What is the average Class A rent in Ottawa?

Around 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Ottawa?

12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Ottawa?

The Ottawa Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 13.6%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Ottawa is around 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown) push to roughly C$38/sqft/yr · ≈ $28.1 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 13.6% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Ottawa Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Ottawa is around 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown) push to roughly C$38/sqft/yr · ≈ $28.1 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 13.6% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Ottawa are quoted in CAD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 36, but the trophy tier in Downtown reaches roughly C$38/sqft/yr · ≈ $28.1 PSF/yr USD. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Ottawa concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 12 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 15% federal plus Ontario's 11.5% corporate income tax. Combined effective rate of 26.5%. 13% HST.

Where rents land by submarket

Downtown sits at the top end (~C$38/sqft/yr · ≈ $28.1 PSF/yr USD). Centretown clears around C$36/sqft/yr · ≈ $26.6 PSF/yr USD as the prime tier. The full submarket map is on the Ottawa city page.

Key facts

city	Ottawa
country	Canada
region	Americas
classARentLocal	36 CAD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$26/sqft/yr
vacancy	13.6%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	12
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	6.2%
trophyRent	C$38/sqft/yr · ≈ $28.1 PSF/yr USD
primeRent	C$36/sqft/yr · ≈ $26.6 PSF/yr USD

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Ottawa?: Around 36 CAD/sqft/yr ($26 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Ottawa?: 12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Ottawa?: The Ottawa Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 13.6%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Class A Atlas Editorial Desk — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction