Province to open new 'regional office' in Ottawa

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a press conference on April 29, 2024. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)

Premier Doug Ford announced the province will be opening a new regional office dedicated to Ottawa on Monday.

In a press conference with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, the Premier says the new office will "support better services for the people of Ottawa" and "support greater engagement" with the province and the city.

"Today’s announcement is further evidence that our government takes Ottawa’s position as our second-largest city and a service and economic hub for eastern Ontario seriously,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement.

"This new office will be critical in delivering on the new deal while identifying opportunities to grow Ottawa and eastern Ontario’s economy and supporting the hardworking people of this region. It will also be an important link between the province and the federal government."

The office will be located in Constitution Square on Albert Street in downtown Ottawa, but it's unclear whether it will be open to the public. The province says the office will open starting today.

This is Ford's third visit to Ottawa in five weeks.

The office will be led by former Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate for Kanata – Carleton Sean Webster, who has experience in the Canadian pharmaceutical and energy sectors.

Sutcliffe says its the first time the province has opened a regional office in the city.

"I think it demonstrates the Premier's commitment to Ottawa, we've never had anything like this," Sutcliffe said at Monday's press conference.

"Having another point of contact where we can be working closely on issues that pertain to Ottawa … I think is a very good step forward."

Ford said the new office will help to implement a deal the Ontario government made with the city this spring, where the province will be injecting $543 million of funding, which includes uploading Highway 174 to the province, building a new interchange at Highway 416 and a new police operations centre in the ByWard Market.

"Recently, the province recognized some of our unique needs and provided some much-needed funding to help Ottawa tackle these challenges," Sutcliffe said in a statement. "Having a regional Provincial office in Ottawa will ensure that our local needs are supported and our concerns are effectively communicated to Queen’s Park."

Ottawa is Ontario's second largest local municipality and the largest in eastern Ontario. There is currently no sitting MPP for Ottawa in Ford's cabinet.