The 2026 city budget passed Wednesday in a 21-4 vote, as last-minute windfalls added money to fix infrastructure and make the LRT run more frequently, while holding the tax hike to 3.75 per cent.The approval came after more than nine hours of debate. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the budget protects affordability while investing in key resident priorities like public safety, transit and roads.It’s the fourth budget of his term and the last before next year’s election. Sutcliffe said the strong support it received backs up his approach to governing.“None of the budget votes have been close,” he said. “They’ve been supported by an overwhelming majority of councillors and I think that demonstrates that I’m striking a balance between the need of every part of the community and across the political spectrum.”The property tax increase amounts to an extra $166 annually for the average urban homeowner. The budget boosts funding for police and transit by proportionately more than other city services.But city staff surprised councillors on Wednesday with a pool of unexpected funding for roads, sidewalks, parks and recreation facilities.Part of the new funds come from a larger tax base of new homeowners, which will bring in $1.2 million more per year than staff were initially banking on — enough to service $20 million in debt over time.“This motion is truly a Christmas gift to my community and for communities like it across the city where an investment in our aging infrastructure is welcome,” said Orléans West-Innes Coun. Laura Dudas.Staff found another $24 million from a pot of money that developers pay into to support park projects. That funding was held back due to legal appeals, but a city lawyer said they’re confident it can now be released.Councillors approved the plan, though some were upset they couldn’t see a precise breakdown of where that funding is going.“We’re not talking about chump change here,” said Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine.Diesel savings fund free fare days for youthCouncillors passed a long list of directions and motions to boost spending on everything from drop-in sports programs to wading pools, though most of the price tags were miniscule in the context of a budget that commits $5.2 billion to city operations and $1.9 billion to capital.But the most substantial changes affect transit, with councillors voting to largely reverse a decision made last year to reduce how frequently LRT trains stop at Line 1 stations. Starting in April, trains will run every six minutes on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and every 7.5 minutes on weekday evenings from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. That’s up from the current 10 minutes during those hours. “We’ve heard, council has heard, from our customers that they want to see some increased frequencies off peak,” said Troy Charter, interim general manager of transit services. “We feel very confident that we’ll be able to make that change.”The budget increases transit fares by 2.5 per cent, but councillors passed motions on Wednesday that will offer young passengers a break.They voted for free fares for riders 18 and under on weekends, holidays and during two summer months, while temporarily extending transfer times during afternoon rush hours to help riders facing long commutes.“This is a big win for affordability for families,” said Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menard, who said the youth fare break won his vote for the budget.The money for the transit motions, which all passed unanimously, would come from expected savings from lower diesel prices. Chief Financial Officer Cyril Rogers said the city has locked in two thirds of its fuel contracts at a price of about $1.08 per litre, which is even lower than the budget assumes.River ward Coun. Riley Brockington expressed surprise that councilors’ who sank an earlier attempt to improve LRT frequencies reversed themselves on Wednesday.“One year, people vote against service and free fares for youth, and all of a sudden they want to look like the champions by putting motions forward today,” he said.Police budget passesMuch of the debate Wednesday focused on the police budget, which will increase the city’s contribution to the Ottawa Police Service by $26.1 million in base funding.Chief Eric Stubbs called it “a responsible budget” that will help cover higher compensation costs from collective agreement increases. While the police levy on property taxes is going up five per cent, one-time funding of $5.4 million from reserves combined with other revenue sources mean the overall increase in police funding is actually 8.7 per cent.Chief Eric Stubbs, centre, speaks during the presentation of the Ottawa Police Service budget at city hall on Dec. 10, 2025. (Arthur White-Crummey/CBC)Stubbs said he was initially looking for more than 10 per cent to keep up with staffing needs. The funding on offer will be enough to hire 21 officers.The police budget passed 20-5, with Couns. Ariel Troster, Jessica Bradley, Rawlson King, Menard and Laine Johnson voting against.Supporters cited stats showing rising violent crime in some wards and said public safety has become a top concern among residents.“We are hearing from businesses and residents all over the city saying, ‘Help, help,’” said Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr, vice chair of the police service board. “We are hearing from families that don’t feel safe.”But others argued that social services and outreach programs would do more to address crime than policing. Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. King made a motion to take the same sum police are getting from reserves and devote it largely toward expanding an alternate response program that supports people in the throes of mental health or addictions-related crises.That’s much more than the $700,000 the program was set to get in the budget to allow it to expand into a new neighbourhood.“Policing alone cannot solve all of our safety challenges. We need to invest in alternative public safety programs,” King said. “If we’re investing $5.4 million in responsive policing, shouldn’t we be investing equally in preventing the crises that require police response in the first place?”But the city’s general manager of community and social services called the motion “premature,” and a majority of councillors voted against adding the funding.‘Affordable for who?’Couns. Jeff Leiper, Matt Luloff, Sean Devine and Troster were the four votes against the main budget. Most cited either affordability or underinvestment as their top concerns. Kitchissippi Coun. Leiper, who has announced a run for mayor in next year’s election, said the budget fails to address Ottawa’s most pressing problems. He said Sutcliffe’s claim to protect affordability rings hollow.“Affordable for who?” Leiper said. “Fees and rates keep climbing and those regressive costs hit those who can least afford them.”Devine said the city’s financial health is strong enough to do more.“The draft budget we table never seems to rise to the moment,” he said. “Too many roads and sidewalks will continue to linger in disrepair despite the new investments we heard of today … more people fall into precarious housing or homelessness, while food banks break records.” But most councillors said they saw enough in the budget for their wards to earn their votes. Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney, a supporter of the budget, said the no voters should have stuck their necks out and moved for a higher tax increase if they really believed their arguments. Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Luloff also voted against the budget but insisted it was for “different reasons than Jeff,” referring to Leiper. He said it asks residents struggling with affordability to take on tax increases above the rate of inflation, and he doesn’t feel confident they’re getting their money’s worth.He pointed to long-delayed infrastructure projects, especially in the east end. “It is unreasonable to ask families to shoulder a higher tax bill when basic projects they have been promised for years still have not materialized,” he said.
City budget passes with pledge to make LRT trains run more often
