Ready Set Go ?

The 2026 municipal election is officially underway and frankly it is a bit of a slow start . As I write this there are still a number of wards with only one candidate or no candidates at all.

There have been two official mayoral campaign launches and according to media reports the turnout for them has been on the anemic side . There are approximately 1.1 million people in Ottawa and one candidate reportedly had about 75 people turn out, the other about 150 people. Campaign promises though are coming fast and furious with promises running the gamut of a buck a ride for transit to a full top to bottom review of Ottawa’s shelter system. But if the launch attendance numbers are accurate, is anyone paying attention? So far Mayor Sutcliffe has not filed his nomination papers and says that will come later. Now he is focused on doing the job he was elected to in 2022. At this juncture that may well be the smart position to take . It is a long campaign, some might argue too long, and the City still needs to function until November . Someone has to be focused on the business of doing just that.