Ottawa broadcaster Mark Sutcliffe promised unity and inclusion as he emerged the winner of the mayoral race in Canada's capital Monday night, saying he'd work on behalf of all residents in the city facing a host of challenges.
Sutcliffe, 54, beat out 13 other candidates including Catherine McKenney, a city councillor who rose to national prominence with their opposition of the "Freedom Convoy" protests, and former Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli.
Sutcliffe entered his election night party to boisterous cheers from supporters, and promised to be a "mayor for all of Ottawa."
"I will respect every part of the city, the rural areas, the suburbs, and the urban areas. I will listen to you, I will respect you, I will work hard for you. For all of you," Sutcliffe said in his victory speech.
Sutcliffe will replace Ottawa's longest-serving mayor, Jim Watson, during what is shaping up to be a difficult period for the city. Ottawa is in the midst of two judicial inquiries: one on its troubled downtown LRT project and another on the invocation of the Emergencies Act after protesters occupied downtown streets for nearly a month.
"What I'm concerned about is the residents of Ottawa," Sutcliffe said in reference to Canada's reputation on the national stage as he spoke to reporters Monday. "I want to deliver a more affordable city, a more reliable city, a safer city for the people of Ottawa."
Sutcliffe's campaign focused on keeping the tax rate down, fixing the troubled downtown LRT line, improving the quality of Ottawa's roads and making the city safer.
Sutcliffe also pledged to oversee the construction of 100,000 new homes in Ottawa over the next ten years, without further expanding the city's already considerable urban boundary.
The province recently granted so-called strong mayor powers to both Ottawa and Toronto — which would give Sutcliffe veto power over bylaws that conflict with provincial priorities — in the interest of getting more housing built quickly. However, he has stated he would not use them.
In their concession speech, McKenney — who placed second — called the outcome "disappointing" but congratulated Sutcliffe on his win.
"We need good people to enter politics — creative, compassionate, ambitious people who want to build a better future for those in their community," McKenney said. "And I hope that my candidacy, this campaign, and the fact that we came close to victory will inspire new generations of people to come forward to serve their community."
To McKenney’s supporters, Sutcliffe said he has listened to their concerns and expectations.
"I believe there is common ground for us, and I promise to continue to listen," he said.
The last term of council was tumultuous as councillors navigated the city through a global pandemic, several natural disasters, and a history-making protest against federal government policies that brought downtown Ottawa to a grinding halt.
Those difficulties led to a more fractured city council that may need to be mended by the next mayor. City council is also due to have several new faces around the table because several incumbents opted not to run again.
Though Sutcliffe marketed himself as a political outsider during the campaign, he garnered endorsements from a long list of established politicians — which he boasted about in his speech. His supporters included former federal Conservative cabinet minister John Baird, several former Ottawa mayors, MPPs, Kanata Liberal MP Jenna Sudds and current and outgoing city councillors.
"I think it's something to be proud of," said Sudds, who attended Sutcliffe's election-night party. "He said throughout his campaign that he wants to do politics differently and when you look at who he has brought along and the support that he has across party lines, I think that's really a testament to the leader he is."
The new mayor-elect spent years as a journalist and talk-show host on TV and radio. He founded the Ottawa Business Journal in 1995, worked for several television stations and wrote columns for the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. Most recently, Sutcliffe hosted the Digging Deep podcast, focused on one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and CEOs.
Sutcliffe has already released a long list that details what he hopes to accomplish in the first 100 days in office, including tax relief and speeding up homebuilding approvals.
"It’s time for a common purpose," he said. "No matter where you live, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, no matter what challenges and struggles you face, your next city council will be working hard to make your life better."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2022.
Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
