64 homes were tested in the survey area, so the radon share is rough. The burned-area record misses fires under about 10 ha and most grass and farm fires.
Wildfire is rare near Lowertown East: 0% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986, 0% within 5 km
Past fire around Lowertown East’s homes, from the national burned-area record, with the fuel within 5 km.
Low: the land around Lowertown East burns at 0.001% a year, where the typical Canadian town sees 0.000%.
Lowertown East’s homes have had no fire within 5 km since 1986; the closest was 19 km away.
8.4% of the land within 25 km of Lowertown East is forest fuel, yet only 0.5% within 5 km of its homes.
Shares of land within 5 and 25 km of populated blocks: burned at least once in 1986–2025 (CWFIS burned-area composite), forest fuel and grass (fire behaviour fuel types, 2026, 250 m grid).
Burn rate a year, towns in Ontario · highest of 871
Lowertown East ranks 83rd of the 871 towns in Ontario for burn rate, at 0.001% a year; Sioux Lookout leads with 0.16%.
Each bar: the yearly average share of land within 25 km of a town’s homes that burned, 1986–2025 (CWFIS); the seven highest towns of 2,500 people or more.
Some fire is mapped around Lowertown East, but not enough to leave the low band, where 92% of Canada’s 2,610 towns are; 7.5% rank higher.
Bands of the yearly burn rate: low under 0.05%, moderate under 0.25%, high under 1%, very high 1% or more; towns of 2,500 people or more.
Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
Canadian Wildland Fire Information System: National Burned Area Composite 1986–2025 and fire behaviour fuel types (2026), Natural Resources Canada. Measured within 25 km and 5 km of each populated dissemination area; past fire, not a forecast.
Lowertown East is on the flood map inventory: 5 studies, latest by Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
What Canada’s Flood Map Inventory lists for Lowertown East: who studied flooding and where to see their maps.
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and others have studied flooding in areas that include Lowertown East: 5 studies, the latest from 2019.
| Study | By | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billberry Creek | Rideau Valley Conservation Authority | 2019 | final |
| Becketts Creek | Rideau Valley Conservation Authority | 2018 | final |
| Rideau River, Hogs Back to Rideau Falls | Rideau Valley Conservation Authority | 2016 | final |
| Cardinal Creek | Rideau Valley Conservation Authority | 2014 | final |
| Ottawa River | Rideau Valley Conservation Authority | 2014 | final |
Towns with a flood study on file
Mapping in Ontario reaches 69% of towns, Lowertown East included, beside 58% across Canada.
NRCan Canada Flood Map Inventory: a study footprint touching the town’s boundary; towns of 2,500 people or more.
Flood is shown here, never graded: a study says where a map exists, not how many of Lowertown East’s homes stand in a flood zone.
The inventory’s own caution (NRCan): “The Canada Flood Map (CFM) does not include every flood hazard map in Canada and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. It should not be relied upon as the official source of flood mapping information. Furthermore, if a map appears to be missing, this does not necessarily mean that the area has never been mapped. For the official version of a map, updated information, or confirmation of applicable regulations, please contact the local authority responsible for flood mapping.”
Natural Resources Canada, Canada Flood Map Inventory; links go to each study’s owner.
High seismic risk in Lowertown East: $0.15 per $1,000 of buildings a year
Expected yearly building losses from earthquakes, from Natural Resources Canada’s model.
The typical town loses $0.030 a year to shaking; Lowertown East loses $0.15, 5 times as much.
Shaking damage a year per $1,000 of building value
The typical town in Ontario expects $0.043 a year; Lowertown East expects $0.15, and Alexandria $0.21.
NRCan seismic risk model (2022): mean yearly building loss per $1,000 of value; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
15% of Canada’s 2,611 towns expect more shaking damage than Lowertown East, which places it in the upper third.
Each column: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more in that range of yearly loss per $1,000 (NRCan, 2022).
For Lowertown East the model prices shaking damage to buildings, nothing more.
Natural Resources Canada, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model (2022), by census subdivision (2016 boundaries; a few 2021 subdivisions take their residents’ mean). · Earthquake risk: one figure for all of the city of Ottawa
6.2% of homes tested around Lowertown East are over the radon guideline
Long-term radon tests in homes across the survey area, against Health Canada’s guideline. · Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the City of Ottawa Health Unit
Lowertown East’s area sits close to the typical Canadian town: 6.2% over the guideline, against 6.6%.
Tested homes over 200 Bq/m³
Over 600 Bq/m³
Radon runs higher around Lowertown East than in most towns in Ontario: 6.2% against 4%.
Health Canada radon survey (2009–2011), by 2007 health region; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
26% of Canada’s 2,611 towns have more homes over 200 Bq/m³ than Lowertown East’s 5–10% band, which holds 37%.
Each bar: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more whose survey area had that share of tests over 200 Bq/m³.
Neighbouring homes in Lowertown East can differ a lot; only a long-term test tells you about yours.
Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes (2009–2011).
Where to get warnings in Lowertown East
Environment and Climate Change Canada issues the weather alerts for Lowertown East; Alert Ready carries the urgent ones to phones, radio and TV.
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Warning | Severe weather is happening or about to: act now. |
| Watch | Conditions favour severe weather: be ready. |
| Advisory | Weather that is less severe but could disrupt the day. |
| Special weather statement | Unusual weather worth knowing about. |
| Special air quality statement | Poor air, often wildfire smoke. |
For fires near Lowertown East, the national fire information system maps danger and active fires daily; local authorities give any evacuation order.
Weather alerts (ECCC) · Alert Ready · Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
How Lowertown East’s neighbours compare on hazards
Wildfire band, earthquake risk, radon and flood studies for each place nearby.
| Town | Wildfire | Quake $/1,000 | Radon | Flood study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowertown East | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| Lowertown West 5,947 · 0.7 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| Sandy Hill 13,830 · 0.9 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| New Edinburgh 5,728 · 1.2 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| Vanier North 10,498 · 1.8 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| Vanier South 7,259 · 2.1 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
| Centretown 32,035 · 2.4 km | Low | $0.15 | 6.2% | Yes |
Nowhere around Lowertown East burns more: Lowertown West, the closest rival, is low to its low.
Radon is the survey area’s figure, so neighbours in one area share it.
Get ready for what Lowertown East faces
What to do about the hazards Lowertown East faces, and what to ask before you buy.
- Test for three months in winter.
- Over 200 Bq/m³: fix it.
- Kits are cheap; pros test too.
- Never drive through floodwater.
- Move papers and medicines upstairs.
- Ask whether your street is mapped.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap the water heater down.
- Keep 72 hours of supplies.
- Has it had a radon test?
- Check the address on the flood map.
- Are flood and wildfire insured?
- Is earthquake cover included?
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Earthquakes are modelled. Seismic risk is NRCan’s model of yearly building losses from shaking, averaged over many years and given for Lowertown East’s census subdivision (a neighbourhood shows its city’s).
- Radon is a survey. Radon figures pool the survey’s home tests by area: postal areas once their boundaries arrive, the 2007 health region around Lowertown East until then.
- Wildfire counts one way. For Lowertown East, wildfire means how much nearby land burned in the past forty years, a one-way input that can pull Risk down and nothing more.
- Flood studies aren’t flood zones. Flood studies cover areas of every size, which is why the page lists them for Lowertown East without grading them.
Questions about flooding and hazards in Lowertown East
Is radon a problem in Lowertown East?
Around Lowertown East, 64 survey homes were tested and 6.2% came in over 200 Bq/m³, a guide to the area, not to any one home.
How big is the earthquake risk in Lowertown East?
In NRCan’s seismic model, Lowertown East’s buildings lose $0.15 per $1,000 of value in an average year.
Is Lowertown East at risk of wildfire?
Fire has reached 0% of the land around Lowertown East since 1986 (last in 2020); at low, it neither helps nor hurts the grade.
Does Lowertown East flood?
A flood study covers Lowertown East on Canada’s Flood Map Inventory; open the owner’s map to check a street, since flood isn’t graded.
How is Lowertown East’s Hazard risk Grade worked out?
Lowertown East’s Hazard risk grade is C+, built on earthquakes and radon with a one-sided wildfire input.
Seismic risk: Natural Resources Canada. Radon: Health Canada. Wildfire: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Flood studies: Natural Resources Canada, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Sources: NRCan, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model 2022 · Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes · CWFIS, National Burned Area Composite and FBP fuel types · NRCan, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).