The Government of Canada is investing $3.1-million to support 16 projects – such as upgrades to the ByWard Market area – across the City of Ottawa through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to repair and upgrade municipal buildings. The Government of Ontario is contributing an additional $779,000 to the projects.
Of the funding, $950,000 will go to the ByWard Market Building to renew the building’s envelope, replace the windows, and provide additional masonry work. The remaining $740,000 will build a stand-alone self-cleaning public washroom and add enhanced way-finding to the area.
“The last 18 months have shown us the importance of access and maintenance of our public spaces and these micro-investments are another good example of this,” said Ottawa Rideau-Vanier Ward City Councillor Mathieu Fleury. “These improvements, such as access to clean, safe and public washrooms, along with improvements to the ByWard building are also in alignment with the ByWard Market Public Realm plan, which calls for close to $130-million in additional investments to the ByWard Market public spaces – all ensuring that the Market remains a place for locals, tourists and businesses to enjoy.”
Ottawa Centre MP and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna announced over $3.3-billion to support municipalities across Canada as they respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This stream represents up to $1.1-billion in funding in Ontario that will ensure that municipalities receive the long-term support they need to recover from COVID-19.