The Ottawa Board of Trade wants the priorities of the business community to be on the agenda during this fall’s municipal election campaign, including creating a “safer, more welcoming” downtown core and creating conditions for businesses and investment in Ottawa. The group launched its “More Ottawa” campaign on Tuesday, focusing on the “city building priorities that will shape Ottawa’s next chapter.” “This election is an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation about what Ottawa needs to keep growing, competing, and moving forward,” the Ottawa Board of Trade said in a statement called “Ottawa is growing. Our ambition should grow with it.” As part of its More Ottawa campaign, the Ottawa Board of Trade says it will focus on three priorities in the lead up to the Oct. 26 municipal election. The Ottawa Board of Trade says it will ask every candidate for mayor and councillor “what they will do, who they will work with and how Ottawa should measure the results.” The questionnaire will focus on mobility, housing and growth, Ottawa’s competitiveness and downtown vitality, with the results posted on the More Ottawa website next month. “Ottawa’s business community is ready to work alongside the next Mayor and Council, bringing expertise, ideas, and investment to the table, advocating for the conditions our city needs to grow, and helping turn shared priorities into progress. OBOT will bring that business voice together, champion action, and track results,” the Ottawa Board of Trade said. The Ottawa Board of Trade is hosting a mayoral debate on Oct. 1, and regional roundtables with candidates on Oct. 13. On Tuesday, a group of community organizations called on mayor and council candidates to focus on transit in the 2026 municipal election.
