A year since our last interview, we sat down with Commissioner Mathieu Grondin to hear a little more about his first year in the role — and to talk about what’s next for Ottawa’s nightlife.
On May 21–22, 2025, Canada After Dark, a two-day nightlife forum, was held as part of Ottawa’s first Capital Music Week (CxMW). Co-presented by Ottawa’s Nightlife Office and the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC), the event spotlighted Ottawa’s nightlife within both national and international contexts.
The inaugural Capital Music Week (CxMW) has just been announced for May 20–25, and it promises to be a major celebration not only of Ottawa’s music scene, but its entire nightlife.
A new venue is coming to 221 Rideau St. later this March, replacing the old Mavericks location. The venue was announced last Wednesday by the team behind City at Night and Afterlight.
As Ottawa’s new Nightlife Commissioner, it would be no surprise that Mathieu Grondin used to be involved in various entertainment gigs before working for the city council. His ventures have led him to DJ’ing, shooting videos for Canadian musicians such as electro hip-hop band Radio Radio and the “Queen of Power Ballads” herself, Celine Dion, and having acting gigs for television shows in Montreal.
He talked about protecting our existing venues, encouraging new ones, and getting the word out that Ottawa’s not just a 9-to-5 city. Plus, there’s a big plan to bring 40,000 more residents downtown in the next decade.
