[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":280},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-\u002Fnews\u002Fleiper-rural-plan-2026-10-07":3,"news-list":153,"article-people-\u002Fnews\u002Fleiper-rural-plan-2026-10-07":268},{"id":4,"title":5,"aiMetadata":6,"author":20,"body":21,"candidates":88,"category":90,"date":91,"description":92,"extension":93,"faq":94,"image":119,"imageAlt":120,"imageCheckedAt":121,"imageCredit":122,"linkedin":123,"linkedinPostUrl":130,"meta":131,"metaDescription":130,"navigation":133,"path":134,"primarySourceUrl":135,"publishedAt":121,"seo":136,"seoTitle":130,"sourceId":137,"sourceIsPaywalled":138,"sources":139,"stem":145,"storyType":146,"tags":147,"topicKey":151,"updated":130,"__hash__":152},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fleiper-rural-plan-2026-10-07.md","Jeff Leiper lays out five-point plan for rural Ottawa",{"summary":7,"keyTopics":8,"semanticKeywords":14},"Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper released a five-point rural platform on October 6, 2026, including a rural secretariat in the mayor's office, a formal voice for farmers, a rural road safety program, clear service standards, and a village growth plan.",[9,10,11,12,13],"rural Ottawa","mayoral platform","infrastructure","Jeff Leiper","municipal election 2026",[15,16,17,18,19],"rural secretariat","rural road safety","village growth plan","infrastructure levy","Ottawa mayor race","voche.me editors",{"type":22,"value":23,"toc":81},"minimark",[24,28,31,36,39,42,45,48,51,55,58,62,65,68],[25,26,27],"p",{},"Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper published a five-point rural platform on October 6, 2026, promising to create a dedicated office for rural residents inside the mayor's office and a formal planning role for farmers, CTV News reported.",[25,29,30],{},"Leiper's campaign put out a news release outlining the plan. \"Rural Ottawa deserves a mayor who listens, shows up and gets things fixed, it's time to give rural communities a stronger voice and the investment they deserve,\" Leiper said in that release.",[32,33,35],"h2",{"id":34},"what-the-plan-says","What the plan says",[25,37,38],{},"The first point is a rural secretariat inside the mayor's office. Leiper's campaign says this office would give rural residents and business owners a direct line to the mayor and make sure rural views are included in city hall decisions.",[25,40,41],{},"The second point is a formal voice for farmers and rural businesses in city economic and policy planning. The campaign says this would include dedicated support to help rural businesses deal with city hall processes.",[25,43,44],{},"The third point is a rural road safety program. Leiper's campaign says he would identify and publicly track priority repairs to roads, bridges, culverts and drainage in rural Ottawa.",[25,46,47],{},"The fourth point is a rural service review that sets clear service standards for roads, infrastructure, policing and other municipal services in rural areas.",[25,49,50],{},"The fifth point is a village growth plan that the campaign says would support new housing and infrastructure while protecting farmland, village character and rural landscapes.",[32,52,54],{"id":53},"a-previous-pledge","A previous pledge",[25,56,57],{},"Leiper had already announced, before this plan, that he would add a one per cent levy to property tax bills to fund city infrastructure. CTV News reported that the levy is meant to cover a major funding gap for city infrastructure.",[32,59,61],{"id":60},"what-other-candidates-have-said","What other candidates have said",[25,63,64],{},"Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe has promised economic and development zones in rural and suburban Ottawa, a village main street rehabilitation program, and increased policing and paramedic services in rural areas, CTV News reported. Sutcliffe and Leiper opponent Alex Lawson have both pledged support for a ring road.",[25,66,67],{},"Lawson's rural plan includes increasing the frequency of rural road assessments from once every five years to once every three years, and new service standards for farm business licensing and ditch maintenance, according to CTV News.",[25,69,70,71,76,77,80],{},"Voters can compare all 14 mayoral candidates on the ",[72,73,75],"a",{"href":74},"\u002Fon\u002Fottawa-2026\u002Fcandidates#mayor","Ottawa 2026 candidates page",". Read more about ",[72,78,12],{"href":79},"\u002Fon\u002Fottawa-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fjeff-leiper"," on voche.me. Voting day is October 26.",{"title":82,"searchDepth":83,"depth":83,"links":84},"",2,[85,86,87],{"id":34,"depth":83,"text":35},{"id":53,"depth":83,"text":54},{"id":60,"depth":83,"text":61},[89],"jeff-leiper","Election news","2026-10-07","Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper published a five-point rural platform on October 6, promising a dedicated office for rural residents and a new voice for farmers.","md",[95,98,101,104,107,110,113,116],{"question":96,"answer":97},"What did Jeff Leiper announce for rural Ottawa?","Jeff Leiper, a mayoral candidate in the October 26 Ottawa election, published a five-point rural platform on October 6, 2026, according to CTV News. The plan includes a rural secretariat inside the mayor's office, a formal voice for farmers and rural businesses, a dedicated rural road safety program, a review of service standards for roads and policing in rural areas, and a village growth plan that aims to support new housing while protecting farmland. You can read more about Leiper at his candidate page: \u002Fon\u002Fottawa-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fjeff-leiper",{"question":99,"answer":100},"What is the rural secretariat Leiper is proposing?","Leiper's platform says the rural secretariat would be a dedicated office inside the mayor's office that gives rural residents and business owners a direct line to the mayor. According to his campaign's news release, reported by CTV News, its purpose would be to make sure rural views are included in city hall decisions. Leiper's campaign put this forward as part of his October 6 announcement.",{"question":102,"answer":103},"How much would Leiper's rural plan cost Ottawa taxpayers?","CTV News did not report a cost figure for the rural plan in its October 6 report. A separate pledge, announced earlier, would add a one per cent levy to property taxes to fund city infrastructure broadly, which CTV News reported is meant to cover a major funding gap. No breakdown of costs for the rural plan specifically was reported by CTV News.",{"question":105,"answer":106},"What is Leiper's position on rural roads and infrastructure?","Leiper's platform, as reported by CTV News on October 6, 2026, says he would publicly identify and track priority repairs to roads, bridges, culverts and drainage in rural Ottawa and create a dedicated rural road safety program. He would also create a rural service review that sets clear service standards for roads, infrastructure, policing and other municipal services in rural areas.",{"question":108,"answer":109},"What did Mark Sutcliffe promise for rural Ottawa?","CTV News reported that incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe has promised to create economic and development zones in rural and suburban Ottawa, establish a working group with rural businesses to respond to U.S. tariffs, launch a village main street rehabilitation program, and increase policing and paramedic services in rural areas. Both Sutcliffe and Lawson have pledged support for a ring road. Sutcliffe is the incumbent mayor running for re-election on October 26.",{"question":111,"answer":112},"What did Alex Lawson promise for rural Ottawa?","According to CTV News, Alex Lawson's rural plan includes increasing rural road safety by setting a new safety standard, changing the renewal process for rural roads, and increasing the frequency of rural road assessments from every five years to every three years. He also promised new service standards for farm business licensing and local ditch and drainage maintenance. Lawson is one of 14 candidates for mayor of Ottawa.",{"question":114,"answer":115},"Who else is running for mayor of Ottawa?","According to CTV News, 14 candidates are on the City of Ottawa's list for mayor. In addition to Jeff Leiper, they are: Queen Divine Priya Amber Bakshi, Zed Chebib, Bernard Couchman, Suraj Harish, Alex Lawson, Geoff Nicholas, Josh Rachlis, Neil Saravanamuttoo, Ali Shayvard, Jacob Solomon, Mark Sutcliffe (the incumbent), Amjad Ali Syed, and Peter Westaway. You can see all candidates at \u002Fon\u002Fottawa-2026\u002Fcandidates#mayor",{"question":117,"answer":118},"When is voting day in the Ottawa municipal election?","Voting day in the Ottawa municipal election is October 26, 2026. An advance voting day is October 16, with voting places open from 10 am to 8 pm. Special advance voting days were held October 1 to 4. Voters choose the mayor, one city councillor per ward, and school board trustees for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Ottawa Catholic School Board, and the two French-language school boards.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FQIWESIVUGJDBPEHYDASSX5FBAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=5935cfc4d56da3fae233cbd9e01353a14ef9b831ca99a0ab424bc8bca2b74735&width=1200&height=630","Jeff Leiper speaks with a reporter about his rural plan for Ottawa","2026-10-07T16:48:50-04:00","CTV News Ottawa",{"short":124,"long":125,"hashtags":126},"Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper published a five-point plan for rural Ottawa on October 6, including a new office for rural residents at city hall and a formal voice for farmers.","Jeff Leiper, a mayoral candidate in Ottawa's October 26 election, published a five-point rural platform on October 6. It includes a rural secretariat in the mayor's office, a formal planning role for farmers and rural businesses, a rural road safety program, clearer service standards, and a village growth plan. Leiper also previously committed to a one per cent infrastructure levy. Voting day is October 26.",[127,128,129],"OttawaElection2026","Ottawa","OttawaMayor",null,{"sourceName":132},"CTV News",true,"\u002Fnews\u002Fleiper-rural-plan-2026-10-07","https:\u002F\u002Fctvnews.ca\u002Fottawa\u002Farticle\u002Fleiper-promises-to-give-rural-residents-stronger-voice-if-elected-mayor-of-ottawa",{"title":5,"description":92},"google:CBMivAFBVV95cUxNMXBmVEZLWXIxWnFvUi0wU0RkU2lVWHJNRm40SHA5dDZYVXVWaWdLMDkxZlpVS1oxczNHU1MzZFFVNWZGTHFuTVNkVFQyOUZQb1l3LVNhSmpjbUpaNVhvUDcwNGlhLVk5cnYyR2RQM0hRLTRlOWtDTm5ld2R2b1Q4dVdGOGhjVWQ3dVRtVVZpclJjN0tfMlZiRU1fUnBFRVpQdEsxR0JJOGRGcy10SE8ySWQxbG83ZTBDT3A1WQ",false,[140,142],{"label":141,"url":135},"CTV News: Leiper promises to give rural residents stronger voice if elected mayor of Ottawa",{"label":143,"url":144},"voche.me: Jeff Leiper candidate page","https:\u002F\u002Fvoche.me\u002Fon\u002Fottawa-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fjeff-leiper","news\u002Fleiper-rural-plan-2026-10-07","announcement",[148,149,11,150],"Mayor","rural","platform","jeff-leiper\u002Fplatform","3hh2sKgDShe7vAXLG1AP1nAFPklnrzmmga1NKYIpbU8",[154,167,179,191,200,213,226,236,238,249,259],{"path":155,"title":156,"description":157,"date":158,"publishedAt":159,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":160,"image":164,"imageAlt":165,"imageCredit":166,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Flawson-drug-recovery-plan-2026-10-09","Alex Lawson proposes 200-bed addiction recovery centre on Greenbelt land","Ottawa mayoral candidate Alex Lawson has released a drug recovery plan that calls for a 200-bed facility on leased National Capital Commission land in the Greenbelt.","2026-10-09","2026-10-09T22:37:00-04:00",[148,161,162,163],"addiction","housing","public safety","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002F4CSB4ABRIBD4JMG364XMGAYMFM.png?smart=true&auth=bc32f0e8b6198b54ab15461b0e5cd264b6b5a0a5ff877ab1c857f5744ca59110&width=1200&height=630","Alex Lawson at the City of Ottawa Elections Office after registering for the 2026 municipal election","Natalie van Rooy \u002F CTV News Ottawa",{"path":168,"title":169,"description":170,"date":158,"publishedAt":171,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":172,"image":176,"imageAlt":177,"imageCredit":178,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fmayor-forum-transit-trees-2026-10-09","Seven mayoral candidates lay out transit and environment plans at Nepean Sportsplex forum","Seven of Ottawa's 14 mayoral candidates spoke at a People's Official Plan Coalition forum on Aug. 26 about transit, trees and climate resilience. Mark Sutcliffe and Alex Lawson did not attend.","2026-10-09T16:42:00-04:00",[148,173,174,175],"transit","environment","forum","https:\u002F\u002Fcapitalcurrent.ca\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F09\u002FM8A1453-CandidatesCC.jpg","Seven mayoral candidates sit at a panel table at the Nepean Sportsplex forum on August 26 2026","Justin Campbell \u002F Capital Current",{"path":180,"title":181,"description":182,"date":158,"publishedAt":183,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":184,"image":188,"imageAlt":189,"imageCredit":190,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fottawa-advance-voting-day-2026-10-09","Ottawa's Advance Voting Day is October 16, one day fewer than 2022","Ottawa voters have one Advance Voting Day this year, Thursday Oct. 16, from 10 am to 8 pm. The City held one fewer advance voting day than in 2022, when two were held, partly because 2022's second day was a COVID-19 measure.","2026-10-09T13:40:00-04:00",[185,186,187],"advance voting","election office","voting day","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FZRGMQMHMPVCQVJP74GTMR4FE5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=a4f4c47303f37bcb8bcf1c1e7610bca1599d87bce8a4a4316b3b5367f615adfc&width=1200&height=630","Voters at an advance voting location at Ottawa City Hall on October 1, 2026","Natalie van Rooy\u002FCTV News Ottawa",{"path":192,"title":193,"description":194,"date":158,"publishedAt":195,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":196,"image":198,"imageAlt":199,"imageCredit":122,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsutcliffe-poll-lead-2026-10-09","Sutcliffe leads Leiper by 18 points in Nanos poll with 17 days to go","A new Nanos Research poll conducted for CTV News Ottawa shows Mark Sutcliffe with 49 per cent support among decided voters, compared to 31 per cent for Jeff Leiper.","2026-10-09T16:39:00-04:00",[148,197],"poll","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FBAFC234KJBBKPOMOBZ5LKVYRYQ.png?smart=true&auth=5bb6c32da8133762e2b4f2aa7ee3ef9df9800141ebb0184f8e0b9073ab67940d&width=1200&height=630","Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe speaks at a podium during a campaign event",{"path":201,"title":202,"description":203,"date":204,"publishedAt":205,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":206,"image":210,"imageAlt":211,"imageCredit":212,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Flawson-tax-freeze-plan-2026-10-08","Alex Lawson releases fiscal plan promising 2027 property tax freeze","Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson released a fiscal plan on Oct. 8 promising no property tax increase in 2027, followed by caps of one per cent in 2028 and two per cent in each of 2029 and 2030.","2026-10-08","2026-10-08T09:34:00-04:00",[148,207,208,209],"tax","budget","fiscal plan","https:\u002F\u002Fi.cbc.ca\u002Fais\u002F0c0a29b5-c26a-49f3-be80-03439b42aa80,1790943028687\u002Ffull\u002Fmax\u002F0\u002Fdefault.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%281%2C0%2C2766%2C1555%29%3B","Ottawa mayoral candidate Alex Lawson speaking at a debate","Michel Aspirot\u002FCBC",{"path":214,"title":215,"description":216,"date":91,"publishedAt":217,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":218,"image":223,"imageAlt":224,"imageCredit":225,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fkitchissippi-signs-defaced-2026-10-07","Ottawa police investigate after a hate symbol is found on Kitchissippi candidate's sign","Ottawa Police say they received a report on October 5 about hate symbols drawn on election signs belonging to Kitchissippi council candidate Subhir Uppal. The Hate and Bias Crime Unit is investigating.","2026-10-07T16:51:00-04:00",[219,220,221,222],"Councillor","ward-15-kitchissippi","campaign signs","hate","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002F7XYIVBLHE5BADBABOVRTZUFGRA.jpg?smart=true&auth=32544c89f3a48ea7ce49a2230f2b3728bb0a8d84cd761ddc1ab3002b5ae9e1bc&width=1200&height=630","Kitchissippi Ward campaign signs on a residential street in Ottawa","Leah Larocque\u002FCTV News Ottawa",{"path":227,"title":228,"description":229,"date":91,"publishedAt":230,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":231,"image":234,"imageAlt":235,"imageCredit":190,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Flawson-small-business-taxes-2026-10-07","Alex Lawson pledges to raise small business tax cut to 25 per cent","Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson announced a plan to raise the city's small business property tax discount from 15 per cent to 25 per cent, at a cost he puts at $8.4 million a year.","2026-10-07T16:49:30-04:00",[148,232,233,150],"small business","taxes","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FD5L5VU5VI5HYBFIRWUDXGSAGUU.png?smart=true&auth=73d5ca1cd5a373339ee62a8db839cd55daa183151a3f442d7946de9764417737&width=1200&height=630","Alex Lawson at the City of Ottawa Elections Office",{"path":134,"title":5,"description":92,"date":91,"publishedAt":121,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":237,"image":119,"imageAlt":120,"imageCredit":122,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},[148,149,11,150],{"path":239,"title":240,"description":241,"date":91,"publishedAt":242,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":243,"image":246,"imageAlt":247,"imageCredit":248,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fottawa-economic-panel-2026-10-07","Mayoral candidates lay out economic plans as Ottawa Board of Trade holds industry panel","Four Ottawa mayoral candidates released or outlined economic development positions on Tuesday, as business leaders held a panel at the Ottawa Art Gallery on downtown revitalization, transit and red tape.","2026-10-07T22:39:00-04:00",[148,244,245,173,232],"economic development","downtown","https:\u002F\u002Fi.cbc.ca\u002Fais\u002F793ea84b-3c71-4dc7-b9ab-70d75afa7107,1791341230507\u002Ffull\u002Fmax\u002F0\u002Fdefault.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C247%2C4032%2C2268%29%3BResize%3D620","Business leaders at a panel discussion on a stage at the Ottawa Art Gallery","Elyse Skura\u002FCBC",{"path":250,"title":251,"description":252,"date":91,"publishedAt":253,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":254,"image":256,"imageAlt":257,"imageCredit":258,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fstittsville-ward-six-race-2026-10-07","Nine candidates compete to be Stittsville's new councillor","Ward 6 has nine people on the ballot after Glen Gower announced he would not seek a third term. Traffic, transit and housing are the main topics.","2026-10-08T13:33:00-04:00",[219,255],"Ward 6 Stittsville","https:\u002F\u002Fsmartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\u002Fottawacitizen\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fottelectionoct6_305612857.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200&h=900","Aerial view of Stittsville Main Street in Ottawa on October 5, 2026","Tony Caldwell \u002F Ottawa Citizen",{"path":260,"title":261,"description":262,"date":91,"publishedAt":263,"author":20,"category":90,"tags":264,"image":266,"imageAlt":267,"imageCredit":225,"updated":130,"linkedinPostUrl":130},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsutcliffe-mental-health-plan-2026-10-07","Sutcliffe promises community-wide strategy for mental health and drug crises","Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe announced on October 7 a plan to bring health care, housing and public safety organizations together into a city-wide strategy for mental health and the toxic drug crisis.","2026-10-07T16:50:10-04:00",[148,265,163,150],"mental health","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FBK5Y6RLJN5GERP6SHABZVJ4L5Y.png?smart=true&auth=2b5443b3750d5a2634e3395083cf6248240ea389e15af6b931e4f40e24fda0aa&width=1200&height=630","Mark Sutcliffe speaks at an event during his 2026 re-election campaign",[269],{"slug":89,"name":12,"office":148,"party":130,"portrait":270,"colour":279,"palette":130},{"src":271,"smallSrc":272,"width":273,"height":274,"alt":275,"credit":276,"sourceUrl":277,"position":278},"\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fjeff-leiper-640.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fjeff-leiper-320.webp",640,800,"Jeff Leiper, from Jeff Leiper campaign (leiper2026.ca).","Jeff Leiper campaign (leiper2026.ca)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.leiper2026.ca","50% 30%","plum",1791605115274]