Of course they would. Bus lanes cost the city virtually nothing, would reduce congestion and increase the number of customers businesses get while cops would cost the city tens of millions more for very little benefit. Why do businesses continue to advocate against their own interests?

People should be prioritized over cars at all times in a place like the Market, not just on special occasions. Sam, one of our board members, breaks down the case for a fully-pedestrianized Byward Market rather than the proposed half-measures ⤵️

New from me in @ottawacitizen.com today. If Sutcliffe and the rest of council is serious about supporting local businesses, improving safety and restoring the vibrancy of the Market, they need to do something far more straightforward: pedestrianize it.

Doug Ford wants my neighbours to die. The toxic drug crisis has only worsened and now Ford thinks we need to remove life-saving services for people in neighbourhoods like Sandy Hill and Lowertown? There's absolutely no evidence for this. ottawa.citynews.ca/2026/03/16/o...

Luloff stepped down as Conservative candidate when it was found he had a potential DUI - now he's found guilt but hes not stepping down as councillor in the next election? What gives? Orleans deserves better.

The chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee thinks it’s “wasting people’s time” for me to submit an inquiry to city staff about the pedestrian safety issues that impact Centretown residents. That’s the job, Tim. See you at committee tomorrow.

Équiterre et plusieurs organisations au 🇨🇦 dénoncent les 5 G$ retirés du transport collectif : « En coupant les solutions qui permettent aux gens d’économiser sur leurs déplacements, ça n'aide pas les ménages à réduire leur facture de mobilité » Communiqué : www.equiterre.org/fr/articles/...

This has to be the lamest plan to "revitalize" the Market I've ever seen - it revamps some parking garages but functionality changes nothing. Right now, a lot of it just acts as a giant parking lot -- council should be bold and pedestrianize it.

Note to Claridge and Ottawa council:

Ottawa City Council has already ceded so much land to urban sprawl at the behest of their wealthy developer donors. It's just never enough for big corporate developers like Claridge.

I was reminded that yesterday was the 4th anniversary of the now-dubbed "Battle of Billings Bridge" when over a thousand of us in Ottawa blockaded convoyers from coming into our city. With the growing far-right, it's a good reminder of how we can still fight back - and win.

Ottawa City Councillor Stephanie Plante just put forward a motion at Council to essentially give transit special constables the same powers as police when it comes to people using drugs. When it comes to transit, people are asking for better servie not expanding policing powers.

Last week, the govt finally admitted they cut public $5 billion from the Canada Public Transit Fund. Without predictable federal funding, cities will be forced to cut service or raise fares outcomes that disproportionately hurt low-income riders. From me on behalf of @environmentaldefence.ca:

Here's a visualization of how Watson and Sutcliffe's austerity impacted our bus fleet since 2010. This was never a sustainable path and now we're left with too few buses on the best of days, let alone enough to cover for an LRT service disruption.

15 years ago, Ottawa had a fleet of 1000 buses - that number has dwindled to 730 as a result of reckless cuts and now with constant LRT shutdowns we are feeling the consequences of decades of bad decision-making. Sign the petition below to call on council to buy more buses:

Just what we need for Ottawa's mayor: another developer-backed, cut-and-slash conservative hell-bent on austerity because it's working so well right now!

Let the historical record note that the business elites at Davos repeatedly laughed during a fascist speech that declared intent to annex another country’s land, promoted election conspiracies and railed against the free press

Before the massive cuts to OC Transpo in 2011, Ottawa had around 1000 buses in its fleet - in 2025 that number's dwindled to around 760. The problem of bad transit service didn't just happen. It is the result of over a decade of bad council decision. Remember that in the coming election this year.

Very disappointed in some councillors who voted for the @ottawapolice.bsky.social budget. If there was ever a year to oppose it, it's now when police are asking for their biggest increase in 10+ years. Glad we have ANCHOR, but this is some major backsliding on where we were in 2020/2021.

Smh councillors calling the biggest increase in the @ottawapolice.bsky.social budget in the last 15 years "reasonable." There is *nothing* reasonable about giving the OPS a $30 million budget increase while we can't even provide enough emergency services for people. It's absurd.

Guy who says he loves keeping costs low will force people to work in offices costing taxpayers more to keep office spaces open so govt workers can take Zoom meetings in downtown Ottawa instead of at home. It makes a lot of sense.

Terribly stupid idea that will satisfy faux-populist urges to dunk on public servants while simultaneously making the lives of public servants and the service itself so much worse. Goofy stuff.

Tim Tierney "there is no time for political theatre" Also Tim

In the @ottawacitizen.com today Cllr Tim Tierney scolds progressives for opposing four years of shitty budgets under Mark Sutcliffe. Tierney's history of corruption scandals, gaffes and accepting developer money should tell you exactly whose side hes on.

Join us on Tuesday evening from 6:30 - 8:30 at 464 Metcalfe St. for our City Budget 101 event! We'll be diving into the details of the budget, and discussing how we can organize to demand better, together. Learn more and RSVP today: www.horizonottawa.ca/budget_101

it’s funny seeing canadian media present zohran as a “democratic socialist” like it’s some shocking thing and not just the left flank of the ndp

Imagine the response in any other workplace if you called your colleague names in the middle of a meeting. A public apology for such childish behaviour is warranted @timtierney.ca.

Just now - Councillor @shawnmenard.bsky.social is interrupted by Councillor @timtierney.ca while asking questions on Lansdowne. Menard pushes back, then Tierney calls him an "asshole". This behaviour is unbefitting of a councillor, and demands an integrity complaint. ➡️ [email protected]

12 days until the Transportation Summit #Guelph on October 18! Presentations from @chanface.bsky.social, @ttcriders.bsky.social, @transportaction.ca, @cyclewr.ca, @cgreysongaito.bsky.social, @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social, @samhersh01.bsky.social & more! Free Event! Register @ taaguelph.com/summit

This is so shameful. For those not watching council today, as you'll see below Mark Sutcliffe is pulling the same EXACT tactics as Jim Watson would in the last council, pulling the rug out from under councillors and trying to derail debate at the last possible moment.

The Ottawa Business Journal founded by and formerly owned by Mark Sutcliffe has come out in defence of his city-wide RTO mandate. The article is also written by a commercial real estate boss. He argues that forcing workers back to the office is "city-building."

At today's Council meeting, I brought a motion forward to reverse the City Manager's five-day-a-week return-to-office order. We'll debate that in two weeks. I've heard from many City staff about the diminishment in the quality of both life and work the order will create, with too little benefit.

As always, @samhersh01.bsky.social is blunt. This city could be so much better, especially on issues like transit. @otttransitriders.bsky.social ottawacitizen.com/opinion/hers...

It's fair to say Mark Sutcliffe inherited a mess of a public transit system when he was elected, but throughout his term as Mayor, despite running on a pledge to "fix transit" he's done everything he can to make that mess ten times worse. From me today in the @ottawacitizen.com:

Forcing municipal workers back to the office 5 days a week to take Zoom meetings serves absolutely no purpose. If Sutcliffe really wanted to "revitalize" our downtown he'd stop cutting public transit and other services. Workers dont just exist to service downtown businesses.

I want to express my profound disappointment today that the City has ordered its workers back into the office five days a week. It is a short-sighted decision that serves no one well in either the short or long term. (1/6)

Sutcliffe just announced a potential 6.5% increase for Ottawa Police in next years budget (the largest increase in 15 years) and ANOTHER potential transit fare increase. Sutcliffe has made his priorities clear - and it's not Ottawa residents. We have a transit budget crisis, not a policing crisis.

Opposing new sidewalks? Really? I've been to Manor Park and if you're on foot it's a pain to get around because of the lack of sidewalks. Sidewalks don't "destroy greenspace" they encourage sustainable modes of transport and make neighbourhoods more accessible.

Our feminist Prime Minister

The cuts from Mark Carney on the public service will decimate Ottawa's local economy but not a single small business, local politician or city councillor have spoken up about it. Where is the same outrage they had around letting people work from home?

A woman died last week after being hit by a truck near City Hall, now two children were hit - when is this going to stop? We need Vision Zero now not Vision "20% less cycling deaths." Shame on our Mayor and council who allow this to keep happening.

This is appalling. Children should—must—be safe in our city. While at least one of these drivers is charged with fault, our infrastructure also fosters a bad road culture, since it privileges cars. #OttCity isn’t doing enough fast enough. #VisionZero #Ottawa www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...

Extremely problematic motion from Councillor David Brown and new Osgoode Ward councillor Isabelle Skalski who want staff to look into options to privatize parts of our public transit system. The only way we will improve the system is by investing in it not selling it off.

On Canada Day, Mark Sutcliffe boasted about high transit ridership - he forgot to mention one thing: it was free. Detractors of free transit argue we must chose between affordability and reliability but it's a false choice - we can and should have both. From me in @ottawacitizen.com:

Terrible, senseless and 100% avoidable tragedy. The City of Ottawa needs to fund more active transportation and cycling infrastructure instead of endless road expansion. Everyone deserves to feel safe on the road. For details on a commemoration see below:

Egregious abuse of power by the Conservative Ford government taking over the schoolboard here in Ottawa. The financial issues boards are facing are the fault of provincial underfunding. No doubt they will try and force back cops into our schools among other things.

Zohran's victory should ignite excitement not just in the US but everywhere including in Ottawa. We don't need to keep electing boring, uninspiring mayors or city councillors who want to hold back what's possible here. Start organizing and join @horizonottawa.bsky.social as a member:

Great op-ed by @samhersh01.bsky.social. #OttCity Council is willing to assume legal risk with the problematic “bubble bylaw,” but not with fossil fuel advertising. Allowing fossil fuel promotion contradicts the City’s commitments and responsibilities. ottawacitizen.com/opinion/otta...

Was happy to speak out on behalf of @ijvcanada.bsky.social against the OCDSB's decision to reprimand Elizabeth Yao for calling out the genocide in Palestine in her commencement speech. There is a very clear difference between actual harm and discomfort with opinions you disagree with.