Kanata is one of the largest suburban communities in the western part of Ottawa.  It remained mainly agricultural until the 1960s when it became the site of heavy development and  an important high-tech centre, casually referred to as Silicon Valley North.  Kanata remains home to many of the major hi-tech employers of Ottawa, such as Research In Motion, Mitel, Alcatel-Lucent, DragonWave, Dell Canada, HP, Smart Technologies, Nortel, MDS Nordion, and Cisco Systems. The Canadian Airline First Air is also  headquartered in Kanata.

Unlike other suburbs, Kanata was designed to be a model community with a desirable mix of densities and commercial, parkland, green-space and residential properties. It contains large amounts of open space, and is surrounded by greenbelt. A reflection of the garden city movement, the area was divided into a series of communities, each of which has their own commercial centres and unique cultures. These include Beaverbrook, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood, Katimavik, Hazeldean, Morgan's Grant, and Kanata Lakes.

Before it was amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001, Kanata was one of the fastest growing cities in Canada and the fastest growing community in Southern Ontario. As of the 2006 census, the population of Kanata had increased to 85,000, and is now estimated to be just over 90,000

The area that is Kanata today, was originally settled by Europeans in the early nineteenth century.  Pinhey’s Point is an impressive historic site dating from this era, comprised of an 88-acre park located on the Ottawa River.  The site which includes a restored state home and manor house museum, is a popular destination for cyclists, picnickers, weddings, and is one of the most popular anchorages for boats cruising the river, as well as the endless community of sailboats occupying  the bay.

Situated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about 22 km southwest of Downtown Ottawa, with the Ottawa River forming it’s northern boundary. To the East it is surrounded by the National Capital Commission’s Greenbelt.  The entire area is criss-crossed with bike/walking paths and trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, ball diamonds and peaceful wooded landscapes.

Kanata's major shopping area called Kanata Entertainment Centrum is an expansive shopping venue with many newer big-box stores such as Home Depot, Staples, Canadian Tire, Walmart, and Chapters as well as an exclusive “designer” area. The Centrum also boasts the AMC 24 Theatre, the largest movie theatre in Ottawa and live theatre is alive and well at the Ron Maslin Playhouse.  The arts groups in Kanata include the Kanata Symphony, Kanata Civic Art Gallery and Kanata Theatre.

Between the commercial development and the residential developments you’ll find Scotiabank Place, the home of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Team, and venue for large-scale concerts.  The Bell Sensplex is also located in this area, providing Kanata with an additional Olympic sized rink, three NHL sized rinks and an indoor soccer/lacrosse field. The Kanata Recreation Complex has two skating rinks, a toboggan hill and a splash pad, and the Kanata Leisure Centre provides a full scale wave pool.

The 18-story, luxury Brookstreet Hotel Resort is located in the middle of the Kanata Research Park, surrounded by the first of two urban 18-hole golf courses, called the Marshes Golf Club. Unlike the members-only Kanata Lakes Golf & Country Club, the Marshes Golf Club is open to the general public.
If you speak to any resident of Kanata, they’ll tell you “Kanata has it all – and its a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, while maintaining that “Just Beyond The Fringe” atmosphere.