Ottawa office market report
Q1 2026
Evolving Workplace Dynamics Reshape Ottawa’s Office Market
Ottawa’s office market is navigating a period of adjustment driven by evolving return‑to‑office policies, elevated shadow vacancy, and federal government space rationalization. While increased office attendance is expected to support leasing activity, uncertainty around long‑term occupier strategies, particularly among government tenants, continues to delay decision‑making and extend leasing timelines. At the same time, underutilized leased space is effectively inflating supply, intensifying competition and pressuring rents, especially for secondary assets. Together, these dynamics are contributing to smaller average lease sizes and moderating the pace of overall market recovery.
Downtown Ottawa availability rate
up 340 bps from Q4 2025
Downtown Ottawa total vacancy rate
sf net absorption
year-to-date (YTD)
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Get in-depth office market reports and insights from commercial real estate experts in the Greater Ottawa area. Avison Young advisors look at Ottawa commercial real estate activities and the latest Ottawa statistics to provide you expert market research on Ottawa's office properties.
Explore different topics like the latest office market pricing trends and analysis of Ottawa's current office real estate market conditions. Gain a better understanding of Ottawa’s office real estate outlook and stay ahead of current office space trends. Make smart decisions when it comes to investing in office properties in Ottawa's competitive office real estate market. Avison Young is your trusted source for commercial real estate office market insights in Ottawa.