Join Us
Are you thinking about starting a business in Ottawa, or expanding to a new location?
Orléans is a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada situated in the eastern part of the city along the Ottawa River, about 16 km from Downtown Ottawa. The Heart of Orléans BIA district runs along St-Joseph Boulevard, parallel to Highway 174, from Prestone Drive west to Youville with pockets at Centrum Boulevard, Place D’Orléans Drive, Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard.
Orléans has the highest concentration of bilingual and educated citizens in Ottawa and with 4 LRT stations, it brings an opportunity to make Orléans the perfect business destination.
Orléans’ proximity to downtown, available lands, stunning waterfront, parks and recreation, and exceptional quality of life, all make our community an excellent choice to set up shop.
From a growing and prosperous area, to quality of life and affordability, to advocacy and promotion through our BIA organization, the Heart of Orléans district definitely gives you the Ottawa east advantage.
Want to learn more? The BIA would be happy to meet with you and learn more about your business needs. Book an appointment today.
Are You a Business Member?
Business Member
If you own a business within the Heart of Orléans BIA district, that is in a commercial property, you are automatically a member.
Property Owner/Manager
If you own a commercial property within the Heart of Orléans BIA district, or are the owner’s designated representative (such as a property manager), you are a BIA member.
Associate Members
If you own an eligible home-based business within the Heart of Orléans BIA district, you can purchase an Associate Membership.
Community Partners
We have several community partners within the Heart of Orléans BIA district, including representatives from all levels of government, not-for-profit organizations, and more.
Still not sure if you are a Business Member?
Have a peek at our Heart of Orléans BIA Map.
The Heart of Orléans BIA is the yellow portion of the map.
It runs along St-Joseph Boulevard from Youville Drive to Dairy Road, North to Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard west and back up to Youville Drive to St-Joseph Boulevard.
Bright Future
Be part of our growing, thriving community.
Why Orléans?
A little History…
Did you know St-Joseph Boulevard is located in the heart of our community and was once called Ottawa Street?
The first European pioneers arrived in the region in the 1830s and it was in 1856 when Monseigneur Guigues, the Bishop of the Diocese of Bytown, asked Luc Major to prepared a plan subdividing the land along the Ottawa River into Lots 1 and 2. This plan was registered in 1858 and became the Village of St-Joseph’s (Orléans’) first official plan.
A year later, Francois Dupuis, who had owned Lot 3 since 1846, also decided to subdivide part of his property on Ottawa Street – which is now St-Joseph Boulevard. On June 8, 1859, this plan was officially registered and included streets called St. John (now St-Jean), Dupuis (now Dussere) and Scott (now St-Charles) which was named after his wife, Marie-Therese (Mary) Scott.
St-Joseph Boulevard, formerly Ottawa Street, is still going strong today with a mix of both historic and new landmarks.
Originally a Franco-Ontarian town, you can still see the French influence throughout Orléans. St-Joseph Boulevard was named after the Roman Catholic Church, Paroisse St-Joseph, which still is a landmark today. The Boulevard is the original “main street” and continues to be a thoroughfare for Orléans.
The Future
Today our neighbourhood is growing, prosperous and increasingly diverse.
- With a population of 121,000 and still growing, Orléans has been one of the fastest growing boroughs in Ottawa.
- The average household income is $130,200. Almost 60 percent of households bring home more than $100,000 annually. This makes Orléans one of the wealthiest communities in Ottawa.
- Orléans prides itself as an affordable Ottawa neighbourhood for families with children, and increasingly becoming a choice for a younger professional demographic.
- With over 33 percent of households speaking French, we also have a growing group who speak languages other than English and French.
- Orléans has a highly-educated workforce. Over 65 percent of all Orléans residents have achieved a post-secondary diploma or degree. Fully 34.7 percent of our population have a university degree.
- Orléans also has the second-highest ratio in Ottawa for daily trips that stay right in the community. In 2011, 67 percent all daily trips by Orléans residents stayed here. That’s good news for businesses who want to open for business here.
- Proximity to downtown, the Ottawa River and Petrie Island, walking and bike trails, an arts and culture hub, and several recreation facilities, all converge to make Orléans an ideal place to live, work and stay.
Focus on The Heart of Orléans
- The Heart of Orléans BIA supports 350 businesses along 4 kilometers of St-Joseph Boulevard and within a few pockets along the way.
- Many of our businesses are independent, and family owned and operated.
- Major sectors of the Heart of Orléans district include: health and wellness (37 percent of all businesses); professional and other services (33 percent); restaurants, food and beverage (14 percent); and retail (10 percent).
- Growing and targeted sectors include: unique food and beverage; small high tech and knowledge-based business; and boutique retail.
- Recent market research shows the main reasons people frequent our district include: restaurants and dining, our high-quality services, special events, and shopping.
- Consumers also value local and independently-owned businesses, the convenience of St-Joseph Boulevard, and the level of service we provide.
- The district offers something unique in Orléans – an authentic experience of independent businesses, a place to connect with business owners and residents, and a sense of community.
The Here and Now
Today our neighbourhood is growing, prosperous and increasingly diverse.
- With a population of 121,000 and still growing, Orléans has been one of the fastest growing boroughs in Ottawa.
- The average household income is $130,200. Almost 60 percent of households bring home more than $100,000 annually. This makes Orléans one of the wealthiest communities in Ottawa.
- Orléans prides itself as an affordable Ottawa neighbourhood for families with children, and increasingly becoming a choice for a younger professional demographic.
- With over 33 percent of households speaking French, we also have a growing group who speak languages other than English and French.
- Orléans has a highly-educated workforce. Over 65 percent of all Orléans residents have achieved a post-secondary diploma or degree. Fully 34.7 percent of our population have a university degree.
- Orléans also has the second-highest ratio in Ottawa for daily trips that stay right in the community. In 2011, 67 percent all daily trips by Orléans residents stayed here. That’s good news for businesses who want to open for business here.
- Proximity to downtown, the Ottawa River and Petrie Island, walking and bike trails, an arts and culture hub, and several recreation facilities, all converge to make Orléans an ideal place to live, work and stay.
Focus on The Heart of Orléans
- The Heart of Orléans BIA supports 350 businesses along 4 kilometers of St-Joseph Boulevard and within a few pockets along the way.
- Many of our businesses are independent, and family owned and operated.
- Major sectors of the Heart of Orléans district include: health and wellness (37 percent of all businesses); professional and other services (33 percent); restaurants, food and beverage (14 percent); and retail (10 percent).
- Growing and targeted sectors include: unique food and beverage; small high tech and knowledge-based business; and boutique retail.
- Recent market research shows the main reasons people frequent our district include: restaurants and dining, our high-quality services, special events, and shopping.
- Consumers also value local and independently-owned businesses, the convenience of St-Joseph Boulevard, and the level of service we provide.
- The district offers something unique in Orléans – an authentic experience of independent businesses, a place to connect with business owners and residents, and a sense of community.
A Look Ahead…
Recently the Orléans Community Improvement Plan (CIP) was implemented to attract major knowledge-based employers to our area and encourage the creation of new high quality jobs to make Orléans a complete community where residents can live, work and play.
The Orléans Corridor Secondary Plan Study is also being prepared in order to guide growth to create a mixed use, pedestrian, bike-friendly and complete liveable community. This Secondary Plan will evaluate policies and zoning to improve opportunities for things like affordable housing and employment. Our community will be able to rely on the four new LRT stations, access greenspace and frequent existing and future local amenities.
The Orléans Corridor Study is guided by the “15 Minute Neighbourhood”. 15-minute neighbourhoods are compact, well-connected places which include a range of housing types and affordability, access to food, shops, services, schools, local child care, employment, greenspaces, parks and pathways. 15-minute neighbourhoods allow people to walk to meet their daily or weekly needs by bringing destinations closer together. They enable easy, safe and enjoyable connections between destinations.
Our BIA district is a part of this important study and we have been working closely with the city of Ottawa to incorporate our overall streetscape strategy. We are hopeful to see it finally come to fruition! The future is bright for the Heart of Orléans.
Under “Join Our Team” at the bottom, in the last bullet for “Economic Development” the link isn’t scrolling down on the About Us page to the Economic Development section
Get Involved!
Looking for a way to make a difference in your community? Here’s how.
There are so many ways that you could add value to the Heart of Orléans, share some great experiences, and feel a part of the community. Here are a just a few. Please reach out if you’d like to talk further.
Volunteer
We have various volunteer opportunities throughout the year, and we can hook you up with organizers of many local festivals and events that could use a little help as well.
Be Locally Minded
The best way to support the Heart of Orléans district is to frequent and support our many shops and services. Enjoy our award winning restaurants, find your service professionals (health and wellness, financial and legal, to name a few), take in a movie, a live show, or join one of the arts and culture organizations in our district.
Did you know about 67 cents of every dollar stays right in our community when you support our local businesses? This has an even greater impact when businesses purchase their supplies locally, hire local staff, and give back directly to community groups and projects.
Sign Up
Be in the know and get the latest scoop by joining our mailing list. You will receive access to our e-magazine, The Beat, and occasionally receive other emails to keep you informed about our community.
If you’re not following us on social media, you’re really missing out! Follow our Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channel to stay connected and up to date.
Be Part Of The Board
The BIA is governed by a Board of Management, made up of BIA members (members are business owners and commercial property owners in the district). To find out if there is a vacant position, and if you are interested in being part of the Board, please contact our Executive Director.
Volunteer
We have various volunteer opportunities throughout the year, and we can hook you up with organizers of many local festivals and events that could use a little help as well.
Sign Up
Be in the know and get the latest scoop by joining our mailing list. You will receive access to our e-magazine, The Beat, and occasionally receive other emails to keep you informed about our community. If you’re not following us on social media, you’re really missing out! Follow our Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channel to stay connected and up to date.
Be Part of the Board
The BIA is governed by a Board of Management, made up of BIA members (members are business owners and commercial property owners in the district). To find out if there is a vacant position, and if you are interested in being part of the Board, please contact our Executive Director.
Join Our Team
We have several teams that work on fun and challenging initiatives throughout the year.
- The Marketing & Promotion Team helps make the Heart of Orléans brand come to life, marketing the district as a whole, publishing The Beat, promoting events, and more. The BIA has a Marketing Strategic Plan that guides the work of this team. You can read more about Marketing & Promotions here.
- The Member Engagement Team works on getting to know the business community in Orléans, and connecting people in meaningful ways. We bring business people together several times a year. You can read more about Member Engagement here.
- The Streetscape & Beautification Team works on making St-Joseph Boulevard more attractive – through graffiti removal, lighting, banners, and more. And there is a long-term Streetscape Strategic Plan to make the district more walkable, bikeable, and connected to future light rail. You can read more about our Streetscape & Beautification initiatives here.
- The Festivals & Events Team supports local events throughout the year, including the Orléans Craft Beer Festival, Orléans Ribfest, Fête Frissons, the Shenkman Arts Centre’s Summer Series, Santa’s Parade of Lights, and more. We also create and present Dinner Under the Stars, an exclusive event celebrating all things local. You can read more about our Festivals & Events here.
- The Economic Development Team works on making the vision of Orléans a reality. Key priorities include revitalizing St-Joseph Boulevard, championing an east end economic corridor around the four future light rail stops in Orléans, and bringing major employers to our community. You can read more about our Economic Development initiatives here.