Ottawa police says a bear that roamed one of downtown Ottawa's busiest neighbourhoods on Thursday morning is on its way out of the city.

Const. Amy Gagnon says the bear was first reported in the ByWard Market shortly before 3:30 a.m.

Police established a perimeter around the animal and shut down a block of the market as conservation officers tried to tranquilize it.

Gagnon says they succeeded shortly after 9 a.m. and the bear will soon be taken out of the city.

She says no one has been injured and the bear appears to be in good health.

Gagnon says police do not know where the bear came from, adding conservation authorities will make that determination as part of their investigation.