Mayor Jim Watson wants to crack down on the number of payday loan shops in the city.
He tabled a notice of motion at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, letting the rest of council know he plans to raise the issue at the next meeting.
“They don’t add a lot of value to the streetscape and the community,” Watson said. “And they certainly, in many instances, prey on the poor.”
Watson says the concentration of payday loan operations in Ottawa, particularly in Vanier, is not acceptable.
“I think it is incumbent on us to at least allow our staff to look at what our options are,” Watson said. “I think when you have a glut of one type of business like this it’s not good for the economic well-being of the other businesses or the residential neighbourhood.”
The province recently changed the rules, giving municipalities some authority over the number and location of payday loan stores.