ByWard Market management corporation off to rocky start

It's been a rocky first few months for the municipal corporation formed to manage Ottawa's ByWard Market, with several resignations, funding challenges and city regulations characterized as "stifling."

Ottawa Markets was formed to take over management of the city-owned ByWard and Parkdale markets, but the workload has proven to be more than many board members bargained for, councillors heard Wednesday at the organization's inaugural annual meeting.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it: competition continues to erode our market share.- Peter Hume, chair, Ottawa Markets

Four people resigned from their jobs as volunteer directors, said Peter Hume, former city councillor and current chair of the Ottawa Markets board. He said the jobs require a lot more work than a typical board appointment, since the directors are essentially running a new startup business.

Dennis Jackson, Ian Fraser and Kathleen MacMillan left their unpaid posts. A fourth volunteer resigned before being officially added to the roster.

Two of the vacancies have been filled, but the municipal corporation is still looking for two more directors.

"The people coming forward will understand there's more than a workload of being on a governance board," Hume said.

Markets need money 

Hume told councillors Ottawa Markets is facing some other major issues in the next few years.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it: competition continues to erode our market share," he said.

The corporation has plans to improve the ByWard Market, but it will require some help from city council.

The cost of maintaining the Market's assets are about $2.5 million over the next three years, and the corporation can't cover those costs.

The group will be asking for funds to improve infrastructure such as a new accessible public washroom once a new council is elected in October.

The current washrooms are up a long flight of stairs and not accessible for people with strollers or wheelchairs. The maintenance and security costs for the washrooms are expensive as well. 

'Stifling' regulations

Ottawa Markets also wants council to fast-track some regulatory changes to help attract new tenants.

"Current regulations are stifling," said Hume, a former chair of the city's planning committee, which oversees such matters.

The historic building in the heart of the market would be an ideal spot for office leases, Hume said, but current zoning rules don't allow that.

The market would also like to attract a national retail anchor tenant to draw more people into the area.