A not-so-brief history of the tightest mayor's race in years

With Ottawa choosingits first new mayor Monday in more than a decade, it's no surprise interest in the municipal election has hit levels not seen in some time.

According to Elections Ottawa, roughly 85,000 ballots have already been cast. That's ahigher advance voting turnout than in either 2018 or 2014, when outgoing Mayor Jim Watson was elected with overwhelming majorities.

But last winter, Watson decided not to run for a fourth straight term.

There are 14 candidates vying to replace him, three of whom two-term councillor Catherine McKenney, former mayor Bob Chiarelli and longtime broadcaster and entrepreneurMark Sutcliffe are widely considered to be front-runners.

• Meet your candidates for mayor

So with interest in the race peaking, and election day fast approaching, here's a look back at the past two months on the campaign trail.

The first few weeks

Municipal elections in Ottawa don't usually heat up so early, but only one week after the deadline to register passed, Sutcliffe and McKenney sparred over the possibility of fare-free transit.

At a debate arranged by the groupCommunity Associations for Environmental Sustainability, McKenneydenied they'dmake free transit part of their platform leading Sutcliffe to issue twonews releases linking to an articleMcKenney wrote where they'd argued for that very thing.

Sutcliffe accused McKenney of "flip-flopping."McKenneysaid Sutcliffe was "fear-mongering" and reiteratedfree transit for everyonewasn't an immediate priority.

That became clear when they released their transit priorities a few days later, priorities thatincluded freezing fares and expanding free rides for youth but noteliminating fares outright.

• ANALYSIS | The transit file will be tough for Ottawa's next city council

Sutcliffe also took on Horizon Ottawa, aregistered third-party advertiser that was advocating for a slate of candidates that includedMcKenney.

After Horizon Ottawa drew attention to a $1,200-a-ticket fundraiserheld for Sutcliffe, hecalled for an investigation into whether the advocacy grouphad accepted donations above the legislated $1,200 donation limit.

Here were some other newsworthy moments in the race's early days:

• McKenney pledged to more thandouble the amount the city spends on housing and homelessnessin 2023, while vowingto end chronic homelessness within four years.
• Sutcliffe also released his housing platform, promisingto build100,000 homes in the next decade, including an annual 1,000 community housing units.
• Chiarelliwrote to Ontario's minister of municipal affairs, asking that the "unserviced" lands for the future Tewin suburb be removed from Ottawa's official plan.
• Candidates also unveiled their plans to tackle climate change it's the first municipal election since council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and their priorities for the city's transportation network.
• Sutcliffelaid out a "safety"plan that includes hiring25 more police staff an as-yet-undefined combination of sworn officers and civilians in each of the next four years and opening a "neighbourhood storefront" in the ByWard Market that would include police, social and public health services.

Mayoral candidates Mckenney and Sutcliffe trade announcements in early days of campaign

2 years ago

Duration 1:04

In the first few weeks of Ottawas municipal election campaign, mayoral candidates Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe released a flurry of platform promises focused on housing and the environment.

A flood of announcements

The next few weeks saw the pledges come fast and furious.

Sutcliffe promised to cap annual tax increases at 2.5 per cent over the next two years lower than the three per cent hikes that existed during Watson's final term in office while finding$35 million to $60 million in savings, partly by eliminating 200 municipal staff positions.

McKenney, meanwhile, said they'd hold the line at three per cent. They scoffed at Sutcliffe'sproposal to save money by cutting city jobs, saying if those efficiencies existed, Watson would have found them.

Sutcliffe shot back, describing McKenney'splan which would use debt, reserve funds and federal money to fund campaign promises such as a rapid expansion of the city's cycling network as "extremely risky."

As for Chiarelli, he pledged to freeze property taxes during his first year in office,while also promising to hold the line on any new spending for one year.

• ANALYSIS | Rose-coloured assumptions tint mayoral candidates' fiscal plans
• ANALYSIS | Housing affordability more complicated than just advocating for more supply

In otherannouncements:

• Sutcliffe vowed to build more dog parks and create a "family doctor recruitment strategy" for Ottawa.
• He also added a one-year fare freeze to his original transit platform.
• McKenney pledged to open all of the city's library branches on Sundays, while also expanding access to beaches in the summer.
• Chiarelli finally releasedhis own housing platform, saying he'dbuild 16,000 new homes a year and save "single-family neighbourhoods" if he's elected.
• Nour Kadrisaid, if elected, he'd take a seat on the Ottawa Police Services Board something Watson did not do during his most recent two terms.

McKenneyalso released alist of campaign donors who'd giventheir campaign more than $100, while Sutcliffe said hewouldn't do so any sooner than legislation required.

Getting to know the candidates

Amidst all the policy announcements and rollouts, CBCsat down with the top mayoral candidates to find out what drives and defines them.

Chiarelli talked about how his childhoodhome in Little Italywas bulldozed for the sake of "urban renewal," and how being 81 shouldn't disqualify him from the city's top job.

Sutcliffespoke about overcoming shyness as a young radio journalist and becoming obsessed with long-distance running. McKenneydescribed their experiences coming out first as gay, later as transgender and what it was like representing the downtown during the convoy protests.

Read those profiles here:

• Catherine McKenney is trying not to think about making history
• Mark Sutcliffe is running a different kind of race
• Bob is back: A familiar name with a 'depth of life experience'

Debates, endorsements, and the new police chief

The final week saw candidates draw attention to theirbig-name endorsements: some new, others already locked in.

Sutcliffetouted his list of "cross-partisan leaders," one that included folkslike Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod, Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi, former Conservative MP John Baird and a handful of former Ottawa mayors.

McKenney scored a big endorsement from former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who lauded their economic platform, as well as one from former Liberal MP and federal environment minister Catherine McKenna.

The last week was also packed with debates, with Kadri,Sutcliffe, McKenney and Chiarelli all jousting onCBC Ottawa News at 6over topics like transportation, city services and campaign donations.

Ottawa mayoral candidates debate transit, bike lanes and roads

2 years ago

Duration 1:12

Mayoral candidates Nour Kadri, Mark Sutcliffe, Catherine McKenney and Bob Chiarelli compared and contrasted their transportation plans during a debate hosted by CBC Ottawa's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco.

Then on Friday, Chiarelli, McKenney, Sutcliffe and Brandon Bay took their electoral pitches to theOttawa Morningairwaves less than 24 hours after news emerged that Ottawa's new police chief would be revealed that very afternoon.

The vacant chief position had already been a contentious issue,with bothChiarelli and McKenney raising concernsabout a potential conflict of interest involving Sutcliffe's campaign.

The pair had sent a joint letterto theOntario Civilian Police Commission over concerns thatpolice board chair Coun. Eli El-Chantiryalso serves as one of Sutcliffe's 24honorarycampaign co-chairs. Sutcliffe is the only major candidate who wanted the new chief hired before the launch of the next council term.

• ANALYSIS | Police board aims to hire new chief by end of term, despite election

The situation drew ire at thedebate fromChiarelli, who said it was"pushed through with unseemly haste" and that "something stinks" about the timing.

McKenney was more circumspect, sayingthe convoy protests had eroded trust in institutions like the Ottawa Police Service and it was "critical" to build back that trust.

For his part, Sutcliffereiterated comments he'd made earlier: that he'd never talked to El-Chantiryabout the hiring process, and he had no advance knowledge about the identity of the new chief, who turned out to be assistantRCMPcommissioner Eric Stubbs.

Now what?

With the debates wrapped up, the candidates will likely spend thecampaign's final weekend shoring up their support and making their final pitches to voters.

If you're reading this, you're likely one of those voters. So here's everything you need to know about castingyour ballot Monday.

CBCOttawawill have full coverage of the races for mayor, council and school boards on election night including live specials on CBCTV, CBC Gem and CBC Radio One once the polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

Here's how to watch the results of what's certain to be Ottawa's most competitive electionin more than a decade.