Lowertown was first laid out by Colonel By in connection with the construction of the Rideau Canal in the 1820s. Lowertown was shaped by French-Canadian and Irish immigrants that settled in the area. This population and its relationship to the surrounding urban landscape played a large role in the development of the area’s historic urban form. ERA was the Heritage Consultant for the completion of the Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District Study for the City of Ottawa.