Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why was the settlement beside the Rideau Canal called Bytown?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Ottawa
Examining why Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Canadian capital.
The settlement that eventually became the city of Ottawa was named Bytown in honor of Lieutenant Colonel John By, the British military engineer who oversaw the construction of the Rideau Canal between 1826 and 1832.12
Tasked with building the canal to provide a secure military and economic transportation route, By surveyed and laid out the town site on the south bank of the Ottawa River to serve as a place of residence for himself and his workers. The settlement grew around this project and was officially incorporated as a town in 1850, before being renamed Ottawa when it was incorporated as a city in 1855.21