Ottawa mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper has promised to triple funding for night ambassadors and safety outreach, fill empty commercial spaces, and create a dedicated festival plaza to improve the ByWard Market ahead of the municipal election on October 26. Downtown revitalization discussions have intensified following a city report from this past March that cited challenges related to public safety, access, public confidence, underperforming public spaces, and aging municipal infrastructure.
Leiper Proposes Funding Increase for Outreach Programs
Leiper’s plan would triple and make permanent the funding for the ByWard Market Night Ambassador program and the city’s Community Engagement Team. The Night Ambassador Program currently deploys workers to patrol the market on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, while the Community Engagement Team provides weekday daytime street outreach to unhoused individuals. Leiper stated at a Thursday media conference that the expansion targets unhoused populations, individuals living with addictions, and those facing mental health issues on the street. The three-term city councillor argued that families across the city want to visit the area but currently do not feel safe. His platform intentionally avoids calling for increased downtown policing, maintaining instead that officers should prioritize immediate threats while outreach workers handle health and social issues. In contrast, mayoral candidate Alex Lawson argued at an Ottawa Board of Trade debate on Thursday that increased police funding and more officers are needed to stop customer harassment and property damage, asserting that nighttime ambassadors will not solve those problems. Sutcliffe noted during the debate that crises involving toxic drugs, mental health, and homelessness are outpacing city solutions, pointing to the need for more police officers alongside expanded crisis responses like the ANCHOR program and private security. Fellow candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo contended that housing supply is the primary solution, stating that cities cannot police their way out of homelessness, while proposing rapid-response cleanup teams, mobile health services, detox and recovery beds, low-cost transitional housing, and an expanded ANCHOR program.
Meanwhile Leases for Vacant Commercial Spaces
To address empty storefronts, Leiper proposes working with business improvement areas and private landlords to establish “meanwhile leases” for vacant commercial spaces. These short-term arrangements would accommodate public-facing operations such as arts, cultural activities, and temporary markets. Leiper suggested that a mayor is uniquely positioned to secure landlord participation through advocacy and financial incentives, though he did not disclose estimated program costs or specific subsidy amounts. Certain storefronts near Sussex Drive in the district are managed by the National Capital Commission.
Dedicated Festival Plaza Plans
Leiper also proposes establishing a permanent festival plaza to lower security and operational costs for event organizers. He noted that festival organizers frequently cite high security expenses as a major burden, and that a dedicated space equipped with security measures like bollards would ensure public safety more efficiently. While a similar proposal appeared in council’s market revitalization plan, a final location has not been chosen and could involve collaboration with federal and provincial partners. York Street has previously been considered for an event plaza, though Leiper indicated he is not entirely sold on that specific site.
Did You Know?
Jeff Leiper has represented Kitchissippi Ward as a city councillor since 2014 before launching his current mayoral campaign.
Voters Head to Polls for Ottawa Mayoral Election
When is the Ottawa mayoral election?
Election day is scheduled for October 26, with special advance voting available until October 4 and again starting October 16.
What are the operating hours for the existing ByWard Market outreach programs?
The Night Ambassador Program operates on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, while the Community Engagement Team conducts street outreach on weekdays during the day.
What other downtown revitalization proposals has Leiper advanced?
Alongside his ByWard Market platform, Leiper has proposed building 1,500 not-for-profit housing units on city-owned land annually, shifting a portion of arts and culture funding into the economic development branch, and instituting a one per cent property tax levy for infrastructure repairs.
How do you think the city should balance funding between police enforcement and social outreach programs in the downtown core?