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Announcement: Michelle Groulx will be taking a temporary leave from OCOBIA to run for Kitchissippi Ward Councillor

Ottawa, ON — Michelle Groulx will take a temporary leave from her role as Chief Advocate of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA) to run for Kitchissippi Ward Councillor in the upcoming municipal election. Groulx has represented Ottawa’s 18 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and more than 7,200 businesses across the city, first serving as an inaugural Board Director, then Executive Director, and most recently as Chief Advocate. “I have approached this role with a deep sense of responsibility and a strong commitment to our community,” said Groulx. “It is important to me that OCOBIA remains resilient and that the momentum we have built continues.” OCOBIA is a non-partisan organization. The Board of Directors has established a plan to ensure continuity and ongoing support for its member BIAs during Groulx’s leave.

‘Placemakers’: How BIAs are high-powered catalysts for the local cultural economy

Read here: https://obj.ca/how-bias-are-catalysts-for-the-local-cultural-economy/ Ottawa Business JournalApril 1, 2026 Article excerpt: “Our local businesses and BIAs are catalysts of culture in our neighbourhoods,” explains Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA) Chief Advocate Michelle Groulx. “BIAs help build places that reflect the culture and identity of the businesses in their neighbourhood, but they also bring people together with cultural events and festivals. 

Compass News: Back to office mandate for Ontario public servants receives praise and criticism towards revitalization plans

Read here: https://compassnews.ca/back-to-office-mandate-for-ontario-public-servants-receives-praise-and-criticism-towards-revitalization-plans/ Back to office mandate for Ontario public servants receives praise and criticism towards revitalization plansCompass NewsSeptember 2, 2025Written by: Audrey Pridham Article excerpt: Groulx also stated that an all-day accessible customer base is vital for businesses to thrive. “The pre-COVID mono-culture of a strictly ‘workplace’ area in our downtowns saw devastating impacts and effects on businesses,” she explained. “We have seen businesses that are located in non-workplace-dominated areas [that] have been thriving in comparison.”

Ottawa Citizen: Deachman: Ottawa has lost another neighbourhood jewel. What will replace our well-known small businesses?

Read here: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/deachman-ottawa-has-lost-another-neighbourhood-jewel-what-will-replace-our-well-known-small-businesses Deachman: Ottawa has lost another neighbourhood jewel. What will replace our well-known small businesses?Ottawa CitizenJanuary 15, 2024By: Bruce DeachmanPhoto by Jean Levac /Postmedia Article excerpt: “They’re pillars that really do define a neighbourhood,” said Michelle Groulx, who, until joining MBC Group as president this month, spent the last three years as executive director of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA). “They’re part of the character of a community, and when you see a place like The Herb and Spice close, it’s gutting.”

Ottawa Business Journal: Some Ottawa ‘food desert’ neighbourhoods to benefit from city zoning change

Read More: https://obj.ca/some-ottawa-food-deserts-to-benefit-from-city-zoning-change Some Ottawa ‘food desert’ neighbourhoods to benefit from city zoning changeOttawa Business JournalJuly 12, 2023Written by: Mia Jensen Article excerpt: It’s an amendment deemed “wonderful” by Michelle Groulx, executive director of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA). “(It) addresses the 15-minute neighbourhood strategy in Ottawa’s official plan,” she said. “We hope to see more small to mid-size independent food retailers in our city, as well as larger ones to bring food – a necessity – to various parts of Ottawa where it’s missing.”

CityNews: City looks at creating ‘night mayor’ position to help develop Ottawa’s nightlife economy

Read here: https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2023/04/24/city-looks-at-creating-night-mayor-position-to-help-develop-ottawas-nightlife-economy/ City looks at creating ‘night mayor’ position to help develop Ottawa’s nightlife economy City NewsApril 24, 2023By: Alex Black Article excerpt: Groulx says while it’s important to grow and develop local nightlife, the city also needs to raise awareness of what’s already out there. “We have actual nightlife,” she says. “There are little pockets of activity and entertainment happening throughout our city, but the thing is nobody knows about it. So, our reputation, globally I guess somewhat, is that we’re the city that goes to bed at 5 p.m.”