Latest news with #specialevents
CTV News
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
5 things to know about Ottawa's new rules for festivals and events
The City of Ottawa is proposing new rules for food trucks, exemptions for bar and restaurant owners to host after-hours events and allowing for late-night noise exemptions when outdoor festivals are affected by weather delays to help the city shake the image as the town that fun forgot. A new report recommends the implementation of a new Special Events Bylaw and a Highway Events Bylaw to regulate festivals, events and other activities indoors, outdoors and on roadways across Ottawa. The bylaw would replace the current Special Events on Private and Public Property Bylaw. There were 228 events in the City of Ottawa last year, up seven per cent from the year before. The Ottawa Festival Network says large festivals support approximately 70,000 jobs and generate over $320 million in spending annually. 'Staff's review indicates that while the existing bylaws have largely been effective, growing demand and increasing complexity of events necessitate updates to improve operational efficiency and enhance public safety,' the report says. A joint meeting of the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee and the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee will discuss the proposal on May 15. CTV News Ottawa looks at five proposed changes for special events in Ottawa: Late-night noise exemptions Festivals and events will be allowed to keep the party going after 11 p.m. in the event of severe weather, power failures or other 'unforeseen delays.' Currently, noise exemptions are allowed until 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays. Staff say event organizers asked for 'additional flexibility' when outdoor events are impacted by weather, power failures, technical difficulties or transportation delays for artists and athletes. The new bylaw will allow event organizers to extend their event until midnight if the event is impacted by 'unavoidable delays' beyond their control. Under the proposal, the director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services, in consultation with the ward councillor, will be able to approve a 60-minute extension. Food trucks on the move The proposed new bylaw would provide 'more opportunities' for food trucks and mobile vendors to set up at block parties, street festivals, night markets and other events on roadways, according to staff. 'Under the recommended changes, one licensed food truck or mobile vendor would be able to participate in a block party without requiring additional permits or approvals,' says the report. 'Multiple food trucks or mobile vendors would be able to participate in other highway events without requiring additional permits or approvals.' After-hours events in bars and restaurants The City of Ottawa is proposing reducing the red tape for bar and restaurant owners and special events operators to offer late-night events. The city currently requires events 'where any part of the event takes place between the hours of 3 a.m. and 9 a.m.' to obtain an All-Night Dance Event licence. However, staff note the Ontario government has enacted new rules for licensed establishments to serve until 3 a.m. on New Year's Day, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario may also issue periodic extensions to hours of operations for licensed establishments and Special Event Permits for unlicensed venues celebrating events. To remove duplicate requirements for inspections and approvals, the city's new bylaw would create an exemption within the All-Night Dance Event Licence for venues operating under an AGCO licence or permit, so they wouldn't require a new permit from the city. 'Safer Events' training The new Special Events Bylaw will require staff and volunteers to complete the Ottawa Public Health 'Safer Events' training course prior to working or volunteering at events. The annual requirement will apply to all staff and volunteers 12 and older. The Ottawa Public Health training course provides information to help reduce risks associated with mental health, violence, and substance use, according to the city. 'Equipping special event staff and volunteers with this knowledge supports earlier and more effective intervention, thereby reducing harm for patrons, risk for event organizers and service demand for emergency services,' staff say. Weekday road closures The City of Ottawa will be changing the rules for road closures on weekdays, giving staff and the ward councillor the authority to close roads. Currently, parades and sporting events are not permitted on a city street during weekday peak period traffic hours, and sidewalk sales are prohibited between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. during weekday periods. Under the new Highway Events Bylaw, the general manager of Public Works and the ward councillor can approve the closure of an arterial road or major collector between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays for events. The City of Ottawa is also proposing new rules for demonstrations, no longer requiring organizers to obtain a special event permit. The new rules would require 'voluntary notification' to the city ahead of a planned demonstration or event.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bylaw updates aim to cut red tape for festivals, demonstrations
City staff are looking to update Ottawa's bylaws in the hopes of making it easier to have a little fun. Staff are recommending several updates to the city's special events bylaw that they say will reduce red tape for organizers of festivals, block parties and demonstrations. The bylaw covers outdoor events of 500 participants or more. Some of the bylaw amendments include: Making it easier for licensed mobile vendors and food trucks to participate in special events. Allowing for noise exemption extensions when outdoor events are affected by weather delays or other circumstances outside organizers' control. Reducing regulations for bars, restaurants and venues already licensed by the province during special events Streamlining the approval of weekday road closures by delegating authority to designated staff and ward councillors. "The proposed changes will make it easier to manage the growing demand for events while maintaining safety and the quality of life residents expect," said Jerrod Riley, a bylaw review specialist with the city's public policy development department, in a statement to CBC News. According to the staff report, the changes would also reduce overtime and generate additional revenue for the city's event and tourism sector. The proposed changes are welcome news to event organizers in the city, some of whom have struggled to overcome Ottawa's reputation as "the city that fun forgot." "Any effort to streamline any forms and regulations to abide by are helpful," said Mark Monahan, executive director of Ottawa Bluesfest. The annual music festival, which draws crowds of up to 300,000 every summer, found itself at the mercy of the city's bylaws in 2019 when headliner Snoop Dogg's set was delayed by a thunderstorm. Festival organizers were later slapped with a fine because the performance went past 11 p.m., violating the city's noise bylaws. "I think the bylaw now is going to allow for that, and and I'm encouraged by that," Monahan said. It's not all good news: The new bylaw would also require annual safety training for event staff and volunteers that Monahan said "would be almost impossible" to fulfil. "We have over 2,000 volunteers," he said. "They want to come into the festival and help, but their time and their ability to train or do these sorts of things is very limited." Tara Shannon, executive director of the Ottawa Festival Network, said there's a "large appetite" for more freedom in organizing festivals, block parties and other outdoor events. She said the changes could inspire more of those kinds of events in the city. "I was very encouraged to see that the focus from the city was to help our event producers, festivals, make it a little bit easier for them to make incredible events for our city," she said. "The speed of the energy behind creative events and the speed of the energy of bylaw and bureaucracy sometimes are not a match." Under the new rules, demonstrations held on city property would no longer require a special event permit. Instead, organizers would inform the city through a notification form. Ottawa police would continue to enforce the law at these events. The city staff report acknowledged a growing demand for city services and policing in response to demonstrations, a change staff attribute to global events and growing economic uncertainty. In coming up with their recommendations, staff consulted with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and Global Affairs Canada. Those agencies asked for more clarity concerning the bylaws, and to be notified of the events earlier. All the agencies the city consulted were generally supportive of the new framework, according to the report. Coun. Marty Carr, vice-chair of the city's police services board, said the proposed changes are a "very positive step." "I think they've done a really good job of … ensuring that balance between people's right to protest [and] the protection of the residents, whether they're protesting or whether they're attending events.," she said. Councillors will discuss the proposed changes at a joint committee meeting on Thursday. If approved, the new rules would come into full effect next year, but some changes could be implemented sooner.
CBC
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Bylaw updates aim to cut red tape for festivals, demonstrations
City staff are looking to update Ottawa's bylaws in the hopes of making it easier to have a little fun. Staff are recommending several updates to the city's special events bylaw that they say will reduce red tape for organizers of festivals, block parties and demonstrations. The bylaw covers outdoor events of 500 participants or more. Some of the bylaw amendments include: Making it easier for licensed mobile vendors and food trucks to participate in special events. Allowing for noise exemption extensions when outdoor events are affected by weather delays or other circumstances outside organizers' control. Reducing regulations for bars, restaurants and venues already licensed by the province during special events Streamlining the approval of weekday road closures by delegating authority to designated staff and ward councillors. "The proposed changes will make it easier to manage the growing demand for events while maintaining safety and the quality of life residents expect," said Jerrod Riley, a bylaw review specialist with the city's public policy development department, in a statement to CBC News. According to the staff report, the changes would also reduce overtime and generate additional revenue for the city's event and tourism sector. Forget 'the city that fun forgot' The proposed changes are welcome news to event organizers in the city, some of whom have struggled to overcome Ottawa's reputation as "the city that fun forgot." "Any effort to streamline any forms and regulations to abide by are helpful," said Mark Monahan, executive director of Ottawa Bluesfest. The annual music festival, which draws crowds of up to 300,000 every summer, found itself at the mercy of the city's bylaws in 2019 when headliner Snoop Dogg's set was delayed by a thunderstorm. Festival organizers were later slapped with a fine because the performance went past 11 p.m., violating the city's noise bylaws. "I think the bylaw now is going to allow for that, and and I'm encouraged by that," Monahan said. It's not all good news: The new bylaw would also require annual safety training for event staff and volunteers that Monahan said "would be almost impossible" to fulfil. "We have over 2,000 volunteers," he said. "They want to come into the festival and help, but their time and their ability to train or do these sorts of things is very limited." Tara Shannon, executive director of the Ottawa Festival Network, said she's pleased the city is exploring more flexible rules for event organizers. (Submitted by Tara Shannon) Tara Shannon, executive director of the Ottawa Festival Network, said there's a "large appetite" for more freedom in organizing festivals, block parties and other outdoor events. She said the changes could inspire more of those kinds of events in the city. "I was very encouraged to see that the focus from the city was to help our event producers, festivals, make it a little bit easier for them to make incredible events for our city," she said. "The speed of the energy behind creative events and the speed of the energy of bylaw and bureaucracy sometimes are not a match." New approach to demonstrations Under the new rules, demonstrations held on city property would no longer require a special event permit. Instead, organizers would inform the city through a notification form. Ottawa police would continue to enforce the law at these events. The city staff report acknowledged a growing demand for city services and policing in response to demonstrations, a change staff attribute to global events and growing economic uncertainty. Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr says the proposed notification process for demonstrations is a 'very positive step.' (Michel Aspirot/CBC) In coming up with their recommendations, staff consulted with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and Global Affairs Canada. Those agencies asked for more clarity concerning the bylaws, and to be notified of the events earlier. All the agencies the city consulted were generally supportive of the new framework, according to the report. Coun. Marty Carr, vice-chair of the city's police services board, said the proposed changes are a "very positive step." "I think they've done a really good job of … ensuring that balance between people's right to protest [and] the protection of the residents, whether they're protesting or whether they're attending events.," she said. Councillors will discuss the proposed changes at a joint committee meeting on Thursday. If approved, the new rules would come into full effect next year, but some changes could be implemented sooner.
