Car Rental Ottawa

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Ottawa's eclectic blend of old and new neighbourhoods, business and government, English and French, and many other cultures, makes it a vibrant city with a quality of life second to none. Ottawa is nestled on the banks of the Ottawa River, approximately 200 kilometres west of Montreal and 400 kilometres northeast of Toronto, and is Canada's capital city. It is also known as the "Silicon Valley of the North", with a booming tech industry and thousands of advanced skilled workers.

Driving Regulations In Ontario

Visitors And Driver License Requirements
If you are a visitor to Ontario and want to drive while you are here, you must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver's licence from your own province, state or country. If you are from another country and visiting Ontario for more than three months, you need an International Driver's Permit from your own country.

Seat Belt And Child Safety Seat Usage
Ontario law requires all adults and children weighing over 40 lbs to be properly restrained using the full seatbelt assembly, which is the lap belt and the shoulderbelt portions. Children weighing less than 40 lbs must be properly restrained with a child safety seat appropriate to the child's weight. Infants from birth to 20 lbs must travel in a rear-facing child safety seat. It is recommended that all children under the age of 12 years sit in the back seat of a vehicle with a front-seat airbag. Never place a rear-facing infant safety seat in a seating position where there is an airbag.

Speed Limits In Ontario

Rush Hour In Ottawa
As in most heavily populated urban cities, rush hour (6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) traffic can be heavy in the downtown core and on the highways. The transit system is also more crowded, but OC Transpo operates more vehicles during these peak hours. During rush hour, expect bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Queensway (417).

Parking In Ottawa
The City offers public parking lots and garages. Rates at downtown parking garages are $0.50 for 15 minutes, with the exception of the facility at 141 Clarence Street: $0.25 for 12 minutes.There is free parking on weekends at City lots and meters located West of the Canal, East of Bronson, North of the Queensway.

Parking Meters
The parking meter rates are $0.25 for 7.5 minutes. The colored domes indicate how long you may park at a meter.

Helpful Telephone Numbers In Ottawa
Here are some telephone numbers that you may find useful in Ottawa.

• CAA North East Ontario
  Emergency Road Service:
  Metro Ottawa area, call (613) 820-1400
  OR 1-800-CAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357)

• Police, Fire, Ambulance (emergency): 911
• Ottawa Police (non-emergency): (613) 230-6211