Taxpayers will provide outgoing elected officials with a severance package when they depart Ottawa City Hall following this fall’s municipal election. The City of Ottawa provides a so-called “transition allowance” to municipal politicians when they leave office at the end of the term, whether they did not seek re-election or are defeated in the election race. “A transition allowance is paid to a member upon leaving office at the end of the term equivalent to one month’s pay for each consecutive year served on Ottawa City Council, to a maximum of six months,” Kiel Anderson, manager of governance, elected officials and business support services, told CTV News Ottawa in a statement. “Every outgoing Member of Council shall be entitled to a three-month career transition program.” Departing councillors who have served more than one full term on council will be entitled to a transition allowance of $59,827, while a councillor who has only served one full term is eligible to receive $39,884. The mayor would be entitled to a transition allowance of $71,327 if he departs City Hall after the election, according to the city. Andreson says the transition allowance does not apply to outgoing members of council who are “returning directly to organizations or established businesses where they were employed prior to serving on city council, or who are elected at another level of government or municipality.” Coun. Glen Gower is the only councillor who has announced he is not seeking re-election in this fall’s municipal election and will be eligible for a transition allowance of $59,827. Coun. Jeff Leiper is currently running for mayor of Ottawa. Both Leiper and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe would be eligible for the transition allowance if they lose in the election. The City of Ottawa paid out $633,033 in transition allowances to outgoing elected officials after the 2022 municipal election. Former Mayor Jim Watson received $99,351 after deciding not to run for re-election, while 10 councillors received transition allowances ranging from $37,000 to $79,547.
