Free parking, transit on the table to support ByWard Market during pandemic: Councillor

Future Of The Byward Market Councillor Mathieu Fleury joins us with more on the push to get more people to visit the Byward Market and its many businesses.

OTTAWA — An Ottawa Councillor says all options are on the table to support bars, restaurants and businesses in the ByWard Market during the COVID-19 pandemic, including free parking and transit to attract customers.

Bars and restaurants are allowed to reopen patios on Friday, while malls and salons are allowed to open for in-person shopping.

Speaking on CTV Morning Live Thursday morning, Rideau-Vanier Councillor Mathieu Fleury said the BIA, Ottawa Markets and city staff are exploring street closures in the ByWard Market area to support businesses.

“William Street, ByWard Street, a section of York Street on the north side and a section of Clarence Street are proposed by the city to be closed,” said Fleury.

“We received a request from the BIA a number of weeks ago and now the BIA, Ottawa Markets and the city are working with the business owners, individually, to see how that can be done.”

Fleury says the road closures will not be in place when patios can reopen on Friday.

CTV Morning Live host Leslie Roberts suggested to Fleury that free parking in the ByWard Market would help support businesses.

“We have to look at all options, and right now we’re really focused on supporting reopening, but that may not be enough,” said Fleury.

“We might need to look at other measures and free transit on weekends or evenings or measures like free parking for periods – those are all things that are on the table and that the recovery team at the city are looking at.”