A new public art installation on Sparks Street is showcasing Canada’s landscapes through 13 ground murals representing the country’s provinces and territories.

The Canadiana Block was unveiled on Sparks Street between Kent Street and Lyon Street in Ottawa, just ahead of Canada Day. The installation features sweeping landscape artworks painted along concrete sections measuring approximately 1.98 m x 5.7 m (6.5 ft x 19 ft) each, creating a walkable display of Canadian scenery.

Titled Coast to Coast to Coast, artists Dan Bergeron and Gabriel Specter created the murals. They depict landscapes from all 10 provinces and three territories, including mountains, forests, waterways, wildlife, and coastal scenes. The artists painted the murals throughout June while pedestrians continued to access businesses along Sparks Street and observe the work in progress.

The City of Ottawa partnered with the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) to select the project following a Canada-wide expression of interest issued last fall. A jury reviewed 28 submissions before awarding the commission to Bergeron and Specter.

A walkable portrait

The Canadiana Block is part of the City of Ottawa’s public space initiatives, which aim to introduce temporary installations and public art projects that encourage people to gather and interact with downtown areas.

Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that works with cities on public realm and road safety improvements, supported the project. Janette Sadik-Khan, principal at Bloomberg Associates, said of the project, “These murals create a walkable portrait of the nation, province by province, territory by territory, and show how a single block can reflect the identity and shared life of a country.”

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the installation creates a new public experience in the downtown core, adding, “As we mark Ottawa 200 and celebrate Canada Day, it is fitting to see this open-air gallery steps from Parliament Hill.”

The Canadiana Block will remain on Sparks Street until the end of August 2027.

Check out the completed murals on the City of Ottawa Instagram page.