I am from Ottawa. This is awesome. To those who have asked, no the peace tower is not a standalone structure; it is part of the centre block building. I prefer it this way though because it allows me to work the peace tower into my city by itself.
It really did cost $1.6 billion. It ended up costing TEN TIMES the original estimate. The stadium was plagued with construction problems, and then the roof started caving in several years after construction. The stadium was built in the early 1970's, and Montreal just finished paying for it in 2006! Still, most Montrealers appreciate the unique building in their city.
Ontario also has a decent French population too. I live in a town in Ontario that is 70% French. Anywhere east of Ottawa (including eastern Ottawa) is fairly French.