The Scots have immigrated to Canada in steady and substantial numbers for over 200 years, with the connection between Scotland and Canada stretching farther — to the 17th century. Scots have been involved in every aspect of Canada's development as explorers, educators, businessmen, politicians, writers and artists.
The Scots are among the first Europeans to establish themselves in Canada and are the third largest ethnic group in the country. With a history and heritage this long, it was only natural that the Scots of Ottawa found a home at Beechwood Cemetery.
For nearly a century and a half, the Scots have chosen Beechwood as their final resting place here in Ottawa. This history even predates the establishment of Beechwood if you include long closed Barrack’s Hill (1845) and Sandy Hill Cemetery (1872), which were transferred to Beechwood.
From the earliest day, the majority of our founders were Scottish. We welcomed many great Scottish families whose names mark the streets and landmarks of our city. Some well know Scots of Ottawa would include:
- Tommy Douglas, Father of Health Care, Sir Stanford Fleming, Father of the time zone and first Canadian Postage Stamp, Captain James Forsyth, first commander of the Ottawa Field Battery, the Gilmour brothers, great lumber barons, William Wilfred Campbell, Canada’s Great Confederation Poet, Mary Ishbel Robertson Currier, award winning children’s author to name very few.
We are proud to have collaborated with the Scottish Society of Ottawa on an exclusive community package.
The Scottish Society of Ottawa is a not-for-profit organization that celebrates the links between Scotland and the National Capital Region, Eastern Ontario and all of Canada. The SSO was founded in 2012 to revive and rejuvenate the historic ties between Canada and Scotland. The SSO uses special events and educational programs to highlight Canada’s and Scotland’s shared history and connect to the continuing development of Scotland.
To find out more or to become a member of SSO, please visit https://ottscot.ca/ .
