Make ByWard Market safer and more diverse, businesses tell city

Business and property owners in the ByWard Market are urging the City of Ottawa to work quickly to address the issues of safety and a business “monoculture” that’s keeping people away, as it overhauls the management structure for the area. 

City staff outlined the latest revitalization effort to members of the finance and corporate services committee on Tuesday: the creation of the ByWard Market District Authority. 

The new “unifying voice” will merge the business improvement area with Ottawa Markets, said staff, and comes at a time when stakeholders are willing to “take bold steps” to address issues and ensure there’s a good mix of businesses that will attract people during the day and night.

“That’s what I think this model provides,” said Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. “If we can get everybody working together, we can start to turn the ByWard Market back into what it’s always been in our community, which is a real destination attraction, a great place to visit, a great place to live, a great place to own a business.”

The ByWard Market is Ottawa’s number one tourist destination outside of the Parliament Hill precinct and a significant economic driver, but people who live and work there say the neighbourhood has been experiencing a decline. 

“Shoplifting and aggressive panhandling and having vagrants sleeping on the sidewalk is destroying the daytime activity. Nighttime security is also an issue,” said Brian Lahey, a partner with the Properties Group, who spoke on behalf of other landowners. 

“Gangs and shootings must stop.”

© Elyse Skura/CBC Brian Lahey, who spoke on behalf of major property owners in the ByWard Market, said he supports the idea of the new organization but wants more private sector input. Safety and security a top priority

One by one, delegates from business and

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