Unofficial race begins for mayor of Ottawa in 2026 election

The sign outside City Hall in Ottawa (CTV News Ottawa)

As elected officials prepare for a lighter legislative agenda over the summer months, the race for mayor of the City of Ottawa in the 2026 is officially underway.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has said he intends to seek re-election for a second term in next year’s municipal election.

Meantime, Coun. Jeff Leiper says he is exploring a run for mayor of Ottawa in the 2026 election.

“It is a year and a half away from the election. I intend to get to every part of our city – rural, suburban and urban – listen to what residents are saying, solicit their input, solicit their feedback and by the time this is an actual election campaign, I’ll have to have a fully costed budget platform on the table,” Leiper told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa Now with guest host Andrew Pinsent.

Leiper has represented the urban riding of Kitchissippi for three terms.

“I’m not happy with the direction in which our city is going. I don’t think you have to ask very many residents before you get a good idea that residents are concerned about the state of delivery of their services,” Leiper said.

“What I hear every week is about garbage isn’t being cleaned up in a timely way in city parks, garbage bins are overflowing, sidewalks that aren’t being maintained, roads that are in rough shape with no hope of resurfacing and, of course, transit continues to bedevil the city.”

The next municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26, 2026.

Sutcliffe was asked about the next municipal election following Wednesday’s election campaign.

“There’s still almost 18 months left in this mandate,” Sutcliffe said, who said he spoke with Leiper “a few weeks ago.”

“I’m not a lifelong politician; I’m not a career politician so I don’t get up every day thinking about the next election or thinking about what the next role I want to have. I was given a four-year mandate in 2022 to serve the people in Ottawa. When I get up every morning, my focus is on delivering results for the people of Ottawa. It’s not on the next election campaign.”

Sutcliffe won the 2022 municipal election with 51 per cent of the vote.