Residents, business owners voice ByWard Market safety concerns to committee members

A plan to revitalize the ByWard Market went before committee at city hall this week, and while the main issues for consideration include a new area specific tax and a new municipal corporation to run the market, a different topic stole the spotlight.

The ‘ByWard Market Strategic Alignment Initiative and Public Realm Plan Update’ was before the Finance and Corporate Services Committee on Tuesday. The staff report, which makes several recommendations to spruce up the market, was passed by committee and will next go to council for final approval.

The plan includes the creation of the ‘ByWard Market District Authority’ and a new tax described as a ‘special area levy to support the mandate of the new authority.’

That said, citizens who showed up to have their say before committee members had another concern on their mind — public safety and the concentration of agencies involved in social welfare.

Brian Lang is with a company called ‘The Properties Group,’ which owns a number of properties in the ByWard Market. Speaking on behalf of the group Lang said he is in favour of a new market authority as long as their number one priority is safety.

“Shoplifting and aggressive panhandling and having vagrants sleeping on the sidewalk is destroying the daytime activity,” Lang said. “Nighttime security is also an issue. Gangs and shootings must stop. We as a group need to work with the board and others to achieve security in the market. Without a return to normality on security issues, our market is severely threatened. Restaurants and bars may survive, but retailers and the character of our market will slowly disappear.

That sentiment was echoed by business owners who also showed up to voice their concerns over safety and security — and the ongoing issue of public disorder in the ByWard Market.

Well known local chef Steve Beckta, owner of several Ottawa restaurants including, ‘Play Food and Wine’ on York Street told the committee the only way to restore the ByWard Market to its former glory is by making safety a top priority.

“If people don’t feel safe they won’t visit — plain and simple,” Beckta said. “I applauded our new mayor’s campaign promise to locate a police detachment in the heart of the ByWard Market and hope that it comes to fruition soon. While a larger community police will help, much more social service supports also need to be focused on this ward, where much of Ottawa’s homeless challenges and mental health issues reside.”

However, not everyone wants to see more police in the market.

Kitchissippi ward councillor Jeff Leiper wants to find ways to deal with the current issues in the area without adding an increased police presence.

“I like the notion of peers working in that space, non-police response to security challenges and recognizing that the ByWard Market is home for the unhoused,” Leiper said. “What can we do to ensure that we have a non-police response to social services moving forward?”

Chris Tuck, Ottawa’s director of employment and social services, also addressed committee members, saying a plan for public safety in the market is a work in progress.

“There will be a council report at the end of June with regard to the community and safety well-being plan update, so that will have more information on progress to date, the priorities and next steps.”