Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, situated on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, immediately across from the City of Ottawa. Prior to 2002, there were five cities on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River; Hull, Gatineau, Aylmer, Buckingham, and Masson-Angers.

These amalgamated into one City, and the remaining four communities have now become suburbs or neighbourhoods. As part of the National Capital Region, Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Metropolitan Area.

There are several major tourist attractions in Gatineau. The Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Casino Lac Leamy host many events in addition to their regular activities.

Each Labour Day weekend in early September, Gatineau hosts a hot air balloon festival, filling the skies over the city with colourful gas fired passenger balloons.

Most of the city is on level ground but the Northern and Eastern parts lie on the early parts of the massive Canadian Shield, or Laurentian mountains. These are known as the ‘Gatineau Hills’ and are visible from most vantages in the NCC area. There is plenty of park space within Gatineau as well. Many are well maintained playgrounds or resting spaces while others like Lac Beauchamp Park, are relatively wild green spaces that merge with the woods and fields of the surrounding municipalities.

One of Gatineau’s larger parks, Jacques Cartier Park, is used by the NCC each February during the popular festival, Winterlude.

There are two University campuses within the city; a Universite du Quebec, and a Universtie du Quebec en Outaouais (UQO) serving the community. In addition, there is a long list of elementary, middle and high schools, as well as two provincial junior colleges (aka CEGEP’s) the Francophone CEGEP de l‘Outaouais and the Anglophone Heritage College.