5 Reasons Dating in Ottawa Is So Freaking Hard

Jul 19, 2018

According to Statistics Canada there are the same number of single men to single women in Ottawa. So, why is it so hard to date in freaking Ottawa? It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman, gay or straight, it can be hard to find that first date. We won’t even mention getting to the second or third date!

Here are 5 reasons why we think it’s so freaking hard to date in Ottawa.

1. Family destination.

Ottawa is the site of our nation’s capital. That means that many people work in the government. People think that Ottawa has a stuffy but professional air about it. Ottawa is perhaps seen as a family destination. Let’s just say that when you think party atmosphere or hot patio date, Vancouver or Montreal come up first.

2. Lack of sexuality.

Montreal is hot, Quebec City is hot, but somehow, Ottawa has a lack of sexuality about it. If you ask your friends if you can hang out with them, chances are that you’ll be hanging out with their families too. Do you even know of any good strip bars in Ottawa? Or, even a singles bar for that matter? Ottawa not only has a lack of sexuality, but even the people are formal and cold.

3. Political correctness.

There’s a line between being friendly and being inappropriate, but some people don’t understand the difference. Instead of saying hi to attractive people on the street, or handing out their business cards, they maintain an air of “I don’t care”. Instead of risking that they may get smacked down, they don’t engage with the opposite sex. And heaven forbid you should actually ask your coworker on a date!

4. Unrealistic ideals.

Sadly, the same problems plaguing our parents back in the 80s are still plaguing millennials. Men want perfection in a woman, even when they’re imperfect in themselves. But this is also applicable to women too: they also want perfection and a rich man. But if you take a peek down any busy Ottawa street, no one is perfect, even that woman with all the kids, who was obviously successful in finding a mate.

5. Lack of self-esteem.

Many singles in Ottawa aren’t even on the dating market because they feel they are imperfect. They feel overweight, or, perhaps their hair isn’t perfect, or they can’t do their makeup right. Perhaps they have low-paying jobs and think they’ll be rejected for that. This can go in the other direction too. A person with a six-figure paying job may not be on the market as they’re afraid they’ll be the target of scammers rather than finding a genuine person to love.

Once we have a solid understanding of why dating is so freaking hard in Ottawa then we can work at getting out of the rut. Perhaps you need to reevaluate who you’re looking for, and give yourself a boost of confidence by doing something that you really enjoy, rather than doing what others expect of you.