Ottawa's beloved historic Streetcar 696, a survivor from the city's early 20th-century transit network, has been relocated to a new site where residents and history buffs can finally get up close with a piece of the capital's transportation heritage.
A Rolling Piece of Ottawa History
Streetcar 696 is one of the last remaining physical links to Ottawa's once-extensive electric streetcar system, which operated from the late 1800s until 1959. For decades, streetcars like this one were the lifeblood of downtown commuters, clattering along Bank Street, Sparks Street, and Rideau Street before buses and the private automobile brought the era to a close.
The car has been preserved through the efforts of local heritage advocates and transit history enthusiasts who recognized its cultural significance long before most Canadians thought twice about urban transit history. Now, after a relocation project that required careful planning and no small amount of logistical creativity, Streetcar 696 is in a new, publicly accessible spot.
Why This Move Matters
For years, the streetcar's previous location made it difficult for the general public to see — let alone appreciate — the craftsmanship and character of the original vehicle. The relocation changes that. Ottawa residents can now view the car directly, connecting with a mode of transportation that shaped the city's growth and urban form in ways that are still visible in the street grid today.
Heritage preservation advocates have long argued that objects like Streetcar 696 are as important to Ottawa's identity as its famous stone buildings and parliamentary architecture. Streetcars didn't just move people — they defined neighbourhoods, anchored commercial strips, and gave early 20th-century Ottawa its distinct urban rhythm.
The Bigger Picture for Ottawa Transit Heritage
The relocation comes at an interesting moment for Ottawa transit. The city has spent the better part of a decade — and billions of dollars — building its LRT system, a modern rail network that in some ways echoes the electric transit infrastructure that streetcars once represented. The parallel isn't lost on local historians.
Where the old streetcar network was eventually dismantled in favour of the flexibility of buses, Ottawa has come full circle, reinvesting in rail as the backbone of its transit future. Streetcar 696 serves as a tangible reminder of that first era of rail transit — and of what was lost when the city opted out of it.
Go See It
If you're an Ottawa history enthusiast, a transit nerd, or just someone who appreciates a well-preserved piece of mechanical heritage, now is a great time to seek out Streetcar 696 at its new location. Bring the kids — there's something genuinely magical about standing next to a 100-year-old vehicle that once carried Ottawans to work, to market, and home again.
Keep an eye on local heritage group announcements and the Ottawa Transit Connections community for any guided viewing events or interpretive programming that may be planned around the car's new home.
Source: CTV News Ottawa
