By Jason Polonski, REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty · Last updated: October 2026
Westboro vs the Glebe is a choice between two of Ottawa’s most sought-after inner neighbourhoods: the Glebe is older, more central and built around Bank Street, Lansdowne Park and the Rideau Canal, while Westboro is a former village in the west end built around Richmond Road, the Ottawa River and Westboro Beach, with more new infill and condo options. Both are walkable, family-friendly and priced at the upper end of the city.
Buyers who shortlist both usually care about the same things: character homes, good schools, a real main street and being able to leave the car at home. The differences are in housing age, pace, commute and what you do on a Saturday. This guide compares them side by side. For each neighbourhood on its own, see the Westboro neighbourhood guide and The Glebe neighbourhood guide.
Westboro vs The Glebe at a Glance
| Factor | Westboro | The Glebe |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Inner west end | Just south of downtown |
| Main street | Richmond Road | Bank Street |
| Signature landmark | Ottawa River and Westboro Beach | Rideau Canal and Lansdowne Park |
| Housing age | Mostly 1900 to 1960, plus modern infill | Mostly built before 1914 |
| Housing mix | Detached homes, infill semis, newer condos | Detached and semi-detached homes, some converted to apartments |
| High schools | Nepean High School, Notre Dame | Glebe Collegiate Institute |
| Pace | Calmer, village feel | Busier, with stadium and event crowds |
| Best for | Families, river lovers, west-end commuters | Urban professionals, canal lovers, downtown commuters |
History and Character
The Glebe began as church lands granted in 1837, opened for development around 1870 and was annexed by Ottawa in 1889, according to its neighbourhood history. It was one of Ottawa’s first suburbs, and the first electric streetcar ran down Bank Street in 1891. Today it is dense, leafy and unmistakably urban, with Bank Street’s shops and restaurants at its centre.
Westboro was a separate village until 1949 and grew mainly between 1900 and 1960. It feels more suburban in scale on its side streets, with Richmond Road’s outdoor retailers, boutiques and cafés giving it a village main street. The Westboro Village BIA keeps a steady calendar of community events.
Homes and Housing Stock
Glebe housing
Most Glebe homes were built before 1914. Expect brick and frame houses on tight urban lots, often with porches and original details. Some large homes were divided into apartments over the years, and postwar buildings filled in the remaining land. Lots are generally smaller than in Westboro, and new construction is limited.
Westboro housing
Westboro’s housing is younger and more varied: early brick homes near Richmond Road, storey-and-a-half cottages, post-war bungalows, and a steady supply of modern infill semis and rebuilds. Condos are far more common, concentrated along Richmond Road. See Westboro infill homes and Westboro condos.
What this means for buyers
If you want a genuine century home, the Glebe has more of them. If you want new construction or a condo in a walkable inner neighbourhood, Westboro gives you more choice. Both have plenty of older houses where wiring, plumbing, sewer laterals and foundations need careful inspection; our guide to buying a character home applies in both. Prices in both neighbourhoods sit at the higher end of the Ottawa market and vary sharply by street, so compare recent sales on the specific blocks you like.
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Lifestyle: The River vs The Canal
The Glebe is defined by the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, which wraps around its eastern and southern edges. Residents walk and cycle the canal pathways, and skate on the canal in winter when conditions allow. Patterson Creek and Brown’s Inlet bring green space into the neighbourhood, and the Flora Footbridge links it to Old Ottawa East.
Lansdowne Park is the Glebe’s other big draw, with TD Place Stadium, home to the Ottawa Redblacks, and TD Place Arena, home to the Ottawa 67’s. That brings concerts, games and a farmers’ market within walking distance, along with event-day traffic and crowds.
Westboro is defined by the Ottawa River. Westboro Beach offers supervised swimming in summer, paddleboard and kayak rentals, and the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail in winter, while the Capital Pathway runs along the river. Life is quieter, with no stadium on the doorstep. See things to do in Westboro.
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Schools and Family Life
Both neighbourhoods are strong for families. In the Glebe, Glebe Collegiate Institute on Glebe Avenue is the OCDSB high school, offering French Immersion, gifted and other programs. Mutchmor and First Avenue public schools have long served Glebe families, and Corpus Christi serves Catholic families.
In Westboro, Broadview Public School and Nepean High School sit side by side on Broadview Avenue, Notre Dame High School serves Catholic students in Grades 7 to 12, and Hilson Avenue Public School adds Early French Immersion in 2027. Westboro boundaries are changing in September 2027, so read Westboro schools before you buy.
In both neighbourhoods, school assignments depend on your exact address and program. Always confirm with the OCDSB school locator and the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Commute and Getting Around
The Glebe is closer to downtown, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Many residents walk or cycle to work, and frequent buses run along Bank Street.
Westboro is closer to Tunney’s Pasture and the west end, including Kanata’s tech employers. Its big change is the O-Train Line 1 western extension, which adds Westboro and Kichi Zībī stations. City officials have targeted early 2027 for that service, as reported by Capital Current. Once running, it gives Westboro direct rapid transit into downtown.
Resale and Long-Term Value
Both neighbourhoods have the fundamentals that support long-term value: limited land, historic character, strong schools, walkable main streets and proximity to downtown. Neither will ever have large new subdivisions, so good homes stay scarce.
The Glebe’s supply is especially tight because so little new housing is built there, and its location next to the canal and Lansdowne gives it a distinct appeal. Westboro’s market is broader, with infill and condos adding supply, and its value is supported by the river, its schools and the coming O-Train service. Ottawa’s new zoning by-law will allow more small multi-unit buildings in both, which adds housing but can also change a street.
For a wider view of Ottawa’s high-end neighbourhoods, see luxury neighbourhoods in Ottawa.
Cost of Ownership in Westboro and the Glebe
Both neighbourhoods are in the City of Ottawa, so the residential tax rate is the same, and your bill depends on your home’s assessed value from MPAC. The bigger difference is maintenance. Century homes in the Glebe and older houses in Westboro both need ongoing investment in roofs, windows, wiring, plumbing and insulation, and older homes generally cost more to heat. Budget for that from the start rather than relying on the purchase price alone.
Parking is another practical cost. Many Glebe homes have little or no driveway, and on-street parking is busier on event days near Lansdowne. Westboro homes more often have a driveway or garage, especially newer infill homes. If you are buying a condo in either area, compare fees and what they include. Catholic families should also confirm school options with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, since its boundaries differ from the public board’s.
Which Is Right for You: Westboro or The Glebe?
Choose the Glebe if you want a true century home, love the canal, want to walk to downtown, the universities and Lansdowne events, and are comfortable with a busier, more urban pace.
Choose Westboro if you want the river and the beach, a calmer village feel, more choice of newer infill homes and condos, or a commute toward Tunney’s Pasture or the west end.
Still undecided? Spend a Saturday in each. Walk Bank Street and the canal in the morning and Richmond Road and Westboro Beach in the afternoon. Most buyers know which one fits by the end of the day. You can also compare Westboro vs Hintonburg and our guide to Westboro’s neighbourhoods.
Compare Westboro and the Glebe With Jason Polonski
Jason Polonski has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers across Ottawa over more than 15 years, including in both Westboro and the Glebe. His background in construction and the electrical trades is particularly valuable in these neighbourhoods, where many homes are 60 to more than 100 years old and the real cost of a purchase often depends on wiring, plumbing and foundations.
He will help you compare specific homes in both areas on condition and price, not just on listing photos, and coordinate your sale and purchase if you are moving up from elsewhere in Ottawa. Learn more about Jason, read reviews on his Google Business Profile, or visit his Westboro and Glebe REALTOR® pages. Browse current listings on Westboro homes for sale and Glebe homes for sale.
Call or text (613) 601-9333 to tour both neighbourhoods.
Westboro vs The Glebe FAQs
Both are among Ottawa’s higher-priced inner neighbourhoods, and prices vary sharply by street and home type. Compare recent sales of similar homes on the specific blocks you are considering.
Both are strong family neighbourhoods. Westboro offers the river, Westboro Beach and schools on Broadview Avenue, while the Glebe offers Glebe Collegiate, established elementary schools and the canal.
The Glebe has older housing overall, with most homes built before 1914. Westboro’s homes were mostly built between 1900 and 1960, with many newer infill homes and condos.
Yes. The Glebe sits just south of downtown, while Westboro is in the inner west end. Westboro will gain O-Train Line 1 stations, with service targeted for early 2027.
Lansdowne brings games, concerts and a farmers’ market within walking distance, along with event-day traffic and crowds on nearby streets.
Westboro has far more new infill homes and condos. The Glebe has limited new construction because so much of its housing is historic and lots are small.
