Orleans, Ontario

Orléans, is a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the eastern part of the city along the Ottawa River, about 16km from downtown Ottawa. The Canada 2011 Census determined that Orléans' population was 107,823. Prior to being amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001, the community of Orléans was spread over two municipal jurisdictions, the eastern portion being in the pre-amalgamation City of Cumberland, the western portion in the City of Gloucester. According to the 2011 census, 62,888 people lived in the Cumberland portion of Orléans, while 44,935 people lived in the Gloucester portion. Today, Orléans spans the municipal wards of Orléans, Innes and Cumberland. Orléans is one of 3 areas of the post-amalgamated City of Ottawa to contain a significant francophone population, hence the community's name.HistoryThe community is thought to have been named by its first postmaster, Théodore Besserer, after his place of birth, the Île d'Orléans near Quebec City. Orléans was an incorporated police village from 1922 to 1974 and was then known as St. Joseph d'Orléans. The name corresponds to the main francophone Roman Catholic Church, Paroisse St-Joseph of which the older part of Orléans is built around, along St-Joseph Boulevard.