Politicians at Parliament Hill. Skating on the Rideau Canal. Hiking in Gatineau Park. That is what comes to mind when thinking about Ottawa. But what about buzzing clubs and vibrant parties? Enter Mathieu Grondin, the city’s first-ever Nightlife Commissioner. He has been nicknamed the “night mayor” (although actual Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe doesn’t find it amusing).

Grondin is tasked with turning Canada’s capital — not exactly known for being the life of the party — into a thriving hub for nighttime fun. In fact, Ottawa was ranked as one of Canada’s “most boring cities” on the Ontario Bets website in April, and in 2013 it beat four other cities to win “the most boring city in Canada” title at the Boring Awards, the Huffington Post reported.

Grondin will do so with a budget of $160,000 for 2024, CTV News reported last year.

There are around 4,600 businesses in Ottawa related to nightlife activities, according to the city. Each year, roughly $1.5 billion is spent on nightlife, which is roughly 30 per cent of what daytime consumers spend. The bulk of those who are spending money (84 per cent) are residents, while 16 per cent of spending can be attributed to visitors.