Ottawa and Gatineau Mayors call on federal party leaders for a stronger partnership to address shared priorities for the region

The Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau, Mark Sutcliffe and Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, are calling on federal party leaders to respond immediately to the unique challenges faced by the National Capital Region. In a letter sent to party leaders, the Mayors detail their shared priorities during a critical and historically important election for both Ottawa and Gatineau. The federal government plays an enormous role in the capital region and the Mayors are calling on leaders to show their support for permanent, sustainable solutions to support the growth and prosperity of Ottawa and Gatineau, and the quality of life of local residents.  Key areas of focus and shared priorities:

1. Revitalizing downtowns: partnering with the federal government to repurpose vacant federal office spaces and revitalize our downtown neighbourhoods.
2. Fair Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILTs): requesting PILT payments on properties at market value to reduce pressure on City budgets and residents having to make up the difference.
3. Support for public service worker transition: implementing retraining and reskilling programs to help workers affected by layoffs in the federal public service.
4. Public transit funding: securing long-term federal funding for public transit, including infrastructure funding for the tramway in Gatineau and Stage 3 LRT in Ottawa.
5. Affordable housing and homelessness: calling for increased funding to accelerate the construction of affordable housing and support homelessness prevention initiatives
6. Strengthening regional governance: increased representation on the National Capital Commission (NCC) to ensure better decision-making for residents.
7. Infrastructure and climate resilience: requesting federal investment in critical infrastructure and climate resilience projects.

The mayors emphasized that these issues require immediate attention and cannot be solved without federal support. They are committed to continuing to work closely with federal partners to ensure that Ottawa and Gatineau remain a vibrant, resilient and economically strong region. The full letter was delivered to the main federal party leaders. Mayors Sutcliffe and Marquis-Bissonnette look forward to collaborating with all levels of government to address these critical challenges and build a prosperous future for the National Capital Region.