Mathieu Grondin is Ottawa’s new ‘Night Mayor.”
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe introduced Grondin as Ottawa’s new ‘nightlife commissioner’ on Tuesday, who will be tasked with helping to shape the city’s nightlife.
Grondin was born and raised in Montreal, and was the founder and director general of non-profit organization MTL 24/24.
“Mathieu is widely recognized as a global leader in nightlife advocacy with more than 10 years of experience focusing on issues and opportunities related to nighttime governance and the nightlife economy,” Sheilagh Doherty, interim director of Economic Development Services, said in a statement.
“Since 2017, he has worked as the founder and director general of MTL 24/24, a non-profit organization that advocates for improved nightlife in Montreal.”
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The city of Ottawa will introduce the new ‘night mayor’ this morning, the individual tasked with helping to shape the city’s nightlife and shake off the image as the ‘town that fun forgot.’
The Nightlife Commissioner will lead the ‘Nightlife Commissioner’s Office,’ working with businesses, city officials, regulators and the public to develop and implement a plan to support Ottawa’s 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. economy.
The job comes with a $112,000 a year salary.
According to the job posting, the ‘Nightlife Commissioner’ will “serve as an ambassador and facilitator of the city’s nightlife economy and lead the implementation of the Nightlife Economy Action Plan that aims to develop a foundation from which Ottawa can build on its competitive strengths and address challenges in the development and delivery of nightlife infrastructure, amenities, and experiences.”
City officials would not say how many people applied for the new commissioner’s position at Ottawa City Hall.
Council approved the new Ottawa Nightlife Economy Action Plan last year, focusing on leisure, live entertainment and cultural activities during the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. period, and looking beyond just bar and restaurant activity. The strategy will focus on “safety, cultural tourism/industry initiatives, economic development and commercial vibrancy.”
The first phase of the action plan includes promoting city-wide and neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood participation of residents, visitors and businesses in the nightlife economy. Phase 2 in 2024 to 2026 will include establishing a Nightlife Ambassador Council and developing a city-wide Nightlife Safety and Security Plan for nightlife workers and participants.
New York City launched an Office of Nightlife in 2017, while Washington, D.C. first appointed a ‘night mayor’ in 2018. Amsterdam, London, England, and Prague are among the cities around the world with a ‘night mayor.’
The city of Toronto has a Night Economy Ambassador, while Vancouver has announced plans for a new ‘Night Office’ to reimagine the city’s nightlife and boost the hospitality sector.