November 13, 2026

Living in Casselman, Ontario: A Local Guide for Buyers

By Nicolas Sigounis, REALTOR®, EXIT Realty Matrix, Brokerage
Last updated: November 12, 2026

Casselman is a small town on the South Nation River, east of Ottawa along Highway 417. I am based here, so this one is close to home.

It is not part of Ottawa. It is its own municipality, the Municipality of Casselman, inside the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. That changes your tax bill, your school boards and your services, so it is worth understanding before you look at a single house.

This guide uses public sources only, listed at the end. Where I could not confirm something, I say so.

Casselman at a glance

Municipality: Municipality of Casselman, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell
Population: 3,960 in 2021, up from 3,548 in 2016, about 11.6% growth (Statistics Canada)
Languages: 72.1% of residents can speak both English and French (2021 Census)
Average commute: 26.3 minutes in 2021, measured during the pandemic
School boards active in town: two French and two English
Drinking water: from the South Nation River, treated in town
Property taxes: set each year; see the Municipality’s tax page

A French speaking town

The census numbers are clear. In 2021, 2,800 residents reported French as their only mother tongue and 845 reported English. 115 reported another language and 170 reported more than one.

About 72.1% can speak both official languages, 14.8% speak English only and 12.9% speak French only. French is the main language of the town. You will hear it first at the counter and at the rink.

The mix is shifting. Between 2016 and 2021, residents with English as their mother tongue went from 610 to 845, and the share who speak English only rose from 10.3% to 14.8%.

So can you live here in English? More people are doing exactly that. If French matters to you, Casselman has two French school boards in town and a strong French culture.

Getting to Ottawa

Driving Highway 417

Most people who commute to Ottawa drive Highway 417. The Municipality describes Casselman as 25 minutes east of Ottawa. Treat that as a starting point, because where you work and when you leave will decide your real time.

The 2021 Census average commute for working residents was 26.3 minutes, down from 28.1 in 2016. Read that with care. It was taken in May 2021, when many people worked from home, and an average mixes people who work in town with people who drive into Ottawa. Of commuters, 85.0% drove, 5.4% rode as passengers, 1.0% took public transit and 6.5% walked, cycled or used another active mode.

What would I do? Drive from the house to your workplace at the hour you would really leave, then drive home at your real quitting time. If you can, do it once in winter.

Train and bus, as of November 2026

Casselman has a VIA Rail station at 3 Station Street. It is unstaffed, opens 60 minutes before a departure and 30 minutes after an arrival, and has 8 free outdoor parking spaces and washrooms. VIA does not list how many trains stop each day on its station page, so check the schedule for your dates before you count on it.

I could not confirm a scheduled public commuter bus between Casselman and Ottawa from an official source. Plan on needing a car.

Schools in Casselman

Four school boards are active in Casselman, two French and two English. School boundaries do not follow street lines, and boards change them. Before you buy, confirm the assigned school for the exact address with the board.

I live here, and most of the families I know send their kids to the Catholic school in Casselman. Would it help to confirm the assigned school for the exact address before you make an offer?

French Catholic: Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien

École élémentaire catholique de Casselman, on two sites: pavillon Sainte Euphémie at 215 rue Laurier and pavillon Saint Paul at 133 rue Laurier
École secondaire catholique de Casselman, at 778 rue Brébeuf

French public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario

L’Académie de la Seigneurie, at 731 rue des Pommiers, an elementary and secondary school in one
A child care centre, Centre éducatif Quatre Saisons, operates at the same address

English public and English Catholic

The Upper Canada District School Board and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario are both active in Casselman. The Municipality says their schools are nearby rather than in town. Use each board’s school locator with the exact address to find the assigned school and the bus route.

A detail about school taxes

Property owners can choose which school board receives their school taxes. If you do not choose, the Municipality says the taxes go to the English public board by default. If you plan to use a French school, fill in the designation form at the municipal office or make the change with MPAC.

The water question

If you search for Casselman, you will see people talking about the water. It is a fair question, so here is what the Municipality itself publishes.

Casselman’s drinking water comes from the South Nation River and is treated at the plant on Laval Street, operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency. The Municipality says the taste and smell can change during snowmelt and in summer, because of algae and warmer river water.

Its water FAQ, updated September 18, 2025, also explains a manganese problem that began in 2023. On one day in summer 2023, manganese went above 1 mg/L. Since then the Municipality reports several fixes: reverse osmosis pretreatment, a new coagulant, cleaning of the water intake and a chlorine dioxide test in summer 2025. It reports manganese stayed around the aesthetic standard through 2025, except for a spike on the weekend of August 15, 2025.

Capacity is the other story. The Municipality says its main sewage pumping station needed to double its capacity to keep new development going. It is also studying a long term link to the Clarence Rockland water system, at an estimated cost of about $75 million. No decision has been made.

What does that mean for a buyer? The town is working on it in the open, and the river will keep changing with the seasons. Nobody can promise how next summer will go.

What would I do? Read the full FAQ on the Municipality’s water page. If you have an infant, read the health unit’s advice on that page about formula. And ask the sellers what they have noticed at the tap.

I live in Casselman, so I will say this plainly. The Municipality is actively working on a permanent fix, and a temporary fix is in place until it is settled properly. Have you asked the seller how the water has been for them day to day?

Parks, the river and recreation

I golf at Casselview, so I can tell you the course is a real part of the town for a lot of people. Do you golf, or would you rather have the river and the trails?

The J.R. Brisson Complex

At 758 Brébeuf Street, it has an indoor rink with ice from mid August to mid May and seating for 500. In summer the floor becomes a concrete surface for events and leagues. Deguire Hall, in the same building, holds up to 1,000 people. There are also two outdoor tennis courts. Public skating is free on Sundays from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m., from September 8, 2026 to May 2, 2027.

Parks

Richelieu Park, 46 Boulevard Faucher: a splash pad (open June 17 to September 8 in 2026), swings, a basketball net, a sheltered picnic area and a volunteer run outdoor rink in winter.
Sports fields at 778 Brébeuf: two lit baseball fields and two volleyball courts, shared with the school during the day.
Outdoor pickleball: two courts behind the Catholic high school, with a household membership from May to October.
Optimiste Park, between Martin and Mercier streets.
Pétanque and horseshoes behind the water tower at 756 Brébeuf.

One thing to know: municipal parks are not maintained from November 1 to April 1.

The South Nation River

High Falls Conservation Area, run by South Nation Conservation, is at 11 Nation River Road and 18 Brisson Street. It has a picnic shelter, a boat ramp and a floating dock. Because of the weir, boats can only travel upstream. The river here is known for walleye and pike.

Bird’s Eye View Park is a municipal project at the end of Brisson Road: a trail of about 500 metres along the river, with a bird sanctuary and a Garden of Poetry of panels featuring French language authors from Ontario. The Municipality’s stated goal is 2027.

Nearby trails, library and golf

The Municipality notes that Larose Forest, managed by the United Counties, is near Casselman and is used for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross country skiing and snowmobiling depending on the season. The 72 km Prescott and Russell Recreational Trail also crosses the United Counties, from Hammond to St Eugène.

The Casselman Public Library is at 764 Brébeuf Street, open weekday afternoons and evenings on a set schedule and closed on weekends. Casselview Golf Club is at 844 Aurèle Road.

Food, shopping and errands

Most daily errands can be done in town. The Municipality’s business directory lists two grocery stores, Metro at 21 Richer Circle and Daniel’s No Frills at 726 rue Principale. It also lists a Giant Tiger, a Canadian Tire, a Dollarama, two pharmacies, an LCBO, several banks and a ServiceOntario office. Rue Principale is the main street, and several of the larger stores are on Laflèche Boulevard and Racine Street.

A few local places to know: Casselman Restaurant, at 703 Principale Street, open since 1981 and serving pizza, Chinese food and specialty plates for dine in, take out or delivery. Eric’s Pizza, at 659 St Isidore Street. For anything the directory does not list, plan on a drive.

Events through the year

Casselman Christmas Festival: December 3 to 6, 2026, with Christmas bingo, a comedy night, street hockey, a street party and the Christmas parade.
Festival multiculturel Mosaïque: held each fall at the high school fields, with food, music and dance from many cultures. The 2026 edition was October 3.
Weekly activities: the municipal calendar lists free skating, stick and puck, pickleball, fitness classes for adults 55 and over, and clubs at the library.

Buying a home in Casselman

Water, sewer or well

Ask whether a property is on municipal water and sewer or on a private well and septic. That changes your inspection, your costs and your upkeep. If it is on municipal water, read the water section above and the Municipality’s water page before you make an offer.

Property taxes

Your tax bill has three parts: municipal, the United Counties and education. Rates are set each year by bylaw and posted on the Municipality page. Two flat charges are added to a residential property: a police services fee of $375.36 and a garbage fee of $248.40 per year. Instalments are due in March, May, August and October, and water and sewer are billed separately. Overdue accounts are charged 1.25% a month.

Your actual bill depends on your MPAC assessment. Rather than rely on a number from me, look up the current rates on the Municipality’s tax page.

What homes have actually sold for in Casselman

Here is what the MLS shows for freehold homes in Casselman that sold between August 15 and November 13, 2026. That is 13 sales, which is a small number, so read it with care.

Average sold price: about $529,000. Median sold price: $529,000.
Sold prices ran from $150,000 to $800,000, and the low end is a vacant land sale.
Average of 66 days on market. Median of 43 days.
Homes sold for about 97% of their list price on average.
Nine of the 13 sales were detached homes, three were townhouses and one was vacant land.

With only 13 sales, one unusual house can swing the average. That is why I look at the median and at each sale, not only the headline number. Would you rather see the numbers for homes like yours?

Source: MLS data through REALM, freehold sales in Casselman sold August 15 to November 13, 2026, pulled November 13, 2026.

What fits and what to weigh

What the evidence supports: a growing town, with population up about 11.6% between 2016 and 2021. Daily needs in town, including groceries, pharmacies, a library, an arena and parks. Strong French schooling, with both French boards in town. Direct access to Highway 417 and a VIA Rail stop. The river, with a boat launch and fishing at High Falls.

What to weigh: you will likely need a car. English schools are outside town, so check the bus route. The water, where the Municipality is open about the issues and the fixes and you should read it for yourself. And the services of a small town of about 4,000 people, where anything specialized means a drive.

So the question is simple. Does a small French speaking town, one highway drive from Ottawa, fit how you live and work?

Common questions

Is Casselman part of Ottawa?

No. Casselman is its own municipality in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, with its own tax rates and services.

How long is the drive from Casselman to Ottawa?

The Municipality describes it as 25 minutes east of Ottawa on Highway 417. The 2021 Census average commute was 26.3 minutes, but that was measured during the pandemic and includes people who work locally. Drive your own route at your real hour.

Is there a train or bus from Casselman to Ottawa?

There is a VIA Rail station in town, and VIA does not list daily trains on its station page, so check the schedule. As of November 2026 I could not confirm a scheduled commuter bus from an official source.

Is Casselman French or English?

Mostly French. In 2021, French was the mother tongue of about 7 in 10 residents, and 72.1% could speak both languages. English speakers are a growing share.

Are there English schools in Casselman?

The English public and English Catholic boards are both active here, but the Municipality says their schools are nearby rather than in town. Confirm the assigned school for any address with the board.

Is the water safe in Casselman?

The Municipality says its treated water meets provincial and federal standards. It also reports manganese problems since 2023 and the steps taken in 2025. Read the full FAQ on its water page, including the health unit’s advice for infants, and decide with the facts in front of you.

How many people live in Casselman?

3,960 in the 2021 Census, up from 3,548 in 2016.

How much are property taxes in Casselman?

It depends on your assessment. The Municipality posts each year’s rates on its tax page. In 2026 a residential property also pays a police fee of $375.36 and a garbage fee of $248.40.

Thinking about a move to Casselman?

If you are comparing Casselman with other towns east of Ottawa, I can walk you through the commute, the schools and what your budget looks like in each one, in English or in French. You can start a conversation here, and if it is not useful, tell me and I will stop.

Would it be a bad idea to compare two or three towns side by side before you pick a street?

Sigounis Properties. We Know Strategy.