At The Mic / Au micro Revitalizing the Capital’s Nightlife Scene with Ottawa’s “Night Mayor”
16 snips
Oct 7, 2025 Join Mathieu Grondin, Canada's pioneering Nightlife Commissioner, as he dives into Ottawa's night scene revitalization. Learn how he’s tackling challenges like vacancies and homelessness while promoting the nightlife economy. Discover the launch of the Nightlife Council and otowhatnight.ca, tools designed to enhance the city's after-dark offerings. Mathieu also shares insights from the Canada After Dark Summit, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among Canadian cities to elevate nightlife experiences. It's a vibrant discussion about transforming urban nightlife!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
From Montreal To Ottawa
- Mathieu moved from Montreal to become Canada's first Nightlife Commissioner in Ottawa and was surprised by local support.
- He highlighted his prior work founding Montréal 2424 and convening global forums on nighttime governance.
Unexpected Local Appetite
- Mathieu was surprised by the high level of engagement from industry and city departments in Ottawa.
- He contrasted Ottawa's proactive appetite with larger cities where nightlife is often taken for granted or stigmatized.
Global Roots Of The Role
- The 'Night Mayor' term originated in the Netherlands and spread after Amsterdam formalized the role.
- Around 100 cities globally now have similar nightlife governance roles post-COVID.