Ephemeral activities and ambassadors: the plan of the new “night mayor” in Ottawa

Ottawa’s new nightlife commissioner believes fun is right here in Ottawa and it’s actually its best-kept secret.

With activities like the Escapade Festival and the Jazz Festival taking place right now in the federal capital, Mathieu Grondin believes that the city is already buzzing at night. Especially on beautiful summer weekends.

Two weeks after being appointed head of the Office of the Nightlife Commissioner (BCVN), the one also called the night mayor proposes concepts that could be introduced in Ottawa to revive its economy between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

We know, at the moment, there is a perception [négative]then you have to work on security at night.

He believes a concept like the one in Amsterdam, Netherlands, could be introduced in Ottawa.

nightwatchwhere young people –often social work students– are on the street at night, and then act both as ambassadors to direct people, tourists for example, and tell them where they can go. And they can also do social intervention, for example in cases where there may be overconsumption of alcohol.[…] They are in direct contact with the police, with the emergency services. So, it’s like front-line workers who come to liven up the night.”,”text”:”The city of Amsterdam has set up a service called nightwatch, where young people – often social work students – are on the streets at night, then act as both an ambassador to direct people, tourists for example, and tell them where they can go. And they can also provide social intervention, for example in cases where there may be overconsumption of alcohol.[…] They are in direct contact with the police, with the emergency services. So, they are like front-line workers who come to liven up the night.”}}”>The city of Amsterdam has set up a service called the nightwatch, where young people – often social work students – are on the streets at night, then act as both ambassadors to direct people, tourists for example, and tell them where they can go. And they can also provide social intervention, for example in cases where there may be overconsumption of alcohol. […] They are in direct contact with the police, with the emergency services. So, they are like front-line workers who come to liven up the night.

It also offers to organize ephemeral activities.

Closing a street, having a food offering, a bar, a stage with music from local artists. There are initiatives like that in Toronto, Montreal and I seem to be told that Ottawa lacks them.says Mr. Grondin.

He moved to Gatineau

Mathieu Grondin left the Montreal region to accept the position of Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner. And he chose to settle in Gatineau.

I had three weeks to find an apartment, so the first one I could find that wasn’t too far from downtown, and then that was affordable, was in Gatineau!

So here we are, we’ll see. And it also allowed me not to waste time changing my driving license.

This residential choice could also promote links with Gatineau and include its city center in the initiatives of the BCVN.

It’s part of the mandate in the nightlife action plan that was passed last year [par le conseil municipal d’Ottawa]to make connections with Gatineaumaintains Mr. Grondin. I might have the opportunity to speak with the new mayor, by the way.

A roadmap of action plan

The Nightlife Economic Action Plan includes eight recommendations for the entire city of Ottawa. A roadmap that was drafted well before Mathieu Grondin’s appointment.

The latter does not find it restrictive, on the contrary. The action plan is really a starting point, otherwise I would be here, and then we would wonder what to do.he says.

It demonstrates the seriousness, and then the commitment, both of the city’s various administrative services and of the entire political side as well. What amazes me when I arrive here is to what extent everyone is mobilized, everyone wants to push in the same direction, both the external partners, the administrative service and the political side. It’s really great, it’s really unique.

The plan must be implemented by the end of 2026. Mr. Grondin specifies, however, that one of the recommendations, on the creation of a new medium-sized performance venue, has already been carried out with the announcement by the National Capital Commission (NCC), earlier in June, of an agreement with Live Nation Canada for the operation of a performance and entertainment hall at 47-57 Rideau Street, in the premises of the former Chapters.

A sufficient budget to achieve your ambitions?

Le budget you BCVN is $160,000 per year, which includes the commissioner’s salary of $112,000, his social benefits and his work tools.

Basically, the work is to create policies, then to change the conditions in the framework which will allow the emergence of more nocturnal activities.explains Mathieu Grondin. So there is work to be done within the municipal administration, and that doesn’t cost anything. It just takes ideas, time, a little goodwill, and after that, we have external partners.

According to the City of Ottawa, residents and visitors spent approximately $1.5 billion on nighttime activities in 2019, which accounted for more than 20% of all spending in Ottawa.