By Zachary Dayler
Executive Director, M’arches d’Ottawa Markets
What is in a market? When we think of our Ottawa Markets, visions of farmers, carriages, or packed parkades come to mind. What about a market after a global pandemic?
In 2017 the City of Ottawa created a Not-for-Profit, Marches d’Ottawa Markets. The corporation is charged with reviving our beloved public markets program in ByWard and Wellington West (Parkdale). The rebuild also falls in line with a larger plan for the ByWard area. The recently approved Public Realm Plan sets a $130 million vision and direction for rebuilding public space, intending to create a destination and space where residents and visitors can experience Canada’s best and the best of our City, curated in a pedestrian-focused area.
Change is never easy, and Ottawa Markets is endeavouring to do things differently. We must. The team at Ottawa Markets is focused on creating new economic opportunities. For the first time in some years, applications have reopened, and the recruitment process has seen over 100 new applications.
We also implemented a Farmers’ First policy, launched a Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Colour (BIPOC) Initiative, and are excited to launch the York Street Farmers’ market on Saturdays along York Street. This is just the beginning, and we are confident these efforts will help grow back our markets program.
We are also committed to building a home for new farmers. Our markets need to be a place to grow and educate residents and visitors on the importance of supporting small and medium-sized agriculture. New ByWard farm vendors like Rutabaga Farms, Vintage Soil, Russel Farms will be helping with this effort.
The renewed focus on local and regional product will come with a bit of a different experience. You won’t see products on the market the way you once did; while you will still be able to get fresh produce in the area 7 days a week, we have tightened up the rules, allowing only regional and Canadian products sold.
These measures will limit the reselling that has evolved over the years. Instead, the market will have something different and exciting with the seasons – or if we are outside a particular season, you can have confidence that the product came from a Canadian grower.
We are at the very start of an exciting new chapter for our outdoor markets. Ottawa Markets believes that it is essential to cultivate new commercial opportunities for the next generation of farmer and producer as we regrow a seven-day-a-week experience.
We also believe that work has to be done to better educate the public on farming, food security, and healthy seasonal options. We have become very immediate in our shopping behaviours. We hope the Ottawa Markets program will provide a much-needed opportunity in our City to reconnect with valuable public space while also becoming educated about what is on our plate or in our cupboards.
How do we make this work? We need you. We need Ottawa residents to listen and follow COVID protocols while relearning how to get back out there safely. This summer, we encourage you to take a walk through ByWard or Parkdale Market. Get re-acquainted with the local butcher or grocer, the farmer, or the crafter. – – But do keep coming back.
Build shopping locally, whether in ByWard, Wellington West or one of the other unique neighbourhoods across this City, into your routine. Together we have an opportunity to reshape this City and what it means to support local shops and producers.
Simply, make a point to put a piece of the region on your plate every night or week this year. The regrowth won’t happen overnight, but as we head to the 200th anniversary of the ByWard Market in 2027 and the 100th of Parkdale in 2025, let’s focus on building these markets back up for another 200 years!