Mark Sutcliffe's four-year platform: transit fares, taxes and housing
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe laid out his second-term promises in a 70-page platform released before the vote. The Ottawa Citizen reported the key commitments across transit, property taxes, public safety and housing.
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Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe released a 70-page platform during his second winning campaign, and the Ottawa Citizen reported the key commitments on October 28. The promises cover transit fares, property taxes, public safety and housing across his four-year term starting in November.
Transit: a $95 monthly pass and Phase 3 LRT
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe's most widely noted promise was to cut the adult monthly transit pass from $138.50 to $95. He also said he would cap daily fares at $10 for occasional riders and extend the transfer window. The reduction in fare revenue, he said, would be paid for by finalizing the LRT's $4-billion provincial upload and redirecting that money back into the transit system.
Sutcliffe said he would launch Phase 3 LRT extensions to Kanata, Stittsville and Barrhaven, and advance new Bus Rapid Transit and bus lane projects in major corridors across the city. His platform also promised to negotiate a bulk transit pass program for federal employees and to make permanent the current free transit for youth on evenings and weekends.
These commitments track with his transit promises at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe.
Property taxes: a 2 to 2.5 per cent cap
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe renewed his promise to keep property taxes "as low as possible" with increases capped at two to 2.5 per cent for the first two years of his second term. He said he would introduce a multi-year budget to give residents and businesses more predictability.
He pledged to find another $250 million in savings and efficiencies at city hall, following what his platform described as $250 million found during his first term. The plan calls for a hiring freeze on non-frontline positions, a freeze on general operating spending and an expanded review of City programs.
Public safety: 350 new first responders
According to the Ottawa Citizen, Sutcliffe promised to hire 200 more police officers and equip them with body cameras, along with 100 more paramedics and 50 more firefighters. He said police budget increases would be tied to "specific frontline service outcomes" including guns and gangs, drugs, intimate partner violence and hate crimes. He repeated a pledge to improve safety in the ByWard Market, including more police patrols and alternative response teams.
Housing: 10,000 units by 2030
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe pledged to help build 10,000 affordable, supportive and transitional housing units in Ottawa by 2030, compared to 2020 levels. He said he would freeze all City-imposed costs on new housing, including permitting fees, rezoning fees and development charges, and freeze recreation fees for seniors and families.
Sutcliffe's housing and affordability promises are tracked at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe.
Residents can follow how Sutcliffe acts on each of these promises at /on/ottawa-2026/tracker.
Questions this story answers
What did Mark Sutcliffe promise for transit in his second term?
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe promised to cut the adult monthly transit pass from $138.50 to $95 and to cap daily fares at $10 for occasional riders. He also said he would launch Phase 3 LRT extensions to Kanata, Stittsville and Barrhaven, and advance new Bus Rapid Transit projects in major corridors.
What property tax increases did Sutcliffe promise for his second term?
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe renewed his promise to keep property taxes 'as low as possible' with a cap of two to 2.5 per cent for the first two years of his second term. He also pledged to introduce a multi-year budget to give residents and businesses more predictability, and to find another $250 million in savings at city hall.
What did Sutcliffe promise on public safety?
According to the Ottawa Citizen, Sutcliffe promised to hire 200 more police officers, equipped with body cameras, and 100 more paramedics and 50 more firefighters. He said police budget increases would be tied to specific performance outcomes, including guns and gangs, intimate partner violence and hate crimes.
What are Sutcliffe's housing promises for this term?
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe pledged to build 10,000 affordable, supportive and transitional housing units in Ottawa by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. He also said he would freeze all City-imposed costs on new housing, including permitting fees and development charges, and freeze recreation fees for seniors and families.
What savings did Sutcliffe promise at city hall?
According to the Ottawa Citizen, Sutcliffe pledged to find another $250 million in savings and efficiencies at city hall during his second term. He said he would maintain a hiring freeze on non-frontline positions, freeze general operating spending and expand a review of City programs.
What did Sutcliffe promise for the local economy?
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Sutcliffe pledged to create thousands of jobs by attracting investments in defence technology and cybersecurity, launch a 2027 investment summit, implement a free trade agreement with Gatineau and strengthen suburban and rural business areas. His platform included plans for a special economic district in Orléans and support for the Kanata North tech park.
What did Sutcliffe's platform say about youth transit?
According to the Ottawa Citizen, Sutcliffe promised to make permanent the current free transit for youth during the summer months, and on evenings and weekends. He also said he would negotiate a bulk transit pass program for federal employees.
Where can I follow whether Sutcliffe keeps his promises?
voche.me tracks each of Sutcliffe's promises at /on/ottawa-2026/tracker. Each entry names the specific commitment and records any vote, motion or decision by the City or City Council that relates to it.
Sources
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