Two years after the closure of an infamous fast-food restaurant location on Rideau Street, Ottawa’s ByWard Market will once again be home to a McDonald’s. Signs have been posted to a building at the intersection of Dalhousie Street and Rideau Street indicating that a McDonald’s is “coming soon.” A “now hiring” sign can also be seen on the building. CTV News Ottawa has not yet received a response from McDonald’s confirming that a restaurant is opening at that location however the McDonald’s website indicates that the organization is hiring for multiple positions at a 377 Dalhousie Street location. The nearest McDonald’s locations to Lower Town are on Bank Street and Elgin Street, as well as Maisonneuve Boulevard in Gatineau. McDonald’s had a location in Lowertown at 99 Rideau Street, which accrued notoriety in the capital over its forty years of operation before closing in 2023. The 99 Rideau Street McDonald’s was a popular late-night destination and became the source of frequent police calls and viral incidents, including one where a customer pulled a small raccoon from their jacket. Prior to its closure in 2023, approximately 200 people attended a march to bid the restaurant farewell. While the Rideau Street restaurant had long operated for 24 hours a day, in 2019, the Ottawa Police Chief sent a letter to McDonald’s Canada raising concerns over criminal activity and disorder at the location. Following a meeting with police, the McDonald’s reduced its hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The hours of operation for the new Dalhousie Street McDonald’s are not currently known. In 2024, the CEO of McDonald’s Canada Michele Boudria said they would be excited to open a new restaurant in the ByWard Market “when the opportunity arises.”
