Ottawa mayoral candidates Nour Kadri, Mark Sutcliffe, Catherine McKenney, Bob Chiarelli and Brandon Bay publicly showcased their plans to economically lead the city through climate crisis, housing affordability and public transit issues in the last of four “eco-debates” Sept. 28.
This debate, organized by community organization coalition the People’s Official Plan and moderated by Carleton University journalism professor Adrian Harewood, took place at Centretown United Church. Attendees of the last three debates chose the five candidates they wanted to see participate from the 14 running for mayor.
Tackling climate change
Each candidate offered a different perspective on how to fight the ongoing climate crisis.
Bay said he would lead by building housing sustainably and electrifying transportation. To accomplish this, he said the City of Ottawa must take advantage of external funding opportunities such as the Canada Green Buildings Strategy, a federal building program intended to mobilize national action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
“Ottawa needs to make sure that, as the seat of the federal government, we are at the forefront of this benefit,” Bay said.
Chiarelli dismissed Ottawa’s Climate Change Master Plan and other candidates’ proposals as “wishful spending.” He proposed shifting responsibility to Hydro Ottawa while allowing the federal and provincial governments to take the lead on the national objective of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
McKenney said they would preserve green space, end urban sprawl they said costs Ottawans tens of millions of dollars per year, and make Ottawa’s infrastructure more suitable for public and active transportation.
Sutcliffe immediately identified himself as the first candidate of the five to release an environment plan. His plan includes planting one million trees by the end of his first term, installing 200 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and retrofitting city buildings. Though Ottawa has only 24 city-operated, on-street EV charging stations, it boasts more than 200 publicly accessible charging stations.
When asked how his plan differs from McKenney’s, Sutcliffe said his approach would be more balanced and less costly to the city. Both candidates said they would release their complete financial plans in the following week.
Kadri responded to Sutcliffe, saying that there are no “balanced approaches when it comes to the environment.” He then called Ottawa’s Climate Change Master Plan “too ambitious,” due to its cost for taxpayers, and instead proposed to seek funding from private stakeholders such as venture capitals and investment banks.
Leading Ottawa through the housing crisis
In the face of Ottawa’s housing crisis, candidates offered contrasting policies when asked what they would do differently from departing mayor Jim Watson.
Sutcliffe said he would build 100,000 new homes, including 10,000 affordable homes, without removing R1 single-family zoning or expanding Ottawa’s urban boundaries.
Bay said Sutcliffe’s support for R1 zoning is exclusionary and expanding to R2 zoning is needed to build better communities for everyone faster.
“Going from R1 to R2 just means you can build duplexes now—that’s it,” he said. “Buildings don’t get any taller. It just means two families can live on one lot. It is essential.”
Bay added Sutcliffe’s plan to build 100,000 homes maintains the status quo, so he proposed building 160,000 new homes instead—a goal Kadri supported. However, Kadri agreed with Sutcliffe on keeping R1 zoning.
McKenney nodded in agreement as Bay responded to Sutcliffe about the transition from R1 to R2 zoning.
“[Intensification] can lead to better, more walkable, more compact neighbourhoods,” McKenney said. “We don’t have to fearmonger.”
Spending and public transit
The candidates concluded the evening debate by emphasizing their plans and priorities for spending and improving transit.
McKenney said Ottawa’s proposed three per cent property tax increase will fund their plans to freeze transit fares and make public transit free for those under 18. They added they would make the city’s budget more transparent to the public.
Kadri said he would make public transit more reliable rather than free, but he also expressed interest in testing free transit for seniors and people living below the poverty line.
Sutcliffe criticized the cost of McKenney’s plan, adding he doubted they would maintain a three per cent tax increase based on how they’ve voted on this plan as a councillor. He also questioned their plan for transit, saying it prioritizes bicycles over cars.
“When you cast your ballot next month, I hope you vote for a strong vision for Ottawa.”
Bay echoed McKenney’s calls for more transparent budgets and said he would use creative methods such as raising parking fees to increase funding for public transit. Chiarelli said he would freeze taxes for the first 100 days of the term, as well as the budget for the first year, which other candidates dismissed as unrealistic.
“It’s a political gimmick and it’s not going to work,” Sutcliffe said.
As each candidate gave their closing remarks, Bay urged Ottawans to take a look at all 14 candidates’ platforms and vote.
“When you cast your ballot next month, I hope you vote for a strong vision for Ottawa,” he said. “Whether you vote for me or not, please just make sure you vote.”
Featured graphic by Angel Xing.
