Tourism experts in Ottawa optimistic about ‘night mayor’

We went direct to the source this morning and put Nightlife Commissioner Mathieu Grondin in the spotlight.

Experts and leaders in Ottawa’s tourism industry say they’re optimistic about the city’s future nightlife and are thanking nightlife commissioner Mathieu Grondin for his work so far on laying the foundation for expanding the city’s nightlife economy.

Grondin was hired in June 2024 as part of the City of Ottawa’s nightlife economy action plan.

The Finance and Corporate Services Committee received an update on the nightlife economy on Tuesday, with several public delegations from the local tourism industry speaking optimistically about the nightlife plan.

Catherine Callary, vice president of destination development at Ottawa Tourism, said she hopes residents, politicians, and media adopt a long-term outlook.

“Many cities worldwide have made great strides in cultivating this economic activity through the strategic appointment roles like night czars, night mayors, and nightlife commissioners, and other such positions,” she said.

Callary cited cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston, who have had nightlife offices for several years, and have seen growth and success in their nightlife sectors.

“Ottawa Tourism will continue to embrace the opportunities that our nightlife economy and office are presenting. Cities around the world have seen the benefit of similar offices and I’m confident that Ottawa and our nightlife commissioner are on the right path to bring Ottawa to be a competitive destination in the global nightlife economy.”

Erin Benjamin, the president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, also spoke in favour of the nightlife plan.

“As we heard, Ottawa has an ambitious downtown action plan—40,000 more people living downtown by 2034 and an essential part of that plan involves these catalytic anchors, which include an arts and culture corridor, so it makes great sense that the nightlife work is unfolding alongside the downtown action plan,” Benjamin said.

“I am here as an expert in the field to reinforce the great value of the nightlife work, to thank the commissioner and the staff at the city and the local music industry for continuing to champion and create something new.”

Benjamin said a recent study by the Canadian Live Music Association found that music tourism accounts for nearly $11 billion in contributions to Canada’s GDP, and more than 100,000 jobs nationwide.

“This is more than just a trend. Music tourism is reshaping local economies and fuelling tourism growth.”

Tara Shannon, executive director of the Ottawa Festival Network, said Grondin is already proving to be invaluable.

“What the nightlife commissioner has offered … is not just guidance, it’s legitimacy, it’s a seat at the table,” she said. “This is how cities evolve, not just through massive capital projects, but through the slow, steady cultivation of people and ideas, through small, but strategic investments that say to creators and organizers, ‘We see you; we need you, let’s build this city together.‘”

Shannon said Grondin is helping people navigate city systems and streamline city processes.

Night Mayor job ‘not as sexy’ as people think

Grondin says he feels the excitement from Ottawa residents who want a good nightlife, but his work as the highly publicized “night mayor” is not as sexy as people might have thought.

He says the position is not unusual but is a new idea in Canada.

“We’re just playing catch-up here. There’s over 40 cities around the world, like smaller cities like Pittsburgh, Boston, Raleigh, North Carolina, that have created these positions. San Francisco has had one since 2013,” Grondin told CTV Morning Live. “I understand that people want some quick wins, but this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t turn the city around in six months.”

Grondin’s role has drawn scrutiny and criticism for an apparent lack of public appearances and immediate results. He says his role is more bureaucratic than political.

“People think that I was going to organize press conferences every second week and cut red ribbons. I leave that to the politicians. I’m a city employee. My job is far less sexy than that,” he said. “It’s to look at bylaws and zoning and make sure that the framework conditions are right to allow nightlife to grow and expand.”

On the books right now, Grondin says a branded website that aims to promote the city’s nightlife economy and direct people to influences, venues, and businesses that meet their interests will be launched by the summer.

“People feel we need to amplify communication around nightlife activities. People always say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know this happened; it was last weekend,’ so, we’re going to try and amplify communication around this,” he said. “So, we’re going to create a website for the nightlife office where you will be able to find a listing of listings and a map of different venues throughout the city. So, if you like hip-hop, follow these influencers, these pages. If you like rock, fancy cocktails, et cetera, et cetera.”

The nightlife office is also organizing a two-day Canada After Dark forum.

“We’re going to bring in industry leaders, city officials, and subject matter experts from all over Canada to Ottawa to share best practices and learn from each other,” he said.

This event is scheduled to take place during Capital Music Week, May 20 to 25.

Grondin said he wants Ottawa to be known as a nightlife destination not just for local residents but also tourists.

“There’s room for growth and there’s room for a rebrand of the city. Positioning Ottawa as a destination where you can come and enjoy nightlife if you’re from Toronto or Montreal is part of the goal,” he said. “Is that going to happen overnight, within six months? Obviously not. It takes time to make these changes to the bylaws and the zoning so it becomes sexier for entrepreneurs to open these new businesses and start these new projects. We’re going to see that over the next few months and years.”

Nightlife safety plan

Grondin says Ottawa is facing several challenges that are affecting people’s perception of the city and of the city’s nightlife, and these challenges are bigger than his office.

“Right now, we have a homelessness crisis, we have a public health crisis, and we have three levels of government and multiple agencies trying to fix this situation. It’s a lot to ask for one guy to handle that, but, of course, I am speaking with all these stakeholders who are trying to address this problem,” Grondin said.

He expects a nightlife safety plan to be ready to roll out in time for the back-to-school season this fall.

A report prepared for the Finance and Corporate Services Committee says one important element of the safety plan will be the availability of “online and in-person training tools, workshops and resources to prevent substance abuse and workplace violence and harassment,” with the goal of ensuring everyone, regardless of age, cultural background, gender or sexual orientation, can enjoy a positive nightlife experience.

“We want to make sure that people who participate in nightlife feel safe on their way to the venue, inside the venue, and on the way back,” Grondin said.