Paid evening parking in ByWard Market, ‘bubble bylaw’: Here’s what happened at Ottawa City Council

The sign outside City Hall in Ottawa (CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with developing a “bubble bylaw,” and will charge motorists for evening parking in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe.

Here is a look at what was approved during Wednesday’s council meeting.

Evening paid parking in the ByWard Market, Little Italy

Drivers will need to pay for on-street paid parking during the evenings in the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe, despite a last minute push to hit the brakes on paid evening parking in the market area.

Council approved a plan to extend paid parking at on-street parking spots in busy areas until 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Under the plan, on-street paid parking hours will be extended to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday in the ByWard Market and Little Italy South, and to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday in parts of the Glebe. The changes will be rolled out on Sept. 2.

• Motorists will have to pay to park on Ottawa streets till 7:30 p.m. in ByWard Market and Little Italy

Councillor Riley Brockington, seconded by coun. Stephanie Plante, introduced a motion to exclude the ByWard Market area from a plan to charge motorists for parking between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

“Do you believe the ByWard Market needs special treatment? I think the answer is yes,” Brockington told council.

“We are putting in the necessary time, effort and energy to rebuild our market, a cherished destination within our city. What I’m suggesting is increasing times where we demand the public pay for parking, this is not the time to do it. Let’s rebuild the market first, can revisit it, but this is not the time.”

Brockington’s motion was defeated 21 to 2.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he respects where the idea of Brockington’s motion is coming from but couldn’t support it.

“If you look at strong and vibrant neighborhoods throughout North America, many of them have metered parking throughout the evening, throughout the weekends and those neighbourhoods and those business districts are thriving and successful,” Sutcliffe said.

“Introducing longer hours for paid parking in any area of the city is not necessarily going to be the make it or break it thing for that area of the city.”

‘Bubble Bylaw’

Council has directed staff to draft a new “bubble bylaw,” to prohibit protests and demonstrations within 80 metres of places of worship, schools and hospitals.  

Councillors voted 21 to 3 to proceed with a “Vulnerable Social Infrastructure” Bylaw. Councillors Jessica Bradley, Sean Devine, and Shawn Menard voted against the motion.

“What this motion in front of city council is doing is stifling dissent. It’s clamping down on peaceful demonstrations it might disagree with,” Menard said Wednesday morning.

• Review of Ottawa’s rideshare bylaw would be delayed by work on ‘bubble zone’ bylaw: memo

Under the plan, staff will have nine months to draft a proposed bylaw for councillors to vote on.

“This is not an easy issue, and I appreciate the rights and values that, to some extent, are being pitted against each other,” Sutcliffe said during the council meeting.

“But I actually think this is a great example of how democracy can and should work. The solution before us is balanced and thoughtful, it is careful and precise, it is principled and prudent. It aligns with what’s happening in other communities and at other levels of government. It responds to the legitimate concerns and worries of many of our residents.”

• City of Ottawa committee votes to draft ‘bubble zone’ bylaw for protests and demonstrations

The motion wants the “Vulnerable Social Infrastructure” Bylaw to incorporate the following:

• Prohibition of demonstrations near vulnerable social infrastructure: “The bylaw shall prohibit demonstrations within a defined distance of vulnerable social infrastructure,” the motion states. Places may include, but not limited to, places of worship, schools, hospitals, and long-term care and congregate care facilities.
• Time-limited protective zones: The motion recommends staff establish “time-limited protective zones that are only active during operational hours or specific high-risk periods.” The motion adds the proposed bylaw, “shall be narrowly tailed to minimize any infringement on Charter-protected rights and freedoms.”
• Protective distance: The motion directs staff to assess and recommend “an appropriate protective distance of up to 80 metres around vulnerable social infrastructure.” It also proposes considering “other means of protecting safe access” such as allowing staff or other officials to erect barricades or close highways.
• Targeted application: The motion recommends including provisions in the bylaw to ensure “protective zones do not apply to demonstrations that are not specifically directed at the protected vulnerable social infrastructure.”
• Labour/internal exemption: The motion recommends the bylaw “explicitly exempts lawful labour union protests, strikes, pickets, or any other activities undertaken as part of a labour dispute or negotiation.”
• Scope of government-owned infrastructure: The motion recommends the bylaw exclude embassies, Ottawa City Hall and Parliament of Canada buildings. “The bylaw shall apply to government-owned property only where the primary function of the building or facility is to provide medical care, education, or long-term care or congregate care services,” the motion said.

New rules for festivals, events, demonstrations

The City of Ottawa is moving ahead with new rules for festivals and events, as it looks to shake the image as the town that fun forgot.

• Ottawa committee approves new rules for festivals, events and demonstrations

Council approved a new Special Events Bylaw and a Highway Events Bylaw, which will regulate events indoors, outdoors and on roadways.

The new rules provide flexibility for noise exemptions beyond 11 p.m. when events are impacted by “unforeseen factors” like severe weather, cut the red tape for bars and restaurants and venues to host after-hours events between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Under the new bylaw, licensed food trucks or mobile vendors would not need additional permits to participate in a block party or street festival.