Ottawa city politics is heating up as Kitchissippi councillor Jeff Leiper makes his case to move from the council table to the mayor's chair in the 2026 municipal election. After years representing one of the city's most engaged wards, Leiper is betting that residents are ready for a change in leadership at City Hall.
From councillor to candidate
Leiper is no stranger to Ottawa's political scene. As the long-serving councillor for Kitchissippi — the ward covering Wellington West, Hintonburg, Westboro and surrounding neighbourhoods — he's built a reputation as one of council's more detail-oriented and policy-focused voices. Now he wants to take that experience city-wide, pitching himself to Ottawa voters as someone who understands both the granular concerns of individual neighbourhoods and the bigger challenges facing the capital.
The jump from councillor to mayor is a familiar path in Ottawa, but it's never an easy one. A mayoral candidate has to convince residents from Barrhaven to Orléans, Kanata to the Glebe, that they can represent the whole city — not just the ward they've called home.
What he says he'd do
Leiper is framing his campaign around the issues that consistently top the list for Ottawa residents. Transit reliability remains a sore spot for many, with the LRT's troubled track record still fresh in voters' minds. Housing affordability and the pace of new construction are also central concerns, as Ottawa — like much of Canada — grapples with rising rents and a tight housing market.
As a councillor, Leiper has often weighed in on planning and intensification debates, areas where his ward has seen significant development pressure. That background gives him a platform to talk about how the city grows, where new housing gets built, and how neighbourhoods are protected and improved along the way.
Why it matters for Ottawa
The 2026 race will shape the direction of City Hall for years to come. Whoever wins the mayor's office will steer decisions on the city budget, transit investment, housing policy and the day-to-day services Ottawa residents rely on. For a city still working to restore confidence in its transit system and manage rapid growth, the choice of mayor carries real weight.
Leiper's entry signals that the campaign will feature candidates with deep council experience and clear records to run on. For Ottawa voters, that means a chance to scrutinize not just promises but track records — what candidates have actually done during their time in local government.
With the election still ahead, expect Leiper and his rivals to spend the coming months crisscrossing the city, making their pitches at community meetings, debates and doorsteps across every corner of Ottawa.
Source: Ottawa Citizen.
