Au Cœur d'Ottawa: International Baccalaureate at the Heart of the Capital
Opened in 2017, École élémentaire catholique Au Cœur d'Ottawa offers the Primary Years International Baccalaureate program, in the Capitale area.
An internationally recognized program
The Primary Years International Baccalaureate program puts the student at the centre of their learning, entirely in French. A young school, opened in 2017, reflecting the kind of momentum a strong CECCE board can keep building.
Key issue: the schoolyard that isn't one
In January 2027, the school moves to 325 Deschâtelets Avenue, into a building fitted out for 489 student spaces and 39 childcare spaces, shared with a City-run community centre. That is good news for francophone families in the area. One question still needs answering before the doors open: where will those children play?
The open space in front of the school is a municipal park, and its design is being decided right now: the City held a public consultation on 22 June 2026, well before the students move in. The plan is conceived as a gathering place for the neighbourhood, which is entirely legitimate. It is not conceived for several hundred children at recess, every day.
I am not asking for that space to be reserved for the school: it is public, and the neighbourhood has as much claim to it as our students do. I am asking that the design account for both uses while it is still open — supervision, a defined play area, surfaces that last, liability. A school trustee has no authority over municipal parks; a trustee does have a duty to get the board to the table before the concrete is poured, not after.
Your designation, École élémentaire catholique Au Cœur d'Ottawa's voice
A strong school board decides the programs and facilities École élémentaire catholique Au Cœur d'Ottawa's students benefit from. To vote in the CECCE Zone 6 election on October 26, 2026, your property must be designated to French Catholic school support. Confirm your registration through the official Register to Vote service.