Boundaries
Russell: Route 200 on the north, Heritage Road on the south, Hamilton Road on the west, Eddie Road on the east.
Embrun: Route 300 on the north, Route 400 on the south, St. Guillaume Road on the west, St. Thomas Road on the east.
History
What is now Russell Township, which includes both Russell and Embrun, was defined by the Parliament of Upper Canada in 1792. Settlement was slow; Embrun was founded around 1845, and five years later, there were just 64 people in the whole township. Both communities began to boom in 1898, when the Ottawa and New York Railway Company built stations in each one. The first half of the 20th century brought challenges: in 1915, a fire destroyed 25 of Russell’s buildings, and in 1957, the rail line shut down. However, the opening of Highway 417 in the 1970s made commuting to Ottawa easier, and the township’s population has been rising steadily.
Russell is primarily anglophone, while Embrun is predominantly francophone. Both towns are in rural settings.
Claim to fame
In 2018, MoneySense magazine named Russell Township as one of the best communities in Canada to live and raise a family.
Who’s building where
- Embrun Central: eQ Homes
- Embrun Station: Corvinelli Homes
- Russell Trails: Tartan Homes, Corvinelli Homes
- Place St. Thomas, Embrun: Valecraft Homes, Saca Homes
- Russell Ridge Estates: Guildcrest Homes, Park View Homes
In the area
In Russell, older homes — as well as new developments such as Russell Trails — make the town’s real estate market an active one. Embrun is also a mix of older homes and new developments, including Place St. Thomas. Both towns are within easy driving distance of downtown Ottawa and offer a mix of local and larger retailers and services. Attractions include:
- New York Central Fitness Trail
- Russell Sports Dome
- Popsilos
- Nautica Equestrian Centre
- W.E. Burton Conservation Area
- Henry Tweed Conservation Area
- St-Albert Conservation Area
- Calypso Theme Waterpark
Schools
There is a full range of English and French public and Catholic schools, with the exception of a French public high school:
- English public: Upper Canada District School Board
- English Catholic: Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
- French public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario
- French Catholic: Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est
There is also a campus of the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education.
Businesses
Russell–Embrun is primarily residential. Local retailers, services and schools offer employment, and there’s a small industrial park. Many residents commute to Ottawa for work. Businesses include:
- Gym Express
- Piché Fruits et Legumes
- Etienne Brulé Brewery
- Embrun Home Hardware Building Centre
- M&M Food Market
- Sandee’s Restaurant
- Jean Coutu Pharmacy
- Loiselle Sports
- Wiggles N Giggles
- Dollarama
- Boston Pizza
- Rona La Coop Agricole d’Embrun
- Tuque de Broue Brewery
- Embrun Your Independent Grocer
- Shoppers Drug Mart
- Beer Store
- Tim Hortons
- Laplante Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM
- VéloXpress
- Giant Tiger
- Embrun Ford Sales
- Subway
- Quilters Barn and Gifts
- Village Paws
- Barry’s Home Hardware
- Foodland Russell
- LCBO
Amenities
They include:
- Embrun Arena (Palais des Sports)
- Russell Arena
- Russell Fairgrounds
- Embrun Boat Launch
- Russell Boat Launch
- Embrun Community Centre (includes a bowling hall)
- Township of Russell Public Library (Embrun and Russell branches)
- La Maison des Arts
- Russell Centennial Pool
Services
Services in Russell–Embrun include medical offices, churches, salons, banks, credit unions, gas stations, a Service Ontario office, a veterinary hospital, a dog park, retirement homes and daycare centres.
Transit options
In partnership with OC Transpo, 417 Bus Line Ltd. provides weekday commuter service between Russell and Embrun and Ottawa–Gatineau, although the service has been suspended during COVID.