Roundup: What you may have missed in the municipal election campaign last week

Mayoral candidates in Ottawa’s municipal election this year have continued to make promises leading up to voting day.

The Ottawa Citizen‘s last weekly roundup includes  the promises made in the past week by the four leading mayoral candidates: Neil Saravanamuttoo, Mark Sutcliffe, Jeff Leiper and Alex Lawson.

Mark Sutcliffe’s first 30 days of second term plan:

In the first 30 days of the new term of council, Sutcliffe says he will focus on 10 priorities to make Ottawa more affordable, and improve transit and downtown safety, as well as housing and infrastructure.

The 10 priorities include:

• The City of Ottawa’s new Budget 2027 maintains the promise of Sutcliffe’s property taxes increases between two to 2.5 per cent.
• Direct staff to include a $95 monthly transit pass in Budget 2027.
• Pass a motion to freeze recreation fees as part of the budget, to help families and seniors manage everyday costs and keep city programs accessible.
• Launching a meeting supported by independent third-party experts, to identify savings.
• Activate the Emergency Co-ordination Centre to respond to the addictions and mental health challenges facing downtown.
• Direct OC Transpo to accelerate the plan to put 200 additional buses into service, supported by 250 more drivers and mechanics.
• Accelerate affordable and supportive housing: Introduce a motion to give Ottawa Community Housing an expanded role, mandate, resources and authority to help deliver more homes.
• Reconvene the Housing Innovation Task Force.
• Meet with the provincial government “to advance key priorities, including the LRT upload and infrastructure investments such as the Ring Road.”
• Identify the 50 worst intersections in Ottawa to then compile a list of the intersections that will be fast-tracked for solutions as part of Sutcliffe’s $10-billion infrastructure plan.

Jeff Leiper’s plan for Orléans and Navan

If elected, Leiper has plans to build a new recreation centre for Orléans and Navan, and open a year-round sports dome, both owned and operated by the City of Ottawa.

The city-owned and operated dome is the fastest part of the plan, according to Leiper, since a dome is cheaper to build and can open much sooner than a new building.

“Orléans has grown so much, and its recreation spaces haven’t kept up. Families shouldn’t have to sit in traffic to access basic recreation facilities,” Leiper said.

All year round, sports clubs, schools and families can book time directly with the city to play sports like soccer, football and ultimate frisbee, according to Leiper’s plan.

Leiper plans to work with residents and its east-end councillors as well as francophone partners to choose the site and decide what goes inside the new recreation centre outlined in his plan.

“Residents would also help choose its name,” Leiper’s plan reads.

Leiper says he will finance the two projects by applying to Ontario’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, which offers up to $10 million for new facilities.

Mark Sutcliffe’s plan for every part of the city

Sutcliffe’s plan outlines policies and investments for every region of Ottawa, including suburban, rural and urban residents.

“A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Every part of our city is distinct, and our priorities must reflect that,” Sutcliffe’s plan reads.

East end

East-end residents under Sutcliffe, if he is elected for a second term, will see changes in traffic congestion and transit connections.

His plan includes the funding of the extension of Renaud Road and Brian Coburn Boulevard, and the widening of Navan Road “to help ease commuter congestion.”

Sutcliffe vows to ensure that the widening of the Innes bypass moves forward during the next term of council. He wants to establish an Eastern Economic Council and special economic district in Orléans “to grow the economy and create more employment opportunities in the east end.”

He also plans to work with the federal government to advance a pedestrian overpass at Trim Station, backed by a $65-million commitment to improving transit access and reliability.

Additionally, as mayor, he would also relocate the public works yard near Trim Station and repurpose the property for a transit-oriented development.

He also plans to “fully fund and complete the Gailea Momolu Courtyard Skate Park and the Jane Bremner multi-use pathway connecting Montreal Road at Blair Road to the Ottawa River.”

West end

Sutcliffe says he will support the Kanata North Tech Park development corporation to ensure the local economy grows through commercial and residential investments, and he promises to use his planning tools to protect the rural village character of communities such as Carp and prevent their suburbanization.

For transit, he promises to advance Phase 3 of LRT to Kanata and Stittsville, “fully fund” the resurfacing of Carp Road and advance water service to the Carp Road Corridor business area.

He also pledges to work with local builders to advance an entertainment and tourism hub alongside the westward expansion of Phase 3 LRT.

“The proposed district will integrate residential, commercial and attraction uses,” his plan reads.

His plan includes fully funding and completing the widening of Terry Fox Drive and converting Terry Fox Drive and Eagleson Road to a roundabout, to continue to develop a health hub at Maple Grove, to advance neighbourhood traffic-calming measures in the Blackstone community, including on major roads like Cope, local roads like Paseana, and other new streets “where speeding remains a concern.”

South end

For residents in the south end of Ottawa, Sutcliffe wants to review parks and recreation facilities across Osgoode and fund local repairs and enhancements, and fully fund and complete the design of the new Vars Community Centre.

He says he will also work with the federal government to fund a new bridge and the Earl Armstrong Road extension to remove trucks from Manotick and work with the provincial government to advance the ring road as well as advancing Phase 3 of LRT to Barrhaven.

He would like to improve infrastructure and traffic signals at Old Richmond Road and Fallowfield Road, and at Perth Road and Eagleson Road, to reduce congestion, as well as make sure the roundabout at Flewellyn Road and Shea Road is completed “as soon as possible.”

He plans to use zoning and other incentives to encourage local office space and business activity in Riverside South, and fully fund the necessary upgrades at Bank Street and Leitrim Road and advance the project as a priority.

To attract more doctors and nurse practitioners to Findlay Creek, Sutcliffe plans to leverage city-owned land to deliver a medical clinic.

His other plans include to complete a sidewalk on Church Street in North Gower, invest in the expansion of park and ride facilities to increase transit use and predictability for the south end of Ottawa, to ensure that public space is allocated to community groups that serve youth in Barrhaven to address a key gap in the local community’s social infrastructure, and to fully fund and complete the widening of Prince of Wales Drive.

Outer urban communities

Sutcliffe says he will focus on restoring local infrastructure, preparing neighbourhoods for flooding and improving community facilities across Ottawa’s outer urban areas.

He pledges to “invest significantly” in strengthening flood readiness and fixing aging infrastructure in Ottawa communities hit hardest by the Canada Day storm.

He will also launch a Neighbourhood Watch Program in areas where communities request it, prioritize the rehabilitation of the Sawmill Creek Recreation Centre, advance the revitalization of the Mooney’s Bay Pavilion, complete the expansion and renovation of the Alexander Community Centre and undertake a full review of all local parks and recreation facilities in Alta Vista, and work with the local councillor to advance substantial new investment into local parks and recreation facilities.

Inner urban communities

Sutcliffe pledges a plan for “safer streets, supportive housing, vibrant business districts, better event-day transportation and community facilities in Ottawa’s inner urban neighbourhoods.”

His plans to create “substantially more” supportive housing spaces, and advance a new facility for the Centre de services communautaires, Vanier (CSC Vanier), alongside recreational spaces for Vanier residents.

He plans to develop a local rapid-cleanup program to address needles, waste and other neighbourhood hazards. He would close so-called “pill mills” by revoking their business licences and activate the Emergency Co-ordination Centre to lead these activities.

He would work with local Business Improvement Areas to launch a Kitchissippi Business Improvement Plan focused on improving traffic flow and increasing parking options.

He plans to work with local builders to incorporate publicly owned parking into new infill developments.

He would champion the introduction of water taxis serving Lansdowne Park, and develop an improved transit loop using side streets to reduce traffic on Bank Street during major events and peak periods.

He plans to finish the redevelopment of the Beechwood corridor, and fully fund the municipal portion of the Windsor Park Field House.

Neil Saravanamuttoo’s ward funding plan

Saravanamuttoo has announced his “A million more reasons to love your neighbourhood” and launched his full platform during the past week.

He promises to provide $1 million in additional funding per ward, every year, over and above existing budgets.

Residents will decide how that money is spent in order to improve their own neighbourhoods.

“For example, a community could vote to fund free childcare nights, so that parents can get a break,” his plan reads.

Safer streets will also be decided locally, according to Saravanamuttoo’s plan.

“For example, your community might choose to fund a new pedestrian crossing.” He pledges to give community councils funding and authority for neighbourhood road-safety improvements.

He also promises to work with the Library Board to fund community-selected improvements like Sunday hours for libraries.

The plan is inspired by 10,000 cities around the world who have implemented it already, from Montreal to New York to Paris to Seoul to Port Alegre, Brazil.

“Ottawa can too,” his plan reads. “We’ll publish the costs, decisions and delivery timelines so you can see where your neighbourhood’s money goes.”

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