Mayoral candidates make promises on transit fares, libraries and beaches

Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe is now promising to freeze all OC Transpo and Para Transpo fares for at least one year, two weeks after releasing a transportation platform that did not include that pledge.

Sutcliffe explained he always intended to address transit prices in his financial plan, which he intends to release this week, and wanted to make sure the "numbers would work."

"I think we can do a lot in the next year or two to optimize public transit, to improve the service for residents, and then we can look at fares later," said Sutcliffe, who has promised a "full review" of the system if elected Oct. 24.

"We're not going to raise fares at a time when people don't have confidence in the system."

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He had previously promised to freeze fares only for seniors, youth and EquiPass holders. Tuesday's pledge covers all passes and fares.

Last December, when the current city council voted to delay the annual fare increase of 2.5 per cent by a few months, the cost of freezing fares was determined to be $426,700 per month.

Earlier in the campaign, Sutcliffe's competitor Catherine McKenney announced they would freeze fares, and allow children age 17 and under to ride free — the current council had recently boosted that to age to seven when it approved the 2022 budget. McKenney has promised a "top to bottom review" of OC Transpo within their first 100 days in office.

Meanwhile, Sutcliffe on Tuesday promised greater transparency about OC Transpo performance through something he called the "passenger's pledge." That includes doubling the number of times OC Transpo formally presents performance data to the transit commission to four times a year, and improving the apps to give customers better "up-to-the-minute information on service status."

The city's transit department had introduced the updated performance indicators in 2021, and general manager Renée Amilcar revamped the monthly update to transit commission when she took over to provide far greater detail. Sutcliffe promised to increase the frequency.

McKenney promises a healthier city

Meanwhile, McKenney is promising to create a healthier city for residents by keeping all public libraries open on Sundays, as well as making sure beaches and pools are available for use for more of the summer.

"Libraries are community hubs where people learn and gather for free, but only one third of Ottawa Public Library branches are currently open on Sundays," McKenney told reporters.

"I will keep all library branches open on Sundays so kids have a place to visit and learn, and everyone can access Wi-Fi."

They also pointed out "every year, pools and beaches close down in Ottawa when it's still hot, because the city doesn't have enough lifeguards."

McKenney is proposing to help youth from lower-income families become lifeguards — certifying to become a lifeguard costs many hundreds of dollars — and they would review what the city pays in order to attract and retain the summer employees.

As well, they'd boost the amount the city gives to social service agencies by $500,000, and would determine whether improvements can be made in the city providing municipal services in French, including swimming lessons. 

McKenney said the cost for all their promises will be included in their financial platform expected to be released Thursday.