Ottawa’s historic Chinatown faces growing pains as residents see neighbourhood changing

March 18, 2024 Canuck

One of Ottawa’s oldest neighborhoods is grappling with its future, as it sees an increase in vacant businesses and changes in the community.

A fixture of Ottawa’s Chinatown for over 40 years, Yangtze Restaurant, announced it was putting its property up for sale. The closure is part of a growing problem that residents and business owners have been seeing in the neighbourhood.

Some residents say they have seen in increase in petty crime and social problems related to homelessness and drug addition that is having an impact on the community’s growth.

Peter Yeung, a business owner along Somerset Street West, said he is concerned with the growing number of those in need not receiving support. Chinatown is home to one of the city’s safe consumption sites, where anyone can bring pre-obtained drugs and use under professional supervision.

Yeung say he supports safe consumption sites, but says an increase in panhandling could have an impact on businesses in the area.

“This is the centre core of the city of Ottawa, if this area is not growing, all of our collective business are on the line,” Yeung said.

“In terms of the injection site I think it has an impact in terms of concern if they come here panhandlers and so forth, I have nothing against them. I think the city needs to help them.”

Daphne Millar is a resident who lives just off of Somerset Street West and says the community is welcoming and vibrant, but is showing strains from the cost of living.

She sees the sale of businesses like Yangtze as a sign of the times, with traditional family businesses having a difficult time.

“It’s obviously very sad to see, I’m sure it’s a big family business here. I know lots of people have been to Yangtze,” Millar said.

“I would like to see that small business community stick around. I want to see this community thrive.”

The area’s business improvement association (BIA) is working to grow business in the area and help residents feel more secure.

“What we hope is from the city’s perspective is we could get some support in terms of more police presence in the neighborhood so that when people are in need, their concerns can be quickly addressed,” said Yukang Li, the executive director of Chinatown’s BIA.

Even with challenges, the community is welcoming residents to shop eat and celebrate daily, with special events growing.

The annual Chinatown night market taking over Somerset Street for three days starting on May 31.

Planning for this year is well underway with a waiting list for venders to participate.

“That list was full very quickly and now we have a very long waiting list,” Li said.

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Ottawa’s historic Chinatown faces growing pains as residents see neighbourhood changing

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