Ottawa is receiving a $20-million investment to revitalize downtown as part of the province’s Ontario-Ottawa New Deal, the Ontario government announced Wednesday.
With this round of funding, Ottawa’s downtown core, including the ByWard Market, are receiving investment, including in areas like safety, street upgrades and signage, to attract residents and tourists and boost economic growth.
The initiatives include:
- $1.05 million over three years for community safety initiatives by the Somerset West Community Health Centre that support people experiencing homelessness, substance use of mental health challenges and provide job-skills training.
- $11.8 million over three years to turn William Street into a permanent pedestrian-only street and “enhance” the ByWard Market
- This includes making the Market Square into a seasonal street that is pedestrian-only in the summer
- Completion is expected by fall 2026, in time for the Market’s 200th anniversary
- $3.85 million over three years to improve signage and other street-specific upgrades
- $1.5 million for Invest Ottawa
- This will go towards attracting new investment from international and local companies
- $1.35 million over three years for marketing and promotion to attract residents, visitors and businesses
- This will also fund the creation of a culture and entertainment district, which would launch in 2026
- $450,000 for a new Downtown Vibrancy Office managed by the Ottawa Board of Trade
In a news release, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the investment will “enhance the safety, vibrancy and economic growth of our downtown core.”
“Through our New Deal, our government is taking action to ensure Ottawa is a premier destination for tourism and a safe, vibrant place for those who call it home,” Peter Bethlenfalvy, minister of finance, said in the release. “Through our investments and partnership with the city, we’re making our national capital safer and helping attract visitors, jobs and investment for the long term.”
The announcement comes as the next step in the Ontario-Ottawa New Deal, which was announced earlier this year and commits $543 million to Ottawa
During a visit to Ottawa in November, Premier Doug Ford shared that his government is also pledging over $80 million in new funding to improve public safety on transit and address the increased number of asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness in Ottawa.
