---
title: "Ottawa mayoral candidate Leiper and Ward 17 incumbent Menard call for Sunday library hours"
description: "Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper and Capital Ward councillor Shawn Menard have each committed to expanding Ottawa Public Library hours, with Menard's petition gathering hundreds of signatures."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/leiper-menard-library-hours-2026-10-13"
last_updated: "2026-10-13T14:20:29.102Z"
---

Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper and Capital Ward incumbent Shawn Menard have each publicly committed to expanding Ottawa Public Library hours on Sundays, Capital Current reported on October 12. Only 10 of OPL's 33 branches are open on both Saturdays and Sundays, a gap that parents and regular library users have repeatedly brought to candidates as the October 26 vote approaches.

Leiper told Capital Current that the city is obligated to provide the greatest possible number of library hours. "People lead busy lives," he said. "It's often the weekend when they can take advantage of library hours." He said he expects the necessary funding could be found within the existing city budget. If extended hours prove more costly than he anticipates, he said he would be open to modest tax increases to cover them.

[Menard](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/shawn-menard), who is seeking re-election as councillor for Ward 17 Capital, is focused on the Sunnyside branch in his ward. His campaign has circulated a petition for expanded Sunday hours at that branch, which had gathered hundreds of signatures as of Capital Current's report. He told the outlet that families frequently arrive to find the branch closed on Sunday or on Friday mornings. Twenty-three of the library's 33 branches open late on Fridays, at 1 p.m.; five are closed on Fridays entirely.

OPL spokesperson Nadine Bernard told Capital Current that the library has heard from many users who want more hours on Friday mornings and Sundays, and that it is extending opening hours through a phased, multi-year approach. A new collective agreement with unionized library workers includes Sundays as core hours, requiring each worker to work at least one in every six Sundays. Menard described the agreement as a step toward expanded hours, though he said funding remains a barrier.

Any change to operating hours would need OPL board approval, with the required funding subject to city council approval through the budget process, Bernard said.

OPL has more than 268,000 active cardholders, according to its 2025 annual report. Its operating budget is $69.2 million and its capital budget is $7.78 million, according to City of Ottawa budget documents.

Two new branches are expected to open next year. OPL spokesperson Anthony Langlois told Capital Current that the Hunt Club branch will likely follow local-branch hours, meaning it would be closed on Sundays with reduced Friday and Saturday hours, though exact times are not yet confirmed. The central branch at Adisoke will be open every day, he said, but its hours are also not yet confirmed.

Voters in Ward 17 Capital can view the candidates for that seat, including Menard, at [/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#councillor](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#councillor). Voters choosing the mayor can compare candidates including [Jeff Leiper](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/jeff-leiper) at [/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor). Voting day is October 26, with advance voting at assigned voting places on October 16 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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