I HAVE MET with a number of entrepreneurs and business owners in recent weeks who are very excited about our city right now. Despite some economic uncertainty and other challenges, we have a lot of reasons to be proud and optimistic.
Our tourism industry is coming off one of the best summers in history. Technology companies in Kanata are growing and expanding. Ottawa is on the leading edge in the rapidly growing defence and cybersecurity sector, poised for exponential growth as the federal government increases spending. We are uniquely positioned to be Canada’s defence innovation hub, with local companies specializing in AI, semiconductors, and photonics.
We’re making big progress on city building initiatives including our 200th anniversary next year, and the revitalization of our historic Lansdowne Park. Lansdowne is an enormous economic opportunity for our city. The project will create thousands of jobs and the investment from taxpayers represents only 31% of the total project value. For every dollar we invest, we’ll get more than $3 in value.
We’re also taking bold action on housing. Our new Housing Action Plan is being called the most
ambitious in Canada. We’re taking more than 50 measures to streamline approvals, modernize
processes, cut red tape, and reduce fees. We’re saying “yes” to housing, including affordable housing. In addition, I have pledged to end youth homelessness in Ottawa by 2030.
Even though health care is not a municipal responsibility, we are taking steps to improve access to primary care in our city. City council has approved our new Primary Care Action Plan to help
attract and retain more family doctors, including francophone and rural practitioners. Every
resident deserves access to primary care close to home, and we’re working hard to make that a
reality.
I’m hard at work on the 2026 city budget, which is focused on protecting affordability and
investing in what matters most. I’m proud that Ottawa has had the lowest tax increases of any major city in Canada, keeping taxes as low as possible for families and small businesses. And we’re investing in critical infrastructure including roads and sidewalks, affordable housing, public transit, and public safety.
What excites me most is that I’m seeing more collaboration in our city than ever before. Team
Ottawa is gaining momentum. Working together, we can build a city that’s safer, more reliable, and more affordable, and create a better future for our children and grandchildren.
Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa
