---
title: "Leiper pledges $50M for sewer upgrades in three wards hit hardest by July flooding"
description: "Jeff Leiper says he would commit $50 million to upgrade sewer and green infrastructure in Bay, College and Knoxdale-Merivale wards, and raise grants for flood-stricken households to as much as $10,000."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/leiper-flood-sewer-plan-2026-10-20"
last_updated: "2026-10-21T00:23:45.333Z"
---

[Jeff Leiper](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/jeff-leiper) promised on Tuesday a $50-million plan to upgrade sewer and green infrastructure in three west Ottawa wards, and said he would raise city grants to flood-affected households to as much as $10,000 for lower-income residents. CTV News reported the announcement on October 20, 2026.

The three wards in the plan are Bay, College and Knoxdale-Merivale. CTV News reported that city staff identified those three wards as the ones hit hardest by the July 1, 2026 rainstorm, which dumped 167 millimetres or more of rain on some parts of the city. Leiper's campaign said more than 6,600 basement flooding reports came in after that storm, and that many affected families are still dealing with damaged homes, insurance claims and paperwork months later.

## What the plan includes

Leiper said he would move faster to replace aging sewers and would improve nature-based ways to absorb heavy rainfall, such as adding more trees, plants and stormwater ponds. His campaign also said the plan includes a dedicated flood navigator team to help residents directly with insurance claims, provincial disaster relief and city programs.

He would waive permit fees for flood repairs and would ramp up 3-1-1 staffing during major storms, according to CTV News.

## Grants for affected residents

The City of Ottawa currently pays $1,000 through a compassionate grant program to property owners or tenants affected by basement flooding caused by sewer surcharging. Hundreds of residents submitted applications after the July 1 storm, CTV News reported.

Leiper said he would raise the maximum grant from $1,000 to $10,000 for lower-income households. His campaign said the deadline to apply for provincial disaster assistance is only weeks away, and that many residents are still working through the process on their own.

## Other candidates' positions

Neil Saravanamuttoo also released an environmental protection plan on October 20, which CTV News reported includes replacing aging sewers and improving nature-based solutions for absorbing rainwater. Incumbent Mayor [Mark Sutcliffe](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe) has previously announced a $500-million pledge to improve climate resiliency through upgraded storm sewers, improved drainage and ditch enhancements.

Fourteen candidates are running for mayor in Ottawa's October 26 election. You can see the full list of candidates on the [Ottawa mayoral candidates page](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor).

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