Rideau Street McDonald's

That year, the city approved construction of a shopping centre on the site which would incorporate the building's façade.

Its floor was always filthy, and customers witnessed drug use and sexual acts in a "long narrow" hallway to the bathrooms.

In addition to its proximity to Ottawa's night life district in the ByWard market, its location is close to several tourist attractions, plus the city's largest shopping mall, the Rideau Centre, the University of Ottawa, and several emergency shelters and social support services.

[1] In 2019, Ottawa's police chief Charles Bordeleau wrote an open letter[5] to McDonald's Canada that the location was 'getting out of control'.

Ottawa's mayor, Jim Watson applauded the move saying "[f]ar too many police resources were being spent in that restaurant and it was becoming a public safety concern".

[1] However, city councillor Mathieu Fleury claimed the owner rejected having more surveillance cameras or changing the store layout following a security audit, suggesting the manager claimed that the 'problems at the store stemmed from social issues out of their control'.

[1] Despite its issues, the area's low income and unhoused population valued the restaurant and patronized it for inexpensive meals.

The event, which was organized by university students,[1] fundraised for charities such as Operation Come Home, the Voice Found and the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter near the restaurant.