Days in Ottawa are currently getting shorter, about 21 minutes shorter than a week ago.*
* Calculated from sunrise and sunset times; actual visible daylight can vary slightly with weather, elevation and atmospheric conditions.
Geographic position of Ottawa
Ottawa is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 45.4112° N, 75.6981° W.
-
Distance from the Equator:
about 5,055 km (3,141 mi)
-
Distance from the North Pole:
about 4,964 km (3,084 mi)
-
Distance from the South Pole:
about 15,074 km (9,367 mi)
-
Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 5,916 km (3,676 mi) west
Ottawa lies in the temperate latitude zone. This latitude affects daylight length, seasonal variation and how local solar time compares with standard clock time.
Antipode of Ottawa
The point on Earth exactly opposite Ottawa is near Perth - when it's noon in Ottawa, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Ottawa
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Ottawa
Ottawa is currently in Autumn. Winter begins around December 21, which is 64 days from now.
Because Ottawa is in the Northern Hemisphere, its seasons run opposite to cities in the other hemisphere. When it is autumn here, places on the other side of the equator are experiencing the opposite season at the same time.
Longest & Shortest Day in Ottawa
In Ottawa, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 15h 41m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 8h 42m, a difference of roughly 6h 59m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Ottawa's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Ottawa at 45.41° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Ottawa
With a population of 1,017,449, Ottawa ranks as the 4th most populous city in Canada, out of 501 cities tracked on this site.
Airport in Ottawa
Ottawa / Rockcliffe Airport (YRO / CYRO) is a regional airport serving Ottawa directly.
Current local time at the airport is 02:36:49.
Daylight saving time changes in Ottawa
Ottawa uses the IANA time zone identifier America/Toronto. The current local offset is UTC-4 / EDT.
2026
Previous change: Daylight saving time started
- The offset changed from UTC-5 / EST to UTC-4 / EDT.
- The clock was moved forward from 02:00 to 03:00 local time.
2026
Next change: Standard time starts
- The offset will change from UTC-4 / EDT to UTC-5 / EST.
- The clock will be moved back from 02:00 to 01:00 local time.
Best Time to Call Ottawa
Business hours in Ottawa (9 AM-5 PM local time) fall at these local times elsewhere:
- New York: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ( Convenient)
- Los Angeles: 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- London: 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- Dubai: 5:00 PM - 1:00 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Mumbai: 6:30 PM - 2:30 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Tokyo: 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
- Sydney: 12:00 AM (next day) - 8:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
Times shown reflect current UTC offsets and may shift by up to an hour around daylight saving transitions.
Time Difference from Ottawa
Compare time in Ottawa with major cities worldwide.
Public Holidays Affecting Ottawa
Official national holiday observed in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Ottawa in?
Ottawa follows the America/Toronto time zone, the official IANA identifier used by computers and databases worldwide to track local time accurately. Right now, this puts Ottawa at UTC-4.
What time is it in Ottawa right now?
The current local time in Ottawa is 02:36:49 on Saturday, 17 October 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Ottawa observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Ottawa is currently observing daylight saving time, which temporarily shifts the clock forward by one hour compared to standard time.
How far ahead or behind UTC is Ottawa?
Ottawa is currently UTC-4, meaning local time is 4 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Ottawa?
Ottawa / Rockcliffe Airport (YRO) is the airport serving Ottawa. The current local time at the airport is 02:36:49.
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