Ali Shayvard
"I am running for Mayor because I believe City Hall should work for the people, and residents should have a real voice in the decisions that affect their communities.
When Ottawa is making important decisions about our parks, trees, waterways, natural areas or environment, residents should be consulted early, before the decisions have already been made. I will support accessible community meetings, online consultations and other opportunities for residents to participate and be heard.
I also encourage every resident to remember that we live in a democracy. If something is happening in your neighbourhood that concerns you, contact your Ward Councillor. They are elected to represent you, listen to you and bring your concerns to City Hall.
As Mayor, I will work with Councillors, community organizations and residents across Ottawa, and I will expect the City to report back so people can see how their input was considered.
Government works best when it listens. Together, we can build an Ottawa we can all be proud of."
Jeff Leiper
"I believe in real public consultation, not consultation for the sake of checking a box. Residents and community organizations often have valuable knowledge about their neighbourhoods and the natural environment around them, and they should have a meaningful opportunity to shape decisions before they are made.
As Mayor, I will make sure residents have clear information about the decisions being considered, understand the trade-offs involved and have opportunities to participate early enough in the process for their input to actually matter.
That participation also needs to include people whose voices have too often been left out of City decision-making. I have previously committed to working in partnership with Algonquin Anishinaabe people and other Indigenous people on environmental policy, and to meaningful consultation with equity-seeking communities.
The principle is simple: decisions should not be made first and explained to residents afterward. Good public engagement means listening early, being transparent about the choices in front of us and showing people how their input informed the final decision."
Neil Saravanamuttoo
"Community participation is central to my approach. Residents should be involved before plans are drawn and options narrowed.
My environmental platform gives communities concrete roles: tree councils will set local planting priorities; neighbourhood groups and businesses will receive support for caring for young trees; and community associations will help organize collections for hard-to-recycle materials.
My broader local control platform includes participatory budgeting, through which residents propose projects and vote on feasible investments. It also provides for earlier community involvement in planning decisions. These mechanisms can help residents shape environmental improvements that reflect local needs.
The City will support participation with coordination and clear information, including annual reporting on energy and financial savings from municipal building retrofits."
Peter Westaway
"By creating an army of volunteers to work on the tree planting and other new creative objectives."