fromOttawa re-ranks every list every 90 days from a fresh pull of public Google Maps ratings and review counts. The first and latest pull was 2026-10-29, which published 68 lists with 6,782 ranked places. No re-rank has happened yet, so there are no moves to report. The next update is due 2027-01-27. Every pull and every formula or category change is logged here, newest first.
Latest pull: 2026-10-29
The first Google Maps pull for fromOttawa ran on 2026-10-29. It covers all 68 published lists, and every list carries that date as its data date. Together the lists rank 6,782 places in Ottawa and Gatineau.
The pull drew on a store of 31,718 place records built from 388,383 observations. The largest lists are restaurants (1,171 places), parks (537), auto repair (504) and hair salons (498). The smallest are hardware stores (7), ramen (8), donuts (9), vegan restaurants (10), and buffets, steakhouses and Turkish restaurants (12 each). Browse them all from the main list index.
Checked, no changes yet
This is a first pull, not a re-rank. There is only one dated snapshot, so there are no rank moves, no places new to a list, no places that left a list and no flagged review changes to report. Those parts of this log start with the second pull.
Formula and category changes
The formula in use is the first one logged. No earlier formula and no category change are on record. Each place gets Score = (v/(v+m)) x R + (m/(v+m)) x C. R is the Google rating, v is the review count, m is the category's median review count clamped between 20 and 200, and C is the average rating of qualifying places in that category. In this pull m was 200 on 34 of the 68 lists, 30 of them food lists, 54 for hair salons, 46 for parks and 30 for electricians.
Each score is shown with a confidence figure, v/(v+m). Ties go to more reviews, then the higher rating, then A to Z. Social media talk, badges and editor notes never move a rank. The full method is on the methodology page. Any future formula or category change will be logged here with its date.
Who qualifies, and who was left out
A place qualifies if it is in the list's Google category, has at least 10 reviews, is open and sits inside the Ottawa-area scope. Branches of one business collapse into one row. A temporarily closed place stays on the page greyed out and unranked for up to 90 days. A list needs at least 5 places to stand alone; smaller groups fold into their parent section.
We exclude chains with 10 or more locations in Canada, bars, wine bars, breweries, liquor stores, casinos and any other alcohol or gambling venue, and permanently closed places. Exclusion reasons logged in this pull are counted per list, and one record can carry more than one reason, so these are not counts of unique places: outside list scope 43,421; chain with 10+ locations 11,388; under 10 reviews 5,601; invalid rating or reviews 4,263; invalid identity 2,832; named venue 2,145; alcohol 1,568; excluded category 812; branch collapsed 500; chain review pending 422; gambling 25; closed 13.
Two businesses are connected to the owner. UpWhiten is ranked like everyone else and marked on its row. HUSH faces the same rules, including the 10-review floor. Neither ever gets a badge. Neither appears as a ranked row in this pull.
Why a place can drop between pulls
Some drops start on Google. Google says reviews removed for policy violations won't be restored, that new reviews are checked and this can take a few days, and that after two profiles merge it can take a few days for reviews from both to show on Search and Maps.
Other drops come from the formula alone, with no lost reviews. We recompute m and C on every pull, and rivals keep gaining reviews, so a place with a steady rating can slip. If you think a row is wrong, send it to corrections with the place name and list.
Update calendar
Lists refresh every 90 days. The next pull is due 2027-01-27 for all 68 lists. When it runs, this page will add a dated entry at the top with rank moves, additions, removals, closures and any chain rulings.
fromOttawa has no annual award and no winners announcement. The lists are the rankings, and they change only on a pull. The underlying numbers are on the data page, and media or business questions go through contact.
Questions and answers
How often does fromOttawa update its rankings?
Every 90 days. Each update is a fresh pull of public Google Maps ratings and review counts, scored with the published formula.
When is the next fromOttawa update?
The next pull is due 2027-01-27. The first and latest pull was 2026-10-29.
Why did a business drop in the rankings?
Either its Google reviews changed (Google does not restore reviews removed for policy violations, and new reviews can take a few days to appear) or the formula moved around it: m and C are recomputed each pull and other places gain reviews. Social talk, badges and editor notes never move a rank.
Does fromOttawa have an annual Best of Ottawa award?
No. There is no award program. The ranked lists, refreshed every 90 days, are the only rankings we publish.
Can a business pay to move up or get a badge?
No. Rank comes only from the formula on public Google data. There are no paid badges, and the owner-connected businesses UpWhiten and HUSH never get one.