---
title: "Seven mayoral candidates lay out transit and environment plans at Nepean Sportsplex forum"
description: "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."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/mayor-forum-transit-trees-2026-10-09"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:05:50.140Z"
---

Seven Ottawa mayoral candidates shared their plans for transit and the environment at a People's Official Plan Coalition forum held at the Nepean Sportsplex on Aug. 26, according to a report by Capital Current published Friday.

[Jeff Leiper](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/jeff-leiper), [Ali Shayvard](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/ali-shayvard), [Neil Saravanamuttoo](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/neil-saravanamuttoo), [Zed Chebib](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/zed-chebib), [Josh Rachlis](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/josh-rachlis), [Peter Westaway](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/peter-westaway) and [Suraj Harish](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/suraj-harish) each spoke. Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe and candidate Alex Lawson did not participate, Capital Current reports.

## Transit positions

Capital Current reports that transit came up throughout the panel. Peter Westaway proposed making transit free for one week and then studying the change in ridership. Jeff Leiper said he wants to make transit attractive and reliable, and said he is open to a system where riders who wait more than 20 minutes without a bus arriving could receive some form of credit, though he said he was not certain how such a system would be verified.

Leiper also said he would oppose an urban boundary expansion, citing the cost of sprawl and the loss of greenspace, Capital Current reports. Ali Shayvard, who works as an OC Transpo instructor and describes himself as a democratic socialist, said he believes Hydro Ottawa should be more accountable when the power goes out and that transit is a priority in the effort to address climate change.

Neil Saravanamuttoo discussed a transit recovery plan and also supported better infrastructure for e-bikes and scooters, Capital Current reports.

## Trees and greenspace

Capital Current reports all seven candidates said they support planting more trees in Ottawa. Zed Chebib said the city must plant the right tree in the right place, noting that some trees cause cracks in buildings, and suggested porous sidewalks to soak up excess rain. Josh Rachlis proposed paying residents to care for trees in their neighbourhood, offering tax breaks, or letting students earn volunteer hours by caring for trees.

Leiper said he opposes development on greenspace. Suraj Harish pointed to trees along rural routes as one way to address winter driving conditions, Capital Current reports.

## Comparing candidates before you vote

The full Capital Current report is at capitalcurrent.ca. Ottawa's advance voting day is Friday, Oct. 16, with voting places open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The main election day is Monday, Oct. 26. Profiles of all 14 mayoral candidates are at [/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor).

## Sitemap

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