Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe pledging to build 100K new homes

Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe is promising to have 100,000 new homes built if elected, including 10,000 community housing units. 

In a release, Sutcliffe said his plan to deliver 100,000 new homes over the next ten years will make life more affordable for both current and future residents, while also contributing to economic growth. 

“As mayor, I will champion the building of more housing that is accessible and affordable,” said Sutcliffe. “Ottawa's population is growing rapidly. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our city to realize its potential for growth; to build a smart, connected city that we can all take pride in.”

For community housing, Sutcliffe is committing to add 1,000 units per year over the next ten years, which he said represents nearly double the pace of what the City of Ottawa has been delivering annually in recent years. He said he would accomplish this through targeted building incentives, zoning changes and the deployment of city lands.

“Having a place to call home should not be a privilege,” Sutcliffe said. “Individuals on fixed income, and those who rely on community housing, need access to affordable housing in our city.”

Within 30 days of taking office, Sutcliffe said he would bring together Ottawa Community Housing, not-for-profit housing providers, homebuilders, building trades, unions, planners, colleges and universities, citizen groups, other governments, city staff and others to create a detailed strategic plan. He said that plan would include concrete actions and timelines, to break down the barriers to getting the housing needed with no expansion of the urban boundary.

Sutcliffe also said he is committing to improve and streamline the consultation and approval processes to get more housing built.

“For too long, too many politicians have said they support housing and intensification, only to oppose it when a new project in their ward comes up for approval, particularly in Ottawa's core,” said Sutcliffe. “I will provide the leadership and change needed on housing today and that will help our children and grandchildren realize the dream of home ownership.”

Sutcliffe told The Sam Laprade Show on Sept. 16 that the 100,000 homes he's pledging to build over the next 10 years is in line with what the population growth will look like over that period.

“It's really important to set that target and to start building all the homes we need,” he said. 

Sutcliffe, a former CityNews Ottawa talk show host, entrepreneur and author, is one of 14 people vying to be Ottawa's next mayor.

Sutcliffe's full housing platform can be read at www.marksutcliffe.ca/housing. 

Listen to the full interview with Mark Sutcliffe below: