In the heart of Ottawa’s historic ByWard Market, a transformation is quietly underway. Behind the colorful produce stalls and tourist-focused souvenir shops, a new generation of immigrant entrepreneurs is breathing fresh life into one of the capital’s oldest commercial districts.
Walking through the market on a crisp autumn morning, the evidence is everywhere. The aroma of Ethiopian spices mingles with the scent of traditional Lebanese pastries. Signs in Mandarin, Arabic, and Spanish appear alongside English and French ones. This diversity isn’t just cultural window dressing – it represents economic vitality in a district that has faced significant challenges in recent years.
“When I first opened in 2019, people told me I was crazy,” says Leila Hamdan, owner of Baklava & Beyond, a Lebanese dessert shop tucked away on Murray Street. “The pandemic hit six months later, and yes, I questioned everything. But the community supported us, and now we’re expanding to a second location.”
Statistics from the Ottawa Business Improvement Association reveal that immigrant-owned businesses in the Market have increased by nearly 35% over the past five years. These enterprises now make up approximately 40% of all businesses in the district, a significant shift from a decade ago.
The impact extends beyond mere numbers. Many of these entrepreneurs are revitalizing previously vacant storefronts, particularly on the Market’s periphery, where rents are slightly more affordable than along the main commercial corridors.
City Councillor Mathieu Fleury, whose ward includes the Market, sees this trend as essential to the area’s post-pandemic recovery.
“These businesses bring innovation, unique products, and genuine cultural experiences that can’t be replicated online,” Fleury explains during an interview at his York Street office. “They’re helping transform the Market from a place that sometimes felt too focused on bars and nightlife to a more diverse, family-friendly destination.”
The journey hasn’t been easy for many of these business owners. Raj Sharma arrived in Canada from India in 2016 with an engineering degree and dreams of corporate success. After struggling to find work in his field, he launched Spice World, a specialty grocery and takeout spot that has become a favorite among both the South Asian community and adventurous local foodies.
“I faced so many obstacles – language barriers, difficulty securing loans, navigating regulations,” Sharma recalls. “But there’s freedom in building something that truly represents who you are and where you come from.”
The City of Ottawa has recognized the potential of these immigrant entrepreneurs. Last year, it launched a multilingual business development program specifically targeting newcomers interested in establishing Market businesses. The initiative provides mentorship, regulatory guidance, and networking opportunities.
Finance Committee Chair Mark Sutcliffe points to the economic benefits beyond the Market itself. “These businesses create supply chains that often extend into other immigrant communities across the city. One successful shop can indirectly support dozens of families.”
However, challenges remain. Commercial rents continue to rise, and some property owners still prefer leasing to established chains rather than taking chances on independent entrepreneurs. The seasonal nature of Market foot traffic makes winter months particularly difficult for newer businesses without financial reserves.
Ahmad Kobeissi, who runs Damascene Delights, a Syrian food stall that began as a weekend-only operation and now operates six days a week, believes collective action is essential.
“We’ve started an informal association of immigrant Market vendors,” he explains. “We share resources, coordinate marketing, and support each other during slow periods. The old model of every business for itself doesn’t work anymore.”
The impact extends beyond economics. These businesses serve as cultural bridges in an increasingly diverse Ottawa. Many host community events, cooking classes, and cultural celebrations that attract both immigrants seeking connection to their heritage and Ottawa residents curious about different traditions.
Professor Amina Ibrahim from Carleton University’s Business School has studied this phenomenon. “These aren’t just places to buy things; they’re spaces where cultural exchange happens naturally,” she notes. “A customer might come in for a specific ingredient and leave having learned something about another part of the world.”
For the Market itself, this evolution represents a return to historical roots. When the area was established in 1826, it was a gathering place for diverse communities – French, Irish, Scottish, and Indigenous traders all conducted business there.
“The Market has always been about adaptation,” says local historian Marie Tremblay. “What we’re seeing now is just the latest chapter in nearly two centuries of commercial evolution.”
As Ottawa continues to grow and change, the immigrant entrepreneurs of ByWard Market are proving that economic vitality and cultural diversity can be powerfully intertwined – one small business at a time.
