Ottawa municipal election: Candidates face transit and housing issues

As Ottawa approaches its 2026 municipal election, candidates are addressing long-standing urban challenges including transit, housing, homelessness, and crime. Incumbent mayor Mark Sutcliffe currently leads the mayoral race with approximately 45 per cent support, despite polls indicating low resident satisfaction with the city's current state.

Key contenders for the mayoralty include homebuilder Alex Lawson, who focuses on infrastructure basics; former councillor Jeff Leiper, running on a progressive platform; and Neil Saravanamuttoo, who opposes the Lansdowne 2.0 project.

Transit remains a central issue due to ongoing disruptions with the LRT system and frustrations regarding OC Transpo leadership and bus service reliability. While the 2025 ‘New Ways to Bus’ strategy overhauled over 100 routes, it has faced criticism from commuters regarding increased travel times.