Ottawa City Council
2022–2026 Term Report Card
Prepared for voters ahead of the municipal election on October 26, 2026
(Current term ends mid-November 2026)
Good government requires both fiscal prudence and reliable delivery of essential services. The record over this term shows clear strengths in the former and significant weaknesses in the latter.
- Property tax increases kept relatively moderate (typically 2.5–3.9%; 3.75% overall for 2026 including dedicated transit/police levies).
- Frequently ranked among the lowest property-tax levies of Ontario’s ten largest municipalities for a comparable home.
- Claimed multi-year efficiencies equivalent to avoiding roughly a 10% cumulative tax increase; debt-servicing ratios kept within policy limits.
- Development charges for some housing types among the lower end in Ontario comparisons.
Strength: Comparative restraint amid inflation and growth pressures.
- Strong acceleration in starts (e.g., ~10,864 units in 2025, +38% year-over-year; approaching Toronto volumes despite smaller population).
- Housing Acceleration Plan advanced dozens of process reforms, fee deferrals, and zoning changes (e.g., four units as-of-right).
- Hundreds of affordable/supportive units completed or under construction; social housing preserved.
- Affordability and homelessness outcomes lag: rents outpaced incomes, tight vacancy for lower-cost stock, waitlists grew, Point-in-Time homelessness up ~13% (2021–2024).
Mixed: Volume improved markedly; closing the affordability gap remains incomplete.
- Confederation Line (Stage 1) plagued by derailments, multi-week/month shutdowns, axle/bearing failures extending into 2026, and single-car service restrictions.
- Provincial public inquiry highly critical of readiness, oversight, maintenance, and decision-making by the City and consortium.
- Stage 2 faced delays and contingency increases; bus network redesigns drew auditor criticism for outdated data and cost-driven changes.
- Later improvements: newer lines launched with high reliability (97%+); Line 1 reached 99% at points; provincial upload of certain LRT costs provided fiscal relief; ridership recovered.
Weakness: High-profile, multi-year reliability failures dominated the resident experience for many transit users.
- Overall and property-crime rates rose in several recent periods and remained above some provincial baselines; early-2026 property crime up sharply in reports.
- Certain violent categories (homicides, shootings) declined in specific years; sexual assaults and some assaults increased.
- Earlier road-safety plans delivered measurable reductions in fatal/major-injury collisions.
- Police budgets increased in response to pressures.
Mixed: Some positive trends in serious violence; broader property and overall rates moved in the wrong direction for parts of the term.
- Independent Auditor General issued numerous reports (supportive housing, development processes, paramedics, police projects, OC Transpo scheduling/staffing, camera revenue allocation, etc.).
- Management generally accepted recommendations; public inquiry into LRT provided detailed scrutiny.
- Open reporting and follow-up mechanisms functioned.
Strength: Oversight institutions operated and surfaced problems; implementation of fixes varies.
Fiscal management and recent housing-supply gains are genuine comparative strengths. Chronic LRT reliability and delivery problems, incomplete resolution of housing affordability and homelessness, transit operating deficits, and recurring operational audit findings represent clear shortfalls in reliable delivery of core services.
Voters should weigh whether continued emphasis on tax restraint and process reforms outweighs the multi-year service disruptions and remaining gaps in housing outcomes and transit performance.
Key References & Sources
Data drawn from City of Ottawa budget and financial reports, Auditor General of Ottawa reports (2023–2026), CMHC housing starts and market data, Ottawa Police Service statistics, provincial LRT public inquiry findings, City housing and transit performance updates, and independent analyses of tax benchmarks and development charges (2021–mid-2026 period). Specific figures reflect publicly reported metrics available as of August 2026.
- City of Ottawa budgets, tax policy reports, and annual financial statements (2022–2026)
- Auditor General of Ottawa annual and special reports (supportive housing, development review, OC Transpo, police projects, etc.)
- CMHC housing starts, rental market, and affordability data for Ottawa
- Ottawa Police Service crime statistics and board reports
- Ontario LRT Public Inquiry report and subsequent City/OC Transpo reliability updates
- City Housing Acceleration Plan progress reports and 10-Year Housing & Homelessness Plan updates
- BMA Municipal Benchmark Study references on property tax levies
This report card is an independent synthesis of publicly available objective metrics. It is not an endorsement of any candidate. Voters are encouraged to review primary sources and candidate platforms.
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