Hour 2 of Ottawa Now for Wed. September 3rd, 2025

The City of Ottawa’s budget direction has been approved by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee, and it’s going to look noticeably different from previous budgets. As we heard last month, this significant change of course for 2026 would limit the upcoming property tax increase to 3.75 percent. But for a household that makes an average of about $410,000 per year, these increases would add up to an extra $237.30 in taxes. Kitchissippi councillor Jeff Leiper continues to voice his displeasure with this planned approach, and has verbally committed to running for Mayor of Ottawa in 2026. You’ll hear his voice in Hour 2. Meantime, Doug Ford pulled no punches on Tuesday when he called out a popular Canadian whisky brand, as one of its bottling facilities has an appointment with the chopping block in early-2026. What has Ontario's Premier so riled up is where those jobs will soon be headed. Lisa Gretzky, an NDP MPP for Windsor West, is calling on the province to yank the whisky brand from all LCBO shelves. She says several of her constituents work at the Amhertsburg plant, and they are now fighting for survival.