Accomplishments
On March 20, 2021, I had the great honour of surpassing Stanley Lewis as the longest serving Mayor in our city’s history. Achieving this milestone was possible thanks to your many years of support. As I reflect back on my time as Mayor, I wanted to highlight some of the things I am most proud of accomplishing.
Thank you, Ottawa.
LRT
- Launched Stage 1
- Stage 2 under construction
- Next priority: Stage 3 to Kanata, Stittsville and Barrhaven
Environment
- Ottawa River Action Plan
- Record number of trees planted
- Introduction of electric buses
- Doubled the number of community gardens across the city
Cycling
- Record investments in cycling infrastructure
- 1st urban segregated bike lane in a city in Ontario
- 1150 kilometres of City bike paths
Bridge Builder
- Vimy Memorial Bridge
- Adàwe Crossing
- Flora Footbridge
- Jackie Holzman Bridge
- Chief William Commanda Bridge
- Max Keeping Footbridge
Housing
- Record investments in affordable housing
- 10-Year Housing & Homelessness Strategy
- Long Range Financial Plan now approved
- New supportive housing for veterans opening this year
City Hall as a people place
- Increased community use of spaces available on site
- Opened two new art galleries and the Sports Hall of Fame
- Launched the Sens Rink of Dreams
- Created the Order of Ottawa to recognize exceptional residents
Gender Equity
- Appointed the City’s first Council Liaison for Women and Gender Equity
- Launched the City’s Women and Gender Equity Strategy
- Ensured gender parity on advisory committees and boards
Anti-Racism Initiatives
- Appointed the City’s first Council Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives
- Created the Anti-Racism Secretariat
- Brought together the Somali Working Group
- City of Ottawa named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (Globe & Mail) six years in a row
Conference Centres
- New world-class spaces at the Shaw Centre and the EY Centre
- Thousands of large-scale events over the years, boosting the local economy
- Record meetings and convention business in 2017
New Community Centres
- State-of-the-art facilities with improved programming, equipment and accommodations
- Minto (Barrhaven)
- François Dupuis (Orléans)
- Richcraft Centre (Kanata)
New Central Library
- Breaking ground on a net zero carbon facility
- Joint effort with Library and Archives Canada
- Accessible and welcoming space for all to connect, learn, discover and create
Ottawa Art Gallery
- Revitalized Arts Court
- Record attendance in first year
- Important cultural addition to the downtown core
Lansdowne Revitalization
- Increased jobs and economic activity
- New community garden, more greenspace and trees
- New sporting events for the community
Tourism
- Record-breaking Ottawa 2017 celebrations
- Increase in year-over-year visits to the nation’s capital
- Record funding support for Ottawa Tourism
Economic Development
- Created Invest Ottawa
- Opened the Innovation Centre
- Kept tax rate stable and predictable
- Created the House of Sport at the RA Centre
COVID-19 Support
- Vaccination campaign launched
- Support for small businesses throughout the pandemic
- Buy Local Campaign and Business Reopening Toolkit
- Property Tax Hardship Deferral Program
- 15 per cent tax discount for 10,000 small businesses
Rural Ottawa
- Rural Economic Development Strategy
- Rural Tourism Strategy
- Created the Mayor’s annual Rural Expo
Francophonie
- Funding for La Nouvelle Scène
- Opening of la Maison de la Francophonie
- Increase in French programming
- Fewer complaints related to French language services
Labour Peace
- Not one day lost to labour disputes in 10 years
- Decline in grievances
Greater Cooperation
- Seat for Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau on the NCC Board
- Improved collaboration with provincial and federal governments
Our Heritage
- Created the Heritage Matters Task Force
- Opened the new James Bartleman Archives Building
- Created the Heritage Building Watch List
Less Regulation, More Enjoyment
- More than tripled the number of patios at restaurants
- More and varied food trucks across the city
- Buskers and public art in transit stations
Natural Disaster Relief
- Coordinated the City’s response to two floods and tornadoes
- Appointed a Council Liaison on Flood Issues
- Assisted property owners that were affected by natural disasters