---
title: "All four leading Ottawa mayoral candidates have flooding plans, as voters head to the polls"
description: "A one-in-200-year storm on Canada Day flooded more than 7,000 Ottawa basements. On election day, each leading mayoral candidate has proposed a response."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/flooding-mayoral-candidates-2026-10-26"
last_updated: "2026-10-26T23:49:08.385Z"
---

A storm on July 1, 2026 dropped 167 millimetres of rain in hours on the southwest corner of Ottawa, flooding more than 7,000 basements, The Narwhal reported on Monday. Now, on election day, all four leading candidates in Ottawa's mayoral race have announced plans to prevent that damage from happening again.

Carl Meyer, The Narwhal's Ontario and climate investigations reporter, wrote that the storm was so concentrated in one part of the city that Environment and Climate Change Canada's national extreme weather monitoring system did not record it. The monitoring system tracks rainfall across broader regions, a federal spokesperson confirmed to The Narwhal.

A 2020 report commissioned by the City and the National Capital Commission, quoted in The Narwhal piece, predicted that climate change will bring more intense rainfall and increase the risk of flooding, and that city planning must account for these future risks.

**What each candidate proposes**

[Jeff Leiper](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/jeff-leiper), a three-term city councillor, has announced a $50-million plan for sewer upgrades in the three wards hardest hit by the July storm, according to The Narwhal. His plan also includes increased grants for flooding victims, a new team to help residents with insurance claims, waived permit fees for flood repairs, and more staff for 3-1-1 calls during storms.

[Mark Sutcliffe](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe), the incumbent mayor running for a second term, plans to prioritize $500 million in climate infrastructure, including upgraded storm sewers and ditches, with priority for flood-prone communities, The Narwhal reported. His campaign told The Narwhal the 2026 city budget already includes $94 million in capital contributions that apply a climate lens to projects across the city.

[Neil Saravanamuttoo](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/neil-saravanamuttoo) proposes city-run neighbourhood retrofits where the city arranges bulk buying and financing and helps residents apply for federal rebates, according to The Narwhal. He also plans to create stormwater ponds and plant trees as flood mitigation measures.

[Alex Lawson](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/alex-lawson) told The Narwhal he would review the city's disaster response process and publish a report on sewer maintenance records, street by street. His campaign cited his experience on the board of West Carleton Disaster Relief.

Voting in Ottawa is open today until 8 p.m. at 369 locations across the city. See [/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor) for all candidates on the mayoral ballot.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/on/ottawa-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.