ByWard Market area could get new leadership and a new tax

The creation of anentity to manage Ottawa's ByWard Market anda possible area-specific taxare part of the latest strategy to revitalize one of the city's foremost tourist attractions, according to a city presentation leaked to Radio-Canada.

The City of Ottawa's planning, real estate and economic development department has come up withseveral recommendations they will presentto the finance committee on June 6.

Those include dissolving theByWard Market BIA and the existingarm's-length municipalcorporation overseeing the area, Ottawa Markets, in favour of creating a new municipal corporation calledthe ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA).

Therecommendations would require approval from committee members, then from city council at a later meeting.

Ottawa Markets took over the management of the ByWard and Parkdale marketsin 2018. The corporationfocused primarily on the promotion of local produce, goods and services that "meet the needs of local and city-wide residents and tourists alike," according to its website.

However, the latest recommendations fromcity staffwould see the corporation's board members resign and awhole newgovernance structure approved under the leadership ofthree new board members.

Many of the details of the agreement between the BDMA and the cityare still to be worked out by departmentgeneral manager Don Herweyer, but the presentation said staff envision the new authority to be "the custodian of the vision, economic prosperity, and vibrancy" of the market.

• Committee approves $129M revitalization plan for ByWard Market

Its mandate would include maintaining the area,"enhancing the resident and visitor experience," and supporting property and business interests in the ByWardand Parkdale markets.

Staff suggest the corporation be in place by the end of 2023and receive $200,000 to cover transition costs.

"It's a great decision," said Marc Chnier, the general director of a business and French advocacy group in the National Capital Region.

"[It's] what's necessary to be able to centralize the decision-making process."

Special levy for ByWard area

The exploration of a "special area levy" is one of the more notable recommendations in the report, meant to help fundthe new governance structure.

The city has applied a special tax for property owners in specific parts of the city before.

Homeowners in KanataNorth have voted in the past to pay extra on their property bills for treatments that reduce themosquito population, while others have paid for local facilities such as the Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink in Elmvale Acres.

The cost for property taxpayers and businesses isn't known yet. Still, the idea has vendor Jonathan McAdamworrying about less revenue. Vendor Darwin Radke said he realizes taxes are part of running a business.

Then there's the long-discussed reconfiguration of the historical market district.

City council approved a new $129 million plan in 2021 that wouldrevitalizeareas such as WilliamStreet and the ByWard Market Square, createa plaza on York Street and redevelop the city parking garage at70 Clarence St.

Staff's updatenext month is also expected to touchon those projects.

A one-time $100,000 payment ofcapital funding would also go to enhancing the Parkdale Market in celebration of its 100th anniversary next year, according to the presentation.