‘We are making progress’: Sutcliffe makes his case for a second term

When incumbent Mayor Mark Sutcliffe talks about the direction the City of Ottawa has taken over the last four years, he sums it up simply, in a calm demeanour: "We are making progress." 

His positive outlook that the city is heading in the right direction has also been reflected in a more collaborative tone around the council table. When Sutcliffe took office, he inherited a council that had often been divided over some of the city's biggest issues. The downtown core had just finished navigating the impacts of the 2021 "Freedom Convoy." There was friction over the handling of the Ottawa Police Services Board. COVID-19 was in its third year. And an inquiry into the city's flawed light rail system was just commencing. 

Now, the heated debates previously seen between what was branded "the Watson club" and the other councillors, who'd typically vote more politically left, are over. Sutcliffe believes that's thanks to his leadership style and ability to work with opposing sides to get tasks done. 

That's not to say the city isn't without its challenges: major infrastructure deficits, insufficient funds to repair aging community amenities, a transit system that has struggled for nearly a decade to recover, rising crime, and a downtown that lacks an identity. 

Sutcliffe, who won with a small majority of about 51 per cent of the vote in 2022, is seeking a second term as mayor. He says his name will be on the ballot again because there is still work to be done, and he's the man for the job. 

"In the last four years, we've dramatically increased our investment in public transit, in fixing our roads and sidewalks, and in affordable housing. We've hired more police officers and paramedics. We've virtually eliminated the ambulance shortage, so there are no more level zero events or very few," Sutcliffe said of his record in an interview with the Ottawa Lookout. 

"We kept taxes low to respect people's affordability. We found savings and efficiencies at city hall. I secured more than $5 billion in funding commitments from the other levels of government. We made a lot of progress. I got everybody working together, and I want to continue to move Ottawa forward," he said. 

Whether Ottawa residents agree or not will become apparent when voters head to the polls on Oct. 26, but early polling data shows a two-way race between Sutcliffe and current Kitchissippi Ward Coun. Jeff Leiper.  

An ElectRight poll conducted between Sep. 17-18 found 35 per cent of respondents would back Sutcliffe if the election were held today, compared to 19 per cent in support of Leiper. Economist Neil Saravanamuttoo came in third at 10 per cent, with homebuilder Alex Lawson trailing at four per cent. Another 28 per cent surveyed said they were still unsure. 

A separate poll conducted by Liaison Strategies in late July found different results. Sutcliffe remained in the lead at 24 per cent, followed by Leiper and Lawson tied for second place at 17 per cent. Those results also showed Saravanamutto behind at seven per cent. 

Perhaps at the top of every mayoral campaign is the desire to invest in public transit. Sutcliffe said OC Transpo statistics prove the system is more reliable than it was four years ago, "but it's still not good enough." 

To improve on that, Sutcliffe said the city has already purchased 500 buses, with new electric buses regularly entering the fleet. To get more people out of their cars and onto public transit, he's looking to lower fares.