Britannia is a neighbourhood and also a street in the west end of Ottawa on the shores of the Ottawa River.  First settled in the late 1800s, Britannia was originally part of Nepean Township, but was annexed by Ottawa in 1950.  Britannia is surrounded by water, forest, hillside and park space. It was once a small cottage community but rapid growth in all directions during the 20th century meant that it was soon surrounded by suburbs. The area became popular at the turn of the century because the Ottawa Gas and Electric Company extended the trolley line and created an amusement park at Britannia Beach to encourage users of the trolley system to use it on weekends. A quaint cottage and beach community resulted.

Larger, modern houses were built in between cottages. Nowadays it is simply an out-of-the-way part of west end  Ottawa, featuring a movie theatre complex, a nature trail (Mud Lake),  beaches, and a water filtration plant. The neighborhood has a mix of low and high income housing. The lower income areas of the neighbourhood are closer to Richmond Road and the more affluent areas are located near the waterfront and beach. Britannia retains some of its early cottage flavour, with a yacht club at the end of the road, and many older cottages converted into year round bungalows. Surrounded by water, forest, and steep hills, with a bit of wildlife-conservation, Britannia will probably keep its reclusive appeal for many more years.

The neighbourhood has a one-of-a-kind  EXPO-style dome covering a local children's hockey rink that made it to the top 500 architecturally significant buildings in Canada. Britannia’s history includes a very large and popular canoe club from the turn of the century, which became the Britannia Yacht Club. Incorporated in 1887, the yacht club is one of the oldest in Canada. In addition to boating, BYC also offers facilities and programs for tennis, youth, social and family activities. The clubhouse features the region's best view of the Ottawa River, fine dining as well as year round activities and is ideally situated on a well-protected harbour at the head of the Deschênes Rapids,  providing access to 45 kilometres of picturesque sailing waters.

Winding its way along the river front area is a bike path, which extends from Britannia some 12 kilometers to the Parliament buildings downtown. In addition to the substantive parklands, plenty of other amenities are available on nearby Richmond Road. Schools, churches and shopping are all within a quick drive or walk and OC Transpo provides extensive service. Today, there is probably no neighbourhood in Ottawa more diverse than Britannia forming a contrast with many of the homogenized satellite communities that have become the Ottawa landscape.

A secluded green space along the banks of the Ottawa River, Britannia Park is home to two beaches, a community theatre, an indoor/outdoor tennis club and one of Ottawa’s best summer music festivals. The third weekend of every August, the park gets taken over by the Ottawa Folk Festival. Four days of live music, by artists from all across Canada, and around the world are a great way to cap off the summer. The park is a picnicker’s paradise, with tables scattered on the grass amidst mature trees that offer plenty of shade on hot sunny days.

The two Britannia Beaches have lifeguards on duty from the third week of June through Labour Day. There are changing rooms and public washrooms, as well as a canteen-bistro. Britannia Park also features a very popular secondary access area reserved for windsurfing and parasailing.

Britannia’s comfortable blend of urban convenience, and tranquil riverside topography make it an idyllic environment to call home.