ByWard Market BIA dissolving as businesses and city seek 'single voice'

The ByWard Market BIA is set to dissolve later this year, as the city of Ottawa and businesses look to have a "single voice" speak for the area, while also streamlining programming and operations in the popular tourist area.

Plans for the proposed new municipal services corporation structure were presented to the business improvement area's members during the ByWard Market BIA general meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

The new structure comes out of a working group comprising of the city of Ottawa, ByWard Market BIA and the Ottawa Markets looking at a new governance model and eliminating the "current multi-jurisdictional approach."

Staff told businesses the new district model would align area operations, marketing, programming and advocacy under a single entity for the ByWard Market. It would replace the current BIA and Ottawa Markets, which look after the current operations in the market area.

"Speaking with a single voice on ByWard Market matters creates opportunity for really meaningful advocacy on public realm plan implementation and solutions on safety and security and other issues in the area," Cindy VanBuskirk of the city of Ottawa told BIA members.

VanBuskirk says the advantages for the new district model include "a single decision-making table on advocacy….priorities" and the ability of the municipality to provide new revenue generating opportunities in the ByWard Market.

Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stephanie Plante, whose riding includes the ByWard Market, says the corporation is a "great idea" for the ByWard Market to move forward.

"The market kind of wants to speak with one united voice to the city, and this is one of the ways they can do it," Plante said Wednesday evening.

"And they also want to partner a bit more with a lot of more market type districts across the province and I think this will give them the leverage to do so."

Plante notes there are other municipal corporations in Ottawa, including Ottawa Community Housing.

"This is just a new chapter for the ByWard Market. They're going to be able to set their own parameters."

The city of Ottawa launched the "ByWard Market Alignment Initiative' to create a ByWard Market that meets the "expectations and interests of businesses, residents and visitors."

"The current multi-layered jurisdictional structure with shared responsibility over area management, programming and operations is not effective," the presentation said.

It added, the Strategic Alignment Initiative is a "streamlined governance and administration model will clarify roles, promote the development of new programming and events, support operational enhancements and foster opportunities for collaboration and advocacy."

When the ByWard Market BIA is dissolved, it will be replaced with a board that will form the nucleus of the municipal services corporation for the ByWard Market. A business advisory committee will report to the municipal services corporation.

A city committee will debate the proposed plan to dissolve the ByWard Market BIA and create a new municipal services corporation board in June. Council must approve any changes to the ByWard Market BIA.

The ByWard Market BIA will not collect business levies in 2023 while work proceeds to dissolve the BIA.