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Why did Queen Victoria’s selection of Ottawa as capital surprise many people?

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Know the reason why Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Canadian capital — Ottawa Examining why Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Canadian capital.

When Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada in 1857, the decision surprised many people primarily due to the city’s relatively small size and its identity as an industrial town focused on the processing and distribution of lumber.1

While Ottawa was considered a strong candidate because of its accessibility by rail and its strategic location, it lacked the prominence of larger, rival cities like Toronto, Montreal, Quebec city, and Kingston. The queen had been asked to intervene to resolve the intense political quarrels between these cities, which were competing to be named the permanent capital.1