Hi
@gearheadDigest
I live in Ottawa. I picked up a LR AWD in September 2018 and have run 38,000 km. I've driven through 2 winters here. I've also done several road trips, one to Florida, and another to Mexico > California > home (12,500 km).
There are pros and cons to either option of course, but I'd recommend the AWD / LR for our weather - both to avoid not being able to get up hills, and for range in very cold weather. I'm driving from Ottawa to Montreal many weekends right now, and I'd say you will not be able to reliably drive that 2+ hours in less than a LR in cold weather. I planned to buy AWD SR originally, but they never released it. I bought LR because I needed AWD to get into our cottage in the Gatineau Hills - no 2WD will get up our hills. I don't regret it! If you plan on occasional road trips, you'll appreciate being able to drive 3.5 hours at a stretch (stopping once or twice per day) vs. 2.5 hours at a stretch (and stopping up to four times per trip).
My $0.02 worth based on experience.