Centre-VilleGatineau
12,981 residents make their home in this neighbourhood in Gatineau. It is one of the 17 neighbourhoods that make up Gatineau.
Is Centre-Ville a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. The weak point is cost of living (D). Jobs and pay trail most towns (D). Fewer journeys need a car (A+). All told, that adds up to a C− overall, better than 17% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #490 of 499 in Quebec. Hazard risk is weaker too (D).
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety less sure: this is the whole city's figure, because the city doesn't publish open neighbourhood crime rates. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Centre-Ville grades
Each subject compares Centre-Ville with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Centre-Ville stand out
The 3 things Centre-Ville does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Centre-Ville.
Renting in Centre-Ville eats 33% of household income, more than in Quebec’s towns and across Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 27% of households, above both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). The median home value was $300,000, about level with Quebec’s towns ($300,000) and below Canadian towns ($406,000). For rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, the only official count covers all of the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area, Centre-Ville included.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 33% | 18% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 27% | 13% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
Households in Centre-Ville earn less than those in 98% of Canadian towns
Commutes averaged 26 min, close to both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 26 min | 27 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
On hazards, Centre-Ville comes out behind 88% of Canadian towns
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has mapped the flood hazard here, one of 7 studies on the national inventory. No wildfire is mapped within 25 km of Centre-Ville’s homes since 1986 (0% of the land, 0.001% a year). Radon is higher than usual: 13% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Earthquakes add more: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.12 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. Figures for radon tests are published for the Outaouais health region as a whole, not for Centre-Ville alone.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 13% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.12 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Not measured by town: earthquake risk (the city of Gatineau)
Smoking runs high around Centre-Ville: 17% of adults, the typical Canadian town 12%
A hospital lies 1.5 km from the typical home, below Quebec’s towns (5.3 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km) alike. The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 80.7, with women at 82.2 and men at 79.1. In the health survey, 55% of adults in the region rate their health very good or excellent, close to Quebec’s 57%.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.7 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 55% | 56% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: one figure for all of the Région de l'Outaouais
Few places match Centre-Ville for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
CPCAD lists 40 protected areas within 10 km. Biggest among them: Rideau Canal National Historic Site, 19,972 ha, 0.3 km off. Some protected land is inside the neighbourhood: just over a fifth of its area. 96 km separate the town from Thousand Islands National Park, its nearest national park.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 11% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 20 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Summer arrives in force in Centre-Ville, hotter than in 78% of Canadian towns
Snow peaks in January: 45 cm in a normal year. Snowfall adds up to 185 cm a year, below Quebec’s towns (217 cm) but above Canadian towns (141 cm). Gardeners get 158 frost-free days, from 30 April to 6 October. June is the wettest month, with 95 mm of rain and snow on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 185 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.7°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 147 | 161 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 938 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City))
More people in Centre-Ville speak English and French than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 60%
Visible minorities make up 31% of the population, higher than both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). The share of residents under 15 is 11%. Just over a fifth of residents have reached 65.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.4% of Centre-Ville
Of the 2021 count, 6,675 were women and 6,300 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 67% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 22% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In Centre-Ville, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights
ECCC’s forecast for Ottawa (Kanata - Orléans) is on the Weather page, hour by hour. December follows at −2°C by day and −9°C by night. Precipitation in November averages 72 mm. Snowfall in a normal November: 16 cm.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −12°C | 191 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 1°C | 223 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 15°C | 275 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 249 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Bibliothèque Maison du Citoyen logs 8.4 visits per person served, more than 89% of Quebec’s town libraries
Bibliothèque Maison du Citoyen serves the whole of Gatineau, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 302,616 people, Centre-Ville among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
For safety, Centre-Ville gets a B−
Violent incidents in its police area came to 14.9 per 1,000 residents a year, above Quebec’s towns (12.4) and Canadian towns (12) alike. Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 20.9 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed. Behind Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 sits data gathered across the Gatineau service area, with Centre-Ville one part of it.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 20.9 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 14.9 | 12.4 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 100 | 88 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Centre-Ville has 29 English-language schools among its 66
Within 3 km, 7 boards share the schools, higher than both Quebec’s towns (2) and Canadian towns (3). Glebe Collegiate Institute is the biggest, at 1,315 students. In or within 3 km of Centre-Ville: 45 elementary schools, 10 secondary schools, 8 schools for every grade and 3 alternative or adult schools, with 14,410 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manor Park Public School EnglishLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 680 | English public |
| Glebe Collegiate Institute EnglishLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,315 | English public |
| École Pierre Elliott Trudeau EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 7 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Source note: the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school, so there’s no schools grade in Quebec.
Centre-Ville has 16 historic places on the registers, 3 in the top tier
The list takes in 9 municipal citations and 4 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings. The earliest construction date, 1832, belongs to Charron House. Before 1961 is when just over a third of the homes went up, higher than both Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Centre-Ville | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 34% | 21% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Centre-Ville
Canadian Museum of History and 58 more in and around Centre-Ville
What there is to see in Centre-Ville and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
Big drawMuseumCanadian Museum of Historyin town · 1.3M visitors a year
Big drawMuseumCanadian Children's Museumin town · 500K visitors a year
GardenJacques Cartier Parkin town
Art galleryNational Gallery of Canada400 m outside town, to the east · 237K visitors a year (2014)
MuseumCarleton University4.2 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumCanadian Museum of Nature1.9 km outside town, to the southeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Canadian Museum of History: Wojciech Dittwald, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Children's Museum: Wojciech Dittwald, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jacques Cartier Park: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Gallery of Canada: Wladyslaw [Disk.], CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carleton University: Harleyd613, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from around Centre-Ville
No notable person born in Centre-Ville is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Daniel Lanois: Juan Manuel Parra, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Philippe Falardeau: Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Derick Brassard: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Caroline Calvé: Robert Thivierge, CC BY-SA 3.0
About Centre-Ville
Neighbourhood in Gatineau
Census areas put together by TownRatings make up Centre-Ville, one part of Gatineau; the city’s map or OpenStreetMap gives it its name.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,981 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- City
- Gatineau
- Census subdivision
- 2481017
Centre-Ville’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre-Ville | 12,981 | — | C− | D | B− | B+ |
| Lac-des-Fées | 10,075 | 1.6 | C | D | B− | B+ |
| Lowertown West Ontario | 5,947 | 2.2 | C | D | D− | A+ |
| Centretown Ontario | 32,035 | 2.7 | C+ | D− | D | A+ |
| Lowertown East Ontario | 6,996 | 2.7 | D | D− | D | A+ |
| West Centretown Ontario | 8,560 | 2.8 | C+ | D− | C− | A+ |
| Sandy Hill Ontario | 13,830 | 3.2 | C− | D− | D | A+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Centre-Ville
Do people in Centre-Ville speak French?
French is the common language here. 60% of residents also speak English (the median of Canadian towns: 8%), and 21% speak French but not English.
Is Centre-Ville a young town or an old one?
Its median age is 38.9, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. 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).