Mark Sutcliffe is promising to cap property tax increases between 2 and 2.5% during the first two years of the next term and find another $250 million in savings at Ottawa City Hall if re-elected mayor for another four-year term. The incumbent mayor unveiled his affordability plan as he officially kicked off his re-election campaign at the St. Elias Centre this evening. “Ottawa residents are struggling to make ends meet,” Sutcliffe said in a media release. “We have to make sure they get the highest value for every dollar they pay in taxes. I’ll continue doing what I’ve done for the past four years: keeping taxes and fees low, finding savings and efficiencies, securing major investments from the other levels of government, and protecting and enhancing the municipal services you rely on.” During the 2022 municipal election campaign, Sutcliffe pledged to keep tax increases between 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent during the first two years of the term. Council capped property tax increases at 2.5 per cent in 2023 and 2024 and raised them by 3.9 per cent in 2025 and 3.75 per cent in 2026. Sutcliffe’s affordability plan is promising to keep tax increases to between 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent for the 2027 and 2028 budgets. His campaign says Sutcliffe will also commit to finding an additional $250 million in savings and efficiencies in the City of Ottawa’s budget and will continue to “fight for Ottawa’s fair share through the Fairness for Ottawa campaign.” The incumbent mayor says the savings will be found through an “expanded review of city programs and spending, benchmarking costs against other municipalities, maintaining a hiring freeze for non-frontline and non-priority positions, and freezing general operating spending.” Two weeks ago, Sutcliffe promised to hire 350 new police officers, paramedics and firefighters if re-elected. Sutcliffe’s affordability plan also pledges to: Sutcliffe’s affordability plan is also proposing freezing municipal fees on new housing, including permitting, rezoning, variances and development charges. He is promising to secure funding to build a total of 10,000 affordable homes by 2030 and increase municipal funding to address food security by a further 10 per cent. The incumbent says he will also work to introduce a property tax deferral of one year for residents and businesses when they experience a major disruptive change, including a job loss or a death in the family. Other candidates Candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo unveiled his plan to “cut waste and keep taxes low” outside Ottawa City Hall on Wednesday. Saravanamuttoo would not commit to a property tax target, saying he will conduct a “comprehensive spending review” and look for savings in the budget. He is promising to establish an Independent Office for Financial Responsibility to work with residents to find budget savings. Jeff Leiper announced on Tuesday he would implement a one per cent infrastructure levy on property tax bills, if elected this fall. “No one likes to pay for tax increases, including me,” said Leiper in a news release on Tuesday. “But Mark Sutcliffe has been recklessly letting infrastructure crack and crumble. We all know that maintaining what we own is cheaper than replacing it later, and Sutcliffe and previous mayors have put us in the unfortunate position of having to play catch up now.” Ottawa residents will head to the polls to vote for a mayor, councillor and school board trustee on Oct. 26. With files from CTV News Ottawa’s William Eltherington
