As a newspaper, our goal is to challenge Ottawa to be an inspiring, world-class, capital city — and a great place to live for everyone. A vibrant, healthy ByWard Market is a cornerstone of that vision.
I didn’t grow up in Ottawa. The first time I stepped foot here, some 16 years ago, I was an idealistic university student from Nova Scotia, in town for a conference.
I stayed in a cell at the jail hostel. I admired the Rideau Canal. I was awed by Centre Block. But it was only when walking around the ByWard Market that I told myself: “Wow! I could live here.”
As a visitor, you know the value as soon as you see it.
It’s a walkable, lively neighbourhood in the heart of the city, bordered by iconic landmarks on almost all sides: Maman at the National Gallery of Canada, the view of Parliament Hill overlooking the Ottawa River, the historic Château Laurier and the Rideau Centre. (I also love a good mall.)
Step into the Market and you find life. Bustling crowds are perusing the wares of sidewalk vendors, and folks are sipping beverages on courtyard patios dappled in sunlight. There are live music, buskers, food from around the world, and interesting stores to check out. I could go on. It’s a great neighbourhood.
But it’s more than that. The ByWard Market is a postcard that crystallizes a national capital’s cultural identity. It’s a key component in building a strong future for this city. It brings visitors from across the country and around the world. The memories made here are a Canadian export. It inspires people to build their lives here. People like me.
A few years after that first fateful trip, I decided to leave my darling Halifax and make Ottawa my new home. And, while the ByWard Market isn’t why I chose Ottawa, it also kind of is.
Evening Update
But I can’t imagine the ByWard Market of 2025 would inspire a younger version of myself to make the same move.
Over the last decade, I’ve watched this neighbourhood slowly dim. The streets have become less comfortable to walk alone with the increase in opioid use, homelessness and high-profile violence. The buzz has been dampened by the COVID-19 pandemic, a slow exodus of public servants and the closures of longstanding businesses.
The Citizen has been following this story for years. But it’s time to make it part of our mission.
As a newspaper, our goal is to challenge Ottawa to be an inspiring, world-class, capital city — and a great place to live for everyone.
A vibrant, healthy ByWard Market is a cornerstone of that vision.
Hawk-eyed Citizen readers will know that, in December, we showcased a series of profiles of people who live and work in the market by reporter Marlo Glass. They were among our most-read stories of the month. The reader response was immense.
You told us what many Ottawans have perhaps forgotten: The ByWard Market can be a jewel of this city once again. It’s worth fighting for.
That’s why the Citizen is launching an ongoing project in 2025: Fixing ByWard.
We are digging into the historical, structural, economic and political reasons why this neighbourhood has fallen on hard times — and how its momentum can change.
Now we bring you a story from Andrew Duffy that examines how this neighbourhood came to be, how it thrived for nearly 200 years, where things went wrong and how this crucial public space might rise again.
We’re going to be covering this project on all sides over the coming months and we want to hear from you.
What are your treasured ByWard Market memories? What do you want to bring back? How do you think the Market should evolve?
Share your thoughts, and let’s fix this gem of the city together.
– Nicole Feriancek
Editor in Chief
The Ottawa Citizen
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