Ottawa night mayor recruiting nightlife councillors

The City of Ottawa says it is recruiting a “nightlife council” to aid the city’s recently appointed nightlife commissioner.

In June, the city appointed Mathieu Grondin to the nightlife commissioner role, as part of the Ottawa Nightlife Economy Action Plan that’s focusing on leisure, live entertainment and cultural activities during the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. period.

In a memo to city council on Monday, Economic Development Services interim director Sheilagh Doherty said the Ottawa Nightlife Council is the next step in the Nightlife Economy Action Plan.

“As a department-led working group, the Nightlife Council will provide feedback on the commercial and cultural vibrancy of Ottawa’s nightlife economy and the advancement of nightlife management best practices, policies, safety programs, and promotion,” the memo says.

Doherty says the nightlife council will consist of between 12 and 18 members. Nightlife council members are volunteers and receive no remuneration. The nightlife commissioner’s salary is $112,000 a year.

“Six seats will be allocated to economic development and cultural industries organizations engaged in the nightlife economy. The remaining Nightlife Council at-large members (minimum 6 seats to a maximum 12 seats) will be appointed by the Nightlife Commissioner for a two-year term. At-large members must be engaged in/interact with the nightlife economy as a resident, business owner, or worker,” Doherty said.

People interested in becoming a nightlife councillor-at-large can now apply. The City says at-large members may be “nightlife business owners, workers, or consumers of nightlife experiences.” Applications are open until Oct. 11.

“If you do not participate in Ottawa’s nightlife economy, please do not apply to the Nightlife Council,” the City’s website says.

Nightlife council at-large members will be expected to attend a minimum of four in-person meetings per year.

The nightlife council will:

• identify shared objectives for the development of commercial and cultural vibrancy at night;
• identify systemic barriers to commercial and cultural growth;
• propose actions and initiatives for consideration by the NLCO (nightlife commissioner office); and
• support the implementation of actions and initiatives undertaken by the NLCO and contribute to ongoing evaluation and impact measurement.

Grondin, who came to Ottawa from Montreal, said he would spend the summer meeting with stakeholders in Ottawa’s nightlife economy, with plans to appoint the nightlife council by the end of the year.