November 13, 2026

Living in Embrun, Ontario: A Local Guide for Buyers

Last updated: November 13, 2026

By Nicolas Sigounis, REALTOR®, EXIT Realty Matrix, Brokerage

Embrun, Ontario is a village east of Ottawa. It is not a municipality of its own.

Embrun is part of the Township of Russell, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. The Township’s Town Hall is in Embrun, at 717 Notre Dame Street. The Township also includes the village of Russell and the surrounding countryside.

That matters for two reasons. Your taxes, water and services come from the Township. And most public statistics describe the whole Township, not Embrun alone.

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

I live in Casselman, in the same county, so I know this part of the region as a neighbour.

Embrun, Ontario at a Glance

Municipality: Township of Russell, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell
Township population: 19,598 in 2021, up from 16,520 in 2016 (Statistics Canada)
Township growth: about 18.6% over those five years
Languages: 56.4% of Township residents can speak both English and French (2021 Census)
Average commute: 26.2 minutes in 2021 for Township residents (measured during the pandemic)
Schools with Embrun addresses: French Catholic, French public and English public
Drinking water: supplied by the City of Ottawa
Property taxes: set each year; see the Township’s tax page (linked below)

A Note on the Numbers

Every census figure in this guide covers the whole Township of Russell. That includes Embrun, the village of Russell and the rural areas.

Statistics Canada also publishes a separate figure for the Embrun population centre. I tried to confirm it on Statistics Canada’s own site and could not reach the page. So I have left it out rather than repeat a number I could not check.

What does that mean for you? Treat the Township figures as the big picture. They do not tell you exactly how Embrun differs from Russell village.

Language in Embrun, Ontario

In the 2021 Census for the Township of Russell:

10,380 residents reported English as their only mother tongue.
7,355 reported French.
835 reported a language other than English or French, and 960 reported more than one.
56.4% said they can speak both official languages. 40.0% speak English only. 3.4% speak French only.

Between 2016 and 2021, the number of English mother tongue residents grew faster than the number of French mother tongue residents. The share who speak English only rose from 36.8% to 40.0%.

So is Embrun French or English? At the Township level, it is both, with English now the larger mother tongue group. The census does not break that out for Embrun alone, so I will not guess.

One small clue from the Township itself: the Embrun library branch carries books in both languages, but most of them are in French.

Getting to Ottawa from Embrun, Ontario

What the Census Shows

The 2021 Census reported an average commute of 26.2 minutes for working residents of the Township, down from 30.3 minutes in 2016.

Read that number with care. The census was taken in May 2021, when many people worked from home. The average also mixes people who work locally with people who drive into Ottawa.

The same census found that 87.5% of commuters drove themselves, 6.7% rode as passengers, and 0.6% took public transit.

The evidence is clear. This is a driving community.

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. Do it once in winter if you can.

Transit (as of November 2026)

The Township’s own commuter bus, Russell Transpo, ended in December 2020.
The Township says a private company, 417 Bus Lines, now offers the service. I could not reach the company’s website to confirm current routes or times. Contact them directly.
The Township also points to OC Transpo route 222, which runs on weekdays from the Vars Park and Ride.
The Township is studying local transit. A report to council is expected in December 2026 or January 2027. No service has been approved.

If a bus is part of your plan, confirm the schedule before you buy, not after.

Schools in Embrun, Ontario

Embrun has schools from three of the four boards in this area. The English Catholic schools I found nearby are in the village of Russell.

Important: school boundaries do not follow street lines, and boards change them. Before you buy, contact the board and confirm which school serves the exact address.

Schools assigned to a sample Embrun address

For a home on St Tropez Street in Embrun, the MLS school report lists these designated catchment schools. Your address may differ, so always confirm with the board.

French public: ÉEP De la Rivière Castor (Pre kindergarten to Grade 6, 100 Maheu Street) and L’Académie de la Seigneurie (Pre kindergarten to Grade 6, 731 Des Pommiers Street).
English public: Cambridge Public School (Pre kindergarten to Grade 6, 2123 Route 500 West) and Russell High School (Grades 7 to 12, 982 North Russell Road).
French Catholic: ÉÉC Embrun (Pre kindergarten to Grade 6, 1045 Notre Dame Street) and ÉSC Embrun (Grades 7 to 12, 1276 St Jacques Road).
English Catholic: St. Mother Teresa Catholic School (Pre kindergarten to Grade 6, 1035 Concession Street) and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (Grades 7 to 12, 1211 South Russell Road).

Which language of instruction fits your family? That question usually decides the rest.

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

École élémentaire catholique Embrun, on two sites: Pavillon Saint Jean (1045 rue Notre Dame) and Pavillon La Croisée (1215 rue Saint Augustin)
École secondaire catholique Embrun (1276 rue Saint Jacques)

French Public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO)

École élémentaire publique De la Rivière Castor (100 rue Maheu)
I could not confirm which CEPEO secondary school serves Embrun addresses. Ask the board.

English Public: Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB)

Cambridge Public School (2123 Route 500 West, with an Embrun address). The school says it offers French Immersion and Core French from Kindergarten.
Russell High School (982 North Russell Road, in Russell)

English Catholic: Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO)

St. Mother Teresa Catholic School (1035 Concession Street, in Russell)
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School (1211 South Russell Road, in Russell)

The New Recreation Complex

This is the biggest change coming to Embrun, Ontario, so it gets its own section.

The Township is finishing a Recreation Complex at 100 Sportsplex Street, next to the Sports Dome. The Township lists:

Three ice rinks, replacing the arenas in Embrun and Russell
A 25 metre, 6 lane indoor pool and a leisure pool
A 10,000 square foot community hall that can be split into three

Here is the timing, in the Township’s own terms. As of its October 16, 2026 update, it expects occupancy of the arenas and hall on December 11, 2026, and of the pool on February 14, 2027. The Township is clear that occupancy is not the same as a public opening. Staff training, testing and approvals come first, and public opening dates have not been announced.

What does that mean for a buyer? The facility is close to done, but the pool is still months away from public use. If a pool is a deciding factor for you, look at the Township’s updates rather than a date someone quotes you.

The Township also says the future of the existing arenas and halls will be studied, with a master planning study expected in October 2027.

Parks, the Trail and Recreation

The New York Central Recreational Trail

A paved trail of about 10 km between Embrun and Russell. It starts at 901 Notre Dame Street in Embrun. It is used for walking, running, cycling and rollerblading. In winter, South Nation Conservation grooms the full length. No motorized vehicles are allowed. The trail follows a former railway corridor that the Township acquired in 1979.

The Sports Dome

On Sportsplex Street. It has a gym, an indoor turf field, a multisport court for tennis, badminton and pickleball, and a three lane walking and running track that is free to use. The dome is open from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends.

Arena and Splash Pad

Embrun Arena (Palais des sports), 6 Blais Street, with public skating several days a week and an outdoor rink at the same address.
The splash pad at Yahoo Park, 2 Marcel Street, open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., June to September, weather permitting.

The Library

The Embrun branch of the Township of Russell Public Library is currently inside the Pavillon La Croisée school building, at 1215 St Augustin Street. A new branch is under construction at 3 Lapalme Street. The library broke ground in August 2026 and expects to open in 2027.

Food, Shopping and Errands

Notre Dame Street is the main street, and most daily errands can be done there.

Embrun Co op Your Independent Grocer, 753 Notre Dame Street. A full grocery store with online order and pickup.
Notre Dame Pharmacy, 649 Notre Dame Street, Unit 104.

A few local places to eat:

Euphie d’ici Café and Smoothie Bar, at the Embrun end of the trail. Coffee, food and pastries.
Homestead Pub, 893 Notre Dame Street. Comfort food and local beer.
The Uptown Resto Bar, 968 Notre Dame Street. Indian food, dine in or take out. Closed Tuesdays.

For larger shopping trips, plan on a drive out of the village.

Events Through the Year

Embrun Christmas Parade: Saturday, November 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. It starts and ends at Embrun Catholic High School, 1276 St. Jacques Road, with a new route this year. The Township’s fire services run it, and food bank donations are collected along the way.
Embrun Christmas Market, first weekend: November 14 and 15, 2026. Check the Township’s event page for hours and location.
Embrun Christmas Market, second weekend: December 5 and 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Embrun Community Centre, 8 Blais Street. Admission is by donation to the local food bank.

The Township posts events on its website, linked below.

Water, Sewer and Growth

Embrun’s drinking water comes from the City of Ottawa. The Township says treated water is pumped through a 450 mm feeder main to the Embrun Reservoir, where it is treated again before distribution. The Township reports that the system serves about 16,484 people.

In the Township’s 2025 report, all 155 microbiological samples taken in Embrun showed no E. coli.

Sewage is the planning question. In March 2026, council put about $398,600 into its reserve for expanding the wastewater treatment plant. Staff warned that paying for the expansion through user fees alone could mean significant increases for wastewater customers.

What does that mean for you? The water supply itself looks solid on the evidence. The cost of growth on the sewer side is still being worked out, and nobody can say yet what future rates will be.

Buying a Home in Embrun, Ontario

Property Taxes

Your tax bill is shared between the Township, the United Counties and the school board you support. The Township’s 2026 rates also include a small fire protection portion. A few facts from the Township’s tax page:

Taxes are due four times a year, between the 25th and 27th of March, May, September and November.
Late payments are charged 1.25% a month.
A tax certificate costs $85 by written request.

Your actual bill depends on your MPAC assessment. Look up the current rates on the Township’s tax page (linked below) rather than relying on a number from me.

Water and Sewer Bills

Water and sewer are billed separately, every three months. For a single family home, the Township lists flat fees of $350 a year for water and $392 a year for sewer, plus $3.41 per cubic metre of water used as of January 1, 2026.

Garbage

Garbage pickup is automated. Each home uses a 120 litre black bin, and loose bags are not collected. Recycling is run by Miller Waste under Ontario’s provincial system since January 1, 2026.

What homes have actually sold for in Embrun

Here is what the MLS shows for freehold homes in Embrun that sold between August 15 and November 13, 2026. That is 26 sales.

Average sold price: about $612,000. Median sold price: $616,000.
Sold prices ran from $425,000 to $783,000.
Average of 54 days on market. Median of 36 days.
Homes sold for about 98% of their list price on average.
Detached homes were 17 of the 26 sales. Two storeys led at 18 sales, with 3 bungalows and 3 raised bungalows.

The median is the middle sale. Half of the homes sold for less and half sold for more. Three months is a short window, so treat this as a snapshot and not a forecast. If you want the numbers for a specific street or style of home, ask me.

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

What Fits and What to Weigh

What the evidence supports:

A fast growing Township. Population rose about 18.6% between 2016 and 2021.
Schools with Embrun addresses in French and in English, with French Immersion offered at the English public school.
A paved trail to Russell, a sports dome, and a large recreation complex nearly complete.
Drinking water from the City of Ottawa system.

What to weigh:

You will need a car. Transit is limited and run privately.
English Catholic and English public high schools are in Russell, not Embrun.
The new pool is not open yet, and its public opening date is not set.
Wastewater expansion is still being funded, so future sewer rates are unknown.

So here is the question. Does a growing village with good recreation, but few transit options, fit the way your household moves every day?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Embrun, Ontario its own town?

No. Embrun, Ontario is a village in the Township of Russell, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. Town Hall is in Embrun.

How many people live in Embrun, Ontario?

The 2021 Census counted 19,598 people in the whole Township of Russell, up from 16,520 in 2016. I could not confirm a separate figure for Embrun on Statistics Canada’s site, so I have not included one.

How long is the commute from Embrun, Ontario to Ottawa?

The 2021 Census average for the Township was 26.2 minutes, but it was measured during the pandemic and includes people who work locally. Drive your own route at your real hour.

Is there a bus from Embrun, Ontario to Ottawa?

As of November 2026, the Township’s own bus service no longer runs. The Township says 417 Bus Lines offers private service, and OC Transpo route 222 runs on weekdays from the Vars Park and Ride. Confirm current schedules directly.

Is Embrun, Ontario French or English?

Both. In the 2021 Census, 56.4% of Township residents could speak both languages. English was the larger mother tongue group at the Township level. Figures for Embrun alone are not available from the sources I could confirm.

What schools are in Embrun, Ontario?

École élémentaire catholique Embrun, École secondaire catholique Embrun, École élémentaire publique De la Rivière Castor, and Cambridge Public School. English high schools and English Catholic schools are in Russell. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the board.

When does the new recreation complex open?

The Township expects occupancy of the arenas and hall on December 11, 2026, and of the pool on February 14, 2027. These are not public opening dates. The Township will announce those separately.

Where does the water in Embrun, Ontario come from?

From the City of Ottawa, through a feeder main to the Embrun Reservoir, according to the Township’s 2025 drinking water report.

How much are property taxes in Embrun, Ontario?

It depends on your assessment. The Township posts each year’s rates on its tax page. Taxes are due in four instalments a year.

One question for you

Which matters more to your household right now: the drive to work, or what is within walking distance of home?

Sigounis Properties. We Know Strategy.
If you want to talk it through, reach out to me here.