Ottawa’s new City Council revealed
OTTAWA, Oct. 25, 2022 – Political rookie Mark Sutcliffe is the new mayor of Ottawa. The 54-years old longtime broadcaster and publisher defeated his nearest opponent Catherine McKenney in a tight race vowing to bring “new leadership” to Ottawa City Hall. Sutcliffe also beat 12 other candidates to become the new mayor of Canada’s capital succeeding Jim Watson.
Sutcliffe was handily elected with 51.3 percent of the vote (161,679 votes) while McKenney received 37.9 percent (119, 241 votes). Ottawa’s former mayor Bob Chiarelli failed to make a comeback placing a distant third with just 5 percent of the vote. Nour Kadri came in fourth with 2.5 percent of the vote, while all other candidates received less than one percent of the vote.
“Tonight the people of Ottawa made a clear decision,” Sutcliffe said after the election results were announced. “You voted for positive change,” he told supporters at Lago. “You voted for compassion and fiscal responsibility. You voted for a safer, more reliable, more affordable city. You voted for an approach that works for all of Ottawa.”
Sutcliffe paid tribute to his principal opponent McKenney who has represented Somerset Ward from 2014 to 2022. “Catherine is a trailblazer,” he said. “Catherine is an incredibly passionate advocate for the most vulnerable, and Catherine has an unequalled ambition for what our city can be.”
The mayor-elect will have his work cut out for him when he is sworn in next month. The city of Ottawa is facing many challenges: the future of downtown, a troubled transit system, an affordable housing crunch, financial pressures, the potential for a recession, companies that need to find employees, the shortage of family doctors and paramedics, and bringing more tourists to Ottawa.
Sutcliffe’s campaign promises include capping property taxes at 2 to 2.5 per cent a year for the first two years of his mandate, spending $100 million over four years on roads and cycling infrastructure while finding at least $35 million in savings at Ottawa City Hall, freezing transit fares for all users, and building 100,000 houses over 10 years.
Throw in at least three new dog parks in the suburbs and reducing recreation fees for children and youth by 10 per cent and it’s a tall order. To that end, Sutcliffe’s 100-day plan for first items would include a line-by-line review of city spending.
However, Sutcliffe promises to bring a collegial approach to the Ottawa council table and “to continue to listen” to what supporters of all the candidates have told him during the campaign. He said he believes that he can find “common ground” in order to get the job done.
At least one of Ottawa’s 24 councillors (13 incumbents, 11 new faces) is on board. Re-elected Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper congratulated Sutcliffe on the election victory, and said, “you have my commitment to ensuring we have a productive term as we turn the page on a new era.”
Here is the new Ottawa City Council:
Ward 1 – Orleans East-Cumberland
Matthew Luloff elected for a second term
Ward 2 – Orleans West-Innes
Laura Dudas reelected for a second term
Ward 3 – Barrhaven West
David Hill is the new councillor
Ward 4 – Kanata North
Cathy Curry re-elected
Ward 5 – West Carleton-March
Clarke Kelly is the new councillor
Ward 6 – Stittsville
Glen Gower re-elected for a second term
Ward 7 – Bay
Theresa Kavanagh re-elected for a second term
Ward 8 – College
Laine Johnson is the new councillor
Ward 9 – Knoxdale Merivale
Sean Devine is the new councillor
Ward 10 – Gloucester-Southgate
Jessica Bradley is the new councillor
Ward 11 – Beacon Hill-Cyrville
Tim Tierney elected for a fourth term
Ward 12 – Rideau-Vanier
Stephanie Plante is the new councillor
Ward 13 – Rideau-Rockcliffe
Rawlson King elected for a new term
Ward 14 – Somerset
Ariel Troster is the new councillor
Ward 15 – Kitchissippi
Jeff Leiper re-elected for a third term
Ward 16 – River
Riley Brockington re-elected for a third term
Ward 17 – Capital
Shawn Menard re-elected for second term
Ward 18 – Alta Vista
Marty Carr is the new councillor
Ward 19 – Orleans South-Navan
Catherine Kitts re-elected
Ward 20 – Osgoode
George Darouze re-elected for a third term
Ward 21 – Rideau-Jock
Dave Brown is the new councillor
Ward 22 – Riverside South-Findlay Creek
Steve Desroches re-elected
Ward 23 – Kanata South
Allan Hubley re-elected for a fourth term
Ward 24 – Barrhaven East
Wilson Lo elected for the new riding
by Deborah Rankin
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