First pick
Richelieu Park
Park or garden
9.1 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Vanier North
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Ross Dunn · CC BY-SA 2.011%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Vanier North · parks, protected land & trails
Few places match Vanier North for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The 10 km around town hold 40 protected areas. Biggest among them: Rideau Canal National Historic Site, 19,972 ha, 1.7 km off. For walks, 2 named routes run within 2 km, such as the Confederation Boulevard - Sussex Drive and Confederation Boulevard.
Protected land
11%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
40
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
97 km
Thousand Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
36 km
Plaisance National Park (Québec)
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
2
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Vanier North apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round11% of the land within 10 km, more than 88% of Canadian townsMany protected areas20 public areas within 10 km
Above all, Vanier North offers protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Vanier North beside other Canadian towns, figure by figure
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km11%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas20Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches2Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Of 40 towns its size, Vanier North has the most protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (10,269 to 10,723 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Vanier North11%
Towns its size2.5%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Vanier North20
Towns its size4
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Vanier North2
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Vanier North sits near the top of its size group: 3 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanier North ON | 11% | 0.6% | 40 | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Contrecoeur QC | 10% | 6.3% | 40 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Markham Village ON | 9.8% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | New Glasgow NS | 9.2% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Saint-Zotique QC | 7.5% | 0.1% | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Bassin-de-la-Lièvre QC | 6.2% | 20% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Corman Park No. 344 SK | 5.4% | 2.7% | 37 | 1 | 8 |
| 8 | Professors Lake ON | 4.8% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Yarmouth NS | 4.7% | 4.9% | 79 | 0 | 15 |
| 10 | Stittsville East ON | 4.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Saint-Sacrement QC | 4% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Coal Harbour BC | 3.9% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 76 |
| 13 | Upper Thornhill Estates ON | 3.5% | 12% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | East St. Paul MB | 3.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Lynden ON | 3.1% | 5.4% | 33 | 3 | 3 |
| 16 | Greely ON | 2.7% | 0.7% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 17 | Rosemont/Mount Royal SK | 2.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Rexdale-Kipling ON | 2.6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Northwood Park ON | 2.5% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Centreville Chicopee ON | 2.5% | 5.1% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Grand River South ON | 2.5% | 16% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Masonville ON | 2% | 7.5% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | Dutrisac QC | 1.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Bois-des-Filion QC | 1.7% | 3.3% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Arbour Lake AB | 1.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 26 | Dover AB | 1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 27 | Ponoka County AB | 0.5% | 0.2% | 36 | 0 | 2 |
| 28 | Whitecourt AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Weston-Pelham Park ON | 0.5% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| 30 | West Hillhurst AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | Humber Heights-Westmount ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Monterey Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Rundle AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Temple AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Markland Wood ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | City Centre ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | South Central ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | McConachie AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Seaforth ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Hidden Valley AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Vanier North on the map: green space, protected land and paths
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the neighbourhood; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
Walk in Vanier North: 16 named parks and woods
Largest first: Richelieu Park leads with 9.1 ha. Numbers match the map.
16 named parks and woods, 54 ha in all
Parks & gardens 49 haWoods 5.1 ha
No one place dominates; the largest has 17%.
Strathcona Park
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
7.4 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
1.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
New Edinburgh Park
Park or garden
7.7 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
1.8 km westfrom the centre
Rideau River Eastern Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Riverain Park
Park or garden
6.1 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
1.3 km southfrom the centre
Rideau River Eastern Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Kingsview Park
Park or garden
4.8 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
0.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Rideau River Eastern Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
MacDonald Gardens Park
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
4.0 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
1.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sugar Bush
Wood or forest
5.1 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
Centralin the middle of Vanier North
Directionsto a point inside
St-Laurent Park
Park or garden · 350 m outside town
3.6 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.3 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 16 named parks and green spaces
Richelieu ParkPark or garden · 9.1 ha · 2.6 km of path
DirectionsStrathcona ParkPark or garden · 7.4 ha · 2.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNew Edinburgh ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsRiverain ParkPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsKingsview ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsMacDonald Gardens ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSugar BushWood or forest · 5.1 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsSt-Laurent ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsParc André Laurendeau ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsOptimiste ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsNault ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsLindenlea ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsKiwanis ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsJaneville ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBesserer ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsSt. Ambroise ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
Every resident of Vanier North lives near a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Vanier North100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high.
Protected areas
The 40 protected areas near Vanier North
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Vanier North0.6%
Within 10 km11%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 40, 20 are public land; the others are privately held. Biggest of the named areas: Rideau Canal National Historic Site, 19,972 ha. The count includes 20 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Aviation Museum WoodsWildlife area · 57 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
Rideau Canal National Historic SiteProtected area · 19,972 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Jacques-Cartier ParkProtected area · 4.7 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Upper Duck Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 108 ha · 3.7 km from the edge of town
Lac des Fées ParkwayProtected area · 17 ha · 4.7 km from the edge of town
Philemon-Leamy corridorProtected area · 48 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
Champlain Bridge and Lemieux IslandsWildlife area · 10 ha · 4.9 km from the edge of town
Hull, Aylmer, Pont Champlain Rapides Chaud Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 148 ha · 5.1 km from the edge of town
Voyageurs CorridorProtected area · 16 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
Marais Templeton (Gatineau) Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 67 ha · 6.1 km from the edge of town
10 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Thousand Islands National Park is 97 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Plaisance National Park (Québec)
36 km north-east28 km²since 2002
National park
Thousand Islands National Park
97 km south24 km²since 1904
A provincial park is closer: Plaisance National Park (Québec), at 36 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Vanier North has 47 km of footpaths in and around it
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
47 km
in and around the town (10.8 km²)
Woodland
5.5%
about 0.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Vanier NorthTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths4.4
036 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Vanier NorthTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland5.5%
0%50%100%
For path density, it beats 87% of Canadian towns. 59% of Canadian towns are more wooded.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
2 mapped routes to walk from Vanier North
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Confederation Boulevard4.3 km
Confederation Boulevard - Sussex Drive2.9 km
For a longer outing, the Confederation Boulevard runs 4.3 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Vanier North: May and July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Ottawa (City), 8.0 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -5 | -3 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 21 | 13 | 6 | -2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 65 | 52 | 62 | 81 | 80 | 95 | 92 | 87 | 87 | 90 | 72 | 74 |
Snow totals about 185 cm a year. June is the wettest month (95 mm) and February the driest (52 mm). Highs peak near 27 °C in July and fall to -5 °C in January. The climate in Vanier North →
Beaches
2 beaches within 5 km of Vanier North
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
The Pond Beach0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlage du lac Leamysand · 3.7 km from town
DirectionsThis page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Vanier North: 10 viewpoints, 3 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: playgrounds (140).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 10
Rideau Falls1.5 km from town
DirectionsRockcliffe Lookout1.8 km from town
DirectionsWateridge1.9 km from town
DirectionsOttawa Locks1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 140
Splash Pad - Nault Parkin town
DirectionsSplash Pad - St. Ambroise Parkin town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Cardinal Glen Park0.2 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Kiwanis Park0.3 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - New Edinburgh Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Manor Park0.6 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Bordeleau Park0.7 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Cindy Mitchell Park0.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 132 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Stanley Park dog beach0.9 km from town
DirectionsStanley Park Dog Park0.9 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near Vanier North: 3 gardens and parks to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Major's Hill ParkGarden or park · 1.9 km from town
DirectionsJacques Cartier ParkGarden or park · 2.3 km from town
DirectionsCommissioners ParkGarden or park · 4.7 km from town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Vanier North
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Vanier SouthNew EdinburghManor ParkOverbrookLowertown EastSandy HillVanier North
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanier North | 11% | 40 | 2 | 2 |
| Vanier South 0.9 km | 12% | 39 | 2 | 2 |
| New Edinburgh 1.2 km | 11% | 37 | 4 | 3 |
| Manor Park 1.2 km | 11% | 41 | 2 | 2 |
| Overbrook 1.8 km | 14% | 43 | 2 | 2 |
| Lowertown East 1.8 km | 11% | 38 | 4 | 3 |
| Sandy Hill 2.0 km | 13% | 40 | 4 | 3 |
New Edinburgh has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 4. None of its neighbours has twice the protected land around it that Vanier North has.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in Vanier North
Which is the biggest protected area near Vanier North?
Rideau Canal National Historic Site, a protected area of 19,972 ha.
Are there protected areas near Vanier North?
Yes: 11% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What walking routes are near Vanier North?
OpenStreetMap maps the Confederation Boulevard - Sussex Drive and Confederation Boulevard close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Vanier North?
The nearest is The Pond Beach, 0.8 km from town.
Is there a provincial park near Vanier North?
It is Plaisance National Park (Québec), 36 km away.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Vanier North?
On the normals, May and July to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Is Vanier North near a national park?
It is Thousand Islands National Park, 97 km off.
Sources
Sources for this page on Vanier North
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
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).