Is Ottawa Safe in May 2026?

In and around the ByWard Market building on Clarence Street and York Street, vendors selling items labelled as "Canadian-made" or "local artisan" souvenirs — including Inuit-style carvings, maple-leaf embroidered items, and Indigenous-inspired art prints — are frequently mass-produced imports from overseas. Prices are set at artisan levels ($40–$200 CAD) for goods that retail elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. The Ottawa Tourism Authority does not certify or curate vendors in the outdoor market.

How to avoid: Look for the Authentic Indigenous mark or certificates of authenticity for any Indigenous art. Ask vendors directly where and by whom the item was made. Certified local artisan goods are more reliably found inside the ByWard Market building at permanent stalls or at the Ottawa Farmers' Market at Brewer Park, where vendors sign authenticity agreements.

Several souvenir kiosks in the ByWard Market area sell maple syrup in tourist-branded packaging at premium prices, but the product is often blended syrup, corn syrup with maple flavoring, or US-origin syrup re-packaged in Canadian branding not complying with Canadian grade standards.

How to avoid: Look for products bearing the Canada Grade A classification with the color grade clearly printed on the label, as required by Canadian law for genuine maple syrup. Purchase from established vendors with physical addresses or from the Ottawa Farmers Market. A price far below market rate is a reliable warning sign.

During the Rideau Canal Skateway season and summer boat tours, impostors in unofficial vests station themselves near canal entry points claiming visitors must pay a fee to access the canal path or rent skates at inflated prices. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with free public access, so any demand for an entry payment is a scam. Victims hand over cash and receive nothing of value, or are sold overpriced rentals that should cost a fraction of what is charged. This scam spikes during winter Winterlude events when large crowds reduce individual scrutiny.

How to avoid: Know that access to the Rideau Canal pathway and skateway is free. Only rent skates from the two official NCC skate rental pavilions clearly marked on the NCC website. Never pay an entry fee to any individual at the canal edge.

Drivers loitering inside the YOW terminal offer rides to downtown Ottawa for flat-rate cash fares of $60-$90 CAD, well above the standard licensed taxi fare of $35-$45. They target international arrivals who do not know the regulated rate or that the OC Transpo Route 97 shuttle is a significantly cheaper alternative.

How to avoid: The licensed taxi queue outside arrivals has a regulated flat rate to downtown — confirm it with the dispatcher before getting in. OC Transpo Route 97 runs from the airport to downtown for $3.75. Never accept ride offers from anyone approaching you inside the terminal building.

Exchange kiosks in the ByWard Market and along Sussex Drive post exchange boards that advertise the Bank of Canada rate but apply additional fees and a wide spread that can total 9-11% above bank exchange rates. Tourists changing significant amounts of USD or EUR lose considerably more than at a bank ATM.

How to avoid: Withdraw Canadian dollars from a bank-branded ATM (RBC, TD, Scotiabank) where your home bank exchange rate applies. If exchanging cash, use a bank branch, never a street kiosk. Always ask for the final amount before confirming the transaction.