The ByWard Market, one of the oldest farmers’ markets in Canada, was established in 1826 by Lieutenant-Colonel John By, Builder of the Rideau Canal. The area was created as a commercial sector to support the builders of the canal.  Soon, stores, taverns, hotels, residential and industrial buildings sprang up, and Rideau Canal labourers of mostly French-Canadian and Irish origin settled in. 

Now in 2021, several long time Byward Market businesses have come together to bring the shopping experience to the next level.  Byward Fruit Market, House of Cheese, Lapointe Fish, and Sasloves Meat Market have formed THE BEST OF BYWARD, an online shopping platform featuring over 1500 quality products.  Shopping the site will allow customers to easily purchase their food items, and the individual stores will prepare their sections of the order, and then merge it with the items selected from the other stores.  The customer can arrange to either pick up the complete order in one location, or have it delivered. 

Our brick and mortar stores are still thriving, and would love to have you visit and experience the ambience and pleasure of shopping in the Market, but if time and convenience do not allow it, THE BEST OF BYWARD is there for you.