CHOOSE YOUR LEADERS. CAST YOUR VOTE.

On Monday, October 24, we will elect the next mayor and council. These leaders will set the direction for our future and make decisions that drive our growth, business success and community prosperity.

Every Ottawa resident, business and community leader, has a role and responsibility to elect strong, future thinking and collaborative leaders.

Throughout the municipal election, the Ottawa Board of Trade has been promoting the Build Up Ottawa initiative - a pro-growth agenda, to look for aligned candidate platforms and encourage the voting public to be active and informed.

Learn more about what Ottawa candidates are saying.

Events, interviews and surveys at buildupottawa.ca

Last night, mayoral candidate front-runners Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe, participated in the COMMON GROUND debate.

You can watch the debate here.

Based on their platforms, announcements, interviews, and debate commitments, here’s how each candidate has committed to #BuildUpOttawa:

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

MCKENNEY

• Consider the findings of the LRT inquiry before committing to Phase 3 and prioritize transparency on future developments.
• Encourage city-wide growth to increase engagement with airlines and demand for flights into the Ottawa Airport.

SUTCLIFFE

• Implement recommendations from the LRT inquiry to complete Phase 2 and secure funding for Phase 3.
• Increase demand for flights by increasing the number of events in the city and by building a new cultural destination in the downtown area.

HOUSING

MCKENNEY

• Use $108 million of the Housing Accelerator Fund to increase housing supply.
• Create 1,000 non-profit community housing units.
• Invest $5 million into the Ottawa community land trust and work with non-profits to preserve existing rental and housing options.
• Provide short-term rental allowances.

SUTCLIFFE

• Build 100,000 new homes over 10 years, including 1,000 affordable homes per year, without expanding the urban boundary.
• Bring together stakeholders to streamline the approval process and remove barriers to home building.

MODERATE AND PRE-SET TAX INCREASES

MCKENNEY

• Commit to the existing 3% approach to property taxes for the next 4 years.

SUTCLIFFE

• Commit to property tax increases of 2-2.5% for the next two years and maintain the same level for 2025 and 2026.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH

MCKENNEY

• Invest in climate action, housing, and infrastructure development, while working across sectors to ensure sustainable and progressive growth.
• Collaborate with different levels of government on long-term priorities.

SUTCLIFFE

• Seek consensus on developments across sectors and with community partners, create an annual cultural event, and launch a major cultural attraction to draw more visitors.
• Host a talent summit to bring together business leaders and economic partners to promote talent-attraction.

OTTAWA HOSPITAL

MCKENNEY

• Support the new Campus Development but oppose the plan for the parking site plan.
• Address challenges in the healthcare sector and invest in city services to improve the overall health of residents.

SUTCLIFFE

• Support the new Campus Development and resist any attempts to revisit the decision on its location.
• Improve healthcare in the city by attracting more family doctors, hiring more paramedics, and developing a new response strategy for mental illness calls.

SMALL & DIVERSE BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS

MCKENNEY

• Establish a dedicated liaison service for small businesses to navigate city resources and continue the small-business property tax subclass.
• Work with the Ottawa Board of Trade and other economic partners to continue the “Buy Local” campaign and a post-Covid recovery plan.

SUTCLIFFE

• Continue targeted tax relief with the small-business property tax subclass and reduced patio fees for restaurants.
• Create a service to facilitate communication with City Hall and a new bulletin that highlights procurement opportunities with the city.
• Support downtown businesses by fighting against higher parking fees, explore new housing options, and improve access to social services for the area’s vulnerable populations.

COLLABORATION

“The Mayor’s job is to have a vision for the city as a whole and work with council to advance that vision by listening to the unique needs and concerns of councillors and residents from each of the city’s wards.” - Catherine McKenney

“I will look to build plans and seek input from councillors on what is important and in the best interest of not only their communities, but the entire city.”

- Mark Sutcliffe