Ottawa voters head to the polls on Oct. 26, 2026, to choose city councillors across 24 wards and decide a competitive mayoral race. Advance voting drew 27,553 electors on Oct. 16.
Mayoral Candidates Unveil Multi-Million Dollar Commitments on Policing and Infrastructure
As the capital enters the final week of the campaign, leading mayoral candidates have staked out distinct promises on public safety, transit fares, and urban development. Incumbent Mayor Mark Sutcliffe unveiled a comprehensive 70-page platform outlining a vision for the city’s next 25 years.
Sutcliffe also pledged to hire 350 more police officers, paramedics, and firefighters, cut small-business taxes by nearly $4,000 annually, and double the Ottawa Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit if elected. His safety proposals involve reconvening the Faith Leaders Council within his first 60 days and launching a city-wide campaign against extremist recruitment, paired with a pilot program to provide free annual recreation passes worth nearly $550 to Ottawa residents undergoing cancer treatment.
Challenger Alex Lawson countered with a targeted proposal on police patrol resources, arguing that the city’s math needs an overhaul. Lawson noted that Ottawa maintained 42 patrol cars in 1995 for a population of 721,000, and continues to operate the same minimum today despite the population reaching 1.1 million. Under his plan, the minimum floor would rise to 64 cars, adding approximately 110 officers to the streets at a cost of roughly $20 million a year, or $42 per household.
Kanata Recreation and Health Infrastructure Take Center Stage
Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper turned his focus to west-end infrastructure, promising to establish a new recreation centre and community health hub in Kanata. The proposed facility would house dedicated space for medical practitioners to deliver community health and recreation services under one roof. Leiper pointed to a recent precedent where hundreds of residents lined up at a local clinic before dawn hoping to find a doctor, highlighting deep health care scarcity in a community home to more than 45,000 residents where growth has outpaced city recreation plans.
Competitive Ward Races Draw Scrutiny Across Ottawa
Beyond the mayoral contest, several suburban and urban wards are seeing fiercely contested battles. In Kanata South, four-time incumbent Allan Hubley faces a tight race amid outside political engagement. Hubley, one of the two longest-serving sitting council members, captured 34 per cent of the vote last election compared to 23 per cent for his closest competitor.
In Stittsville, where incumbent Glen Gower is not seeking re-election after serving since 2018, nine candidates are vying to replace him in one of the city’s fastest-growing wards. The crowded field includes cybersecurity company CEO Narwal, Leading Ladies Canada founder Marie-Ange Ahinful, Kichesippi Beer Company founder Paul Meek, and Walton, each drawing on non-profit or private sector experience.
If you want to move to Kanata, go for it … but I don’t want Kanata to move here.
West Carleton-March candidate, via CBC
In rural West Carleton-March, candidates are clashing over the pressure of urban boundaries and rural preservation.