The OBoT Perspective: Ottawa Leading the Way

A CHANGE IS as good as a rest. And after the last couple of years of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty, the world needs a rest. For Ottawa, that comes in the form of change.

The recent election of a new mayor and city council bodes well for a fresh perspective on the opportunities that are before us as we contemplate affordable, inclusive, and sustainable city building. In anticipation of this important election, the Ottawa Board of Trade launched the Build Up Ottawa initiative with the intention of curating critical conversations about what we were looking for in the next term of council. Key pillars included innovative investments in health care, housing and transit that would drive growth along with support for small business.

Above all, our economic partners and members were looking for a commitment to consensus building. The challenges before us are broad and complex. They demand future thinking and optimization of our expertise and resources from both the private and public sector. And that requires radical collaboration and transparency.

We are excited to welcome our new mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, along with several new council members and the re-elected members who have all shared their commitment to a high level of collaboration. There is a new energy in our city for what we can achieve by building on our strengths, agreeing on key priorities and working together.

The Ottawa Board of Trade is dedicated to representing our business community as a key and equal partner with all levels of government and our economic stakeholders. The city we build to foster business success is the same city well positioned to make great strides in meeting our inclusivity and sustainability goals. One cannot be achieved without the other.

This edition of CAPITAL highlights how Ottawa is leading the way in key economic areas. Business and community leaders share what true leadership looks like in our post pandemic world. And most importantly, you will see how our dynamic ecosystem drives business success and community prosperity.

Now is the time for Ottawa to leverage our unique amenities and areas of expertise, to promote our cultural and geographic diversity and to embrace strong leadership. We have all we need to become the best national capital city in the world. Together, we will.

Sueling Ching, President & CEO
Ottawa Board of Trade