Ottawa residents gearing up for the October 26 municipal election now have a weekly checkpoint to help them follow the race. CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning has launched a recurring panel dedicated to breaking down the biggest stories and developments on the campaign trail as voting day approaches.
What the panel covered
This week's edition featured CBC's Elyse Skura alongside journalism professor Jon Willing, who walked listeners through how the 2026 campaign is shaping up. The pair discussed how this race differs from the 2022 municipal election, along with the issues dominating conversations between candidates and voters.
The big themes
Transportation and homelessness emerged as two of the top issues candidates are being pressed on, according to the panel. Both topics have been persistent concerns for Ottawa residents, and the panel suggested they are shaping up to be central to how the mayoral race unfolds over the coming weeks.
Why it matters for Ottawa
With the mayoral race and council seats across the city up for grabs, these weekly check-ins give Ottawa voters an ongoing way to track where candidates stand as October 26 approaches. Expect the panel to return weekly with fresh analysis as the campaign continues.
Source: CBC Ottawa, Ottawa Morning.
