Challenger Cities EP35: After Dark and Into the Future with Mathieu Grondin

What does it take to make a city work after dark?In this episode, we're speaking with Mathieu Grondin, Ottawa’s first-ever Nightlife Commissioner, about why nightlife isn’t just parties and late bars, it’s infrastructure.The conversation explores why Ottawa created this role, what mid-sized cities can teach their bigger siblings about cultural development, and how better policy can make cities safer, more vibrant, and more economically resilient. From public transit to zoning reform, and from the loss of mid-size venues to Canada’s image problem abroad, Grondin makes the case for treating nightlife as a vital part of urban life, not a nuisance.In this episode:Why Ottawa of all places is leading on nightlife governanceThe link between nightlife, safety, and economic growthHow mid-sized cities are driving Canada’s cultural experimentationWhat happens when you lose the “middle class” of cultureWhy cities need projects, not just ideasChallenger Cities explores how places defy expectations, take risks, and build something better — and why that matters for everyone who lives, works, and plays there.

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