Engage Ottawa: ByWard Reimagined
June 16, 2025 - City of Ottawa
Revitalizing Public Space in the ByWard Market
You've made memories here. Now be part of what comes next!
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William Street and ByWard Market Square street renewal project
The City of Ottawa is seeking your input on the upcoming redesign of William Street and ByWard Market Square, which will begin to reimagine the ByWard Market and strengthen its role as a premier destination within the nation’s capital for many years to come.
Project location: William Street and ByWard Market Square (between George and York Streets).
Timeline:
In 2025, detailed design will be undertaken for William Street and ByWard Market Square.
In 2026, construction of William Street will take place.
In 2027, the ByWard Market celebrates the 200th anniversary of its founding.
Design:
The redesigned public spaces within the ByWard Market will prioritize the visitor experience by creating a destination that is welcoming, safe, comfortable and walkable.
William Street is one of the most visited areas of the ByWard Market and, once completed, will be an important corridor between Rideau and Clarence Streets that will draw visitors into the heart of the Market. The street will be designed with the goal of enhancing the visitor experience in the Market core, as a promenade with space for street activations, street trees, extended outdoor commercial areas and infrastructure to support events. Loading and deliveries will be allowed at certain times of the day with controlled access.
ByWard Market Square will be reinforced as the heart of the outdoor public market and will be activated with space for seating, street trees, street activations and outdoor commercial areas. Infrastructure will be provided to program the space as an “outdoor living room”. It will be redesigned as a bi-directional street, with parallel parking provided on one side, that can be closed to motor vehicle traffic seasonally and for larger events. Most motor vehicle parking will continue to be offered outside of the Market core on adjacent streets and lots.
Safety, security, and accessibility: Accessibility will be carefully considered so that visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy the ByWard Market. The safety and security of visitors will be considered in the design of the public spaces to ensure that visitors feel safe and comfortable at all times of the day and night, including through the use of design principles such as the provision of clear sight lines, good lighting, and “eyes on the street”. Spaces that can be programmed and use flexibly will provide opportunities to support different kinds of activities and events that will draw residents and visitors to the heart of the ByWard Market and provide activation.
Businesses and vendors: The newly redesigned spaces will provide greater support to local businesses and will be designed with flexibility in mind. Businesses will be able to extend into the public realm with retail stands, outdoor patios and more. Infrastructure such as water and electricity will be provided to support enhanced outdoor market vending and accommodate the needs of different types of vendors. New market stalls will be provided that can be customized according to vendors’ needs. These improvements will help to attract and retain new vendors to the ByWard Market and enable expanded offerings by current vendors.
Preliminary design concepts:
The City of Ottawa is seeking feedback on the proposed street redesigns based on the preliminary design concepts below. The preliminary designs have been developed in accordance with the directions of the ByWard Market Public Realm Plan(External link), which was approved by City Council in January 2021. Your feedback is important to understand what should be considered in the new designs.
Design concepts to be provided by consultant.
In-person public engagement booths
Visit us at:
Minto Recreation Complex(External link) (3500 Cambrian Road) - June 17, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
François Dupuis Recreation Centre(External link) (2263 Portobello Boulevard) - June 18, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Richcraft Recreation Complex-Kanata(External link) (4101 Innovation Drive) - June 20, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
ByWard Market(External link) (55 ByWard Market Square) inside or outside depending on weather:
June 19, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
June 21, 11 am to 3 pm
Manotick Community Centre and Mike O’Neil Arena(External link) (5572 Doctor Leach Drive) - June 23, 4 pm to 8 pm
Online public engagement session
Attend our online public engagement session June 24, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Register in advance by filling out the registration form(External link).
Online survey
Complete the online survey from June 16 to July 16.
