Jeff Leiper courts student voters with transit and housing pledges
The Charlatan spoke with the Kitchissippi councillor about his plans for OC Transpo, public land for housing, and ByWard Market ahead of Ottawa's Oct. 26 vote.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on charlatan.ca.
Jeff Leiper told The Charlatan this week that Ottawa's more than 100,000 students could decide the Oct. 26 mayoral race if they showed up to vote, and that his platform on transit, housing, and downtown is built on what students have been asking city council to deliver.
The Charlatan, Carleton University's independent student newspaper, interviewed Jeff Leiper as part of a series profiling the four leading candidates for mayor. The article was published on Oct. 20.
"It is conceivable that if all students voted, they could elect a mayor and city council," Leiper told the paper.
Transit: a governance review in the first budget
Leiper said transit is "the number one issue across the city" and told The Charlatan that his first budget as mayor would include a top-down review of OC Transpo's governance. He said he would increase the agency's budget, pointing to service cuts during the current term, and fund more bus lanes and expanded bus rapid transit routes to shorten travel times.
The Charlatan noted that Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has not directly cut OC Transpo's operating budget, but that service reductions have taken place as the agency has dealt with debt and revenue shortfalls.
Housing: city land to non-profit providers
On housing, Leiper told The Charlatan his central tool would be surplus city-owned land. He said that land should be transferred quickly to non-profit housing organizations, and that the city should also set aside money to help those groups buy existing affordable units.
"The key lever is the land the city owns, lands that are surplus to our needs and that need to be disposed of quickly to our not-for-profit partners," he told the paper.
Downtown: tripling the Night Ambassador budget
Leiper pledged to triple the budget of the ByWard Market Night Ambassador Program, which the city introduced last year. The program employs evening foot patrol teams who help residents get home safely, offer first aid, and distribute water. He said the city should also fund markets, festivals, and events at vacant storefronts to keep the downtown active.
Voting day is Oct. 26
Ottawa holds its municipal election on Oct. 26, 2026. Leiper is on the ballot for mayor alongside Saravanamuttoo, Lawson, and incumbent Mayor Sutcliffe. Every voter also chooses a ward councillor and a school board trustee. Find all candidates at /on/ottawa-2026/news.
Questions this story answers
What did Jeff Leiper say about OC Transpo?
Jeff Leiper told The Charlatan that transit is 'the number one issue across the city.' He said he would conduct a top-down review of OC Transpo's governance in his first budget if elected mayor, and would increase the agency's budget by reversing what he called cuts to the transit system during the current mayor's term. He also said he would fund more bus lanes and expand bus rapid transit routes to speed up service.
What is Leiper's plan for affordable housing in Ottawa?
According to The Charlatan, Leiper said the key tool is land the city already owns. He would give surplus city-owned land to non-profit housing providers and said the city should also set aside part of its budget to help those organizations buy existing affordable housing. He presented this as a faster path to affordable units than building from scratch.
What did Leiper say about the ByWard Market?
Leiper pledged to triple the budget of the ByWard Market Night Ambassador Program if elected, according to The Charlatan. The program employs foot patrol teams who work evenings to help people get home safely, provide first aid, and offer water. He also said the city should work with businesses to fund markets, festivals, and pop-up events at vacant storefronts downtown.
How many students live in Ottawa, and why does Leiper say their vote matters?
Leiper told The Charlatan that more than 100,000 students live in Ottawa, making up more than ten per cent of the city's population. He said that if all students voted, they could elect a mayor and a city council. He described students as asking city council for a more affordable city with working transit, and said those goals match his platform.
When did Jeff Leiper first get elected to Ottawa city council?
Leiper was first elected to city council in 2014, representing Kitchissippi ward, according to The Charlatan. He ran unsuccessfully for local office when he was 24, before the 1994 municipal amalgamation. He has now served as a councillor for more than a decade and is stepping out of that seat to run for mayor in the Oct. 26 election.
Who is Jeff Leiper running against for mayor of Ottawa?
Leiper is one of four leading candidates for mayor, along with economist Neil Saravanamuttoo, home builder Alex Lawson, and incumbent Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, according to The Charlatan's own coverage of the race. Voters choose the mayor and their ward councillor on Oct. 26, 2026.
Where can I find more information about Jeff Leiper's platform?
The Charlatan's article links to Leiper's campaign site at leiper2026.ca. You can also read about every mayoral candidate on voche.me at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor, which lists all candidates certified by the City of Ottawa.
When is Ottawa's municipal election and where do I vote?
Ottawa's municipal election is on Oct. 26, 2026. Voting places are open that day for residents to choose their mayor, ward councillor, and school board trustee. The City of Ottawa's election office has the full list of voting locations. You can find candidate information for every race at /on/ottawa-2026/news.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
