Lisgar Collegiate Institute

Lisgar Collegiate Institute is a stone secondary school in downtown Ottawa built with grey limestone and pointed arches. The building on Lisgar Street displays a central tower with battlements and vertical buttresses that rise above the surrounding grounds.

The school began in the 19th century as a grammar school and moved to its present site in 1874. Fires struck the building on several occasions, yet classes resumed after each reconstruction.

The school became one of the first in Ontario to admit female students in 1859 and later introduced the first gifted student program in the province.

The school operates Monday through Friday during regular daytime hours throughout the academic year. Visitors can view the exterior from the sidewalk at any time to appreciate the facade.

The school accepted girls when many other institutions in Ontario did not yet admit them. It later introduced the first program for academically gifted students in the province.

Location: Ottawa

Inception: 1843

Reference: LISG

Operator: Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

Address: 29 Lisgar Street

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 08:50-15:00

Phone: +16132392696

Website: https://lisgarci.ocdsb.ca

GPS coordinates: 45.42061,-75.68806

Latest update: December 20, 2025 15:09