Despite the seemingly long lines outside bars on London’s Richmond Row every Friday night, Joe Kools co-owner Sam Smith says the city’s nightlife scene has changed over the years.
People go out earlier than they used to, and are more selective about how they are spending both their time and money, Smith said.
“Canada faces a lot of things that make it attractive for entertainment, and a lot of things that are challenges, both in terms of economics and what the customers really want,” said Smith, whose family’s business also represents Toboggan Brewing Company and Fellini Koolini’s.
It’s not just in London, according to data from payment processing platform Square, which shows that nighttime spending is down in major cities across the Canada for the second year in a row.
With changes to nightlife across the board, some London leaders say it’s time for somebody to step up to boost the nighttime economy.
“Cities are judged by their downtowns whether you like it or not,” said London Chamber of Commerce CEO Graham Henderson. “We know that we’ve got a problem in our downtown … so how do we harness culture to make it better?”
Graham Henderson is the chief executive officer at the London Chamber of Commerce. He says London could benefit from having a night commissioner to improve the city’s nightlife. (Kendra Seguin/CBC News)
London has made some progress developing a nighttime culture in recent years, such as through the creation of the London Music Office and city-run events along Dundas Place, but there is still work to do before the city can earn a reputation for its nightlife, Henderson said.
To improve this, he wants London to hire a “night mayor.”
“I would call them a broker and translator. They act as a go-between between venues, residents, police, transit agencies, city hall and the business improvement associations,” Henderson said.
There are a handful of cities that have their own version of a “night mayor,” including New York’s office of nightlife, Toronto’s night economy champion and London, U.K.’s night czar.
Sunfest at London’s Victoria Park is one of the largest annual events in the city’s downtown core, bringing hundreds out at night. (Submitted by Sunfest)
The City of Ottawa hired its first-ever nightlife commissioner Mathieu Grondin in June 2024.
“Bigger cities will sometimes look into this because they want to manage their nightlife, especially some of the negatives of nightlife, so for instance noise complaints or incivilities,” Grondin said. “Sometimes it’s more because the cities feel that they need to develop it more because it brings the quality of life to their residents.”
What does a night mayor actually do?
According to Grondin, his nightlife commissioner role is much more bureaucratic than the name suggests.
In 2023, Ottawa city council approved its “nightlife economy action plan,” which included 10 recommendations to develop and grow nightlife for locals and tourists between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Grondin helps manage that, as well as works as a liaison between different organizations to remove red tape, navigate permits and improve policy. He spends more time working during the day than at night, he said.
Mathieu Grondin is Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner. He was originally hired in June 2024 as part of city council’s nightlife economy action plan. (Nickolas Persaud/CBC)
There are several issues in London’s nighttime scene that could be resolved through a dedicated nightlife commissioner, such as noise complaints, complex zoning and rules, speeding up event approvals and downtown security, Henderson said.
By improving the city’s nightlife, more businesses, locals and tourists will be attracted to London’s downtown core, stimulating the economy, he added.
However, London’s Mayor Josh Morgan is not sure if a night mayor would give the city an extra boost.
“I never think just replicating someone’s structure is the way to go,” he said. “I’ve spoken to people about the structure that Ottawa has put in place, and I would say there’s some mixed reviews out there. Some people think it’s going well, others are critical of it. I’m not just into going out and copying someone because it’s a novel idea.”
‘We’ve got all the pieces’
Morgan said he’s noticed a boost in downtown nighttime activity since the city stepped up foot patrol and started hosting regular events on Dundas Place.
London’s deputy mayor Shawn Lewis agrees that the city’s nightlife is in good shape.
Softcult performs for a crowd at London’s City of Music concert series at Market Lane in summer 2024. (Kendra Seguin/CBC News)
“A lot of folks don’t realize we have a booming nightlife downtown, especially on the weekend,” he said, pointing to London Knights hockey games in the winter and pop-up music events in the summer.
Rather than hire a nightlife commissioner, the city should look at how to connect its arts and entertainment initiatives to its economic development plan, which is expected to release its draft strategy soon, Lewis said.
“We’ve got all the pieces, it’s about how we put them together,” he said.
Over at Joe Kools and Toboggan, Smith said his establishments would benefit if the city had a downtown “coordinator” role so that restaurants and venues could work together to make the area a destination.
“I love the idea of somebody being there as a liaison to get us all talking to each other,” he said.