Council approves $229M infrastructure funding plan
City will double property tax contributions and draw $32M from reserves to address decade-long funding gap.
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Ottawa city council approved a long-range financial plan Wednesday to tackle a $229 million annual infrastructure shortfall that's been growing since 2017.
Councillors voted 17–5 to back the strategy, which doubles the city's annual property tax contribution to $12 million in 2027 and 2028, allocates 0.15 per cent of property tax growth to capital projects (roughly $3.5 million yearly), and includes a one-time $32 million draw from the citywide capital reserve fund. The city will also take on $60 million in additional debt over two years.
The funding gap grew because of rising construction costs, climate-change standards for new infrastructure, and accessibility upgrades that require replacing older assets with enhanced versions. Cyril Rogers, the city's chief financial officer, told council the plan shows "a path to resolve that backlog in the next 10 years." Some councillors, including mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper, voted against it, citing uncertainty around economic conditions and feasibility concerns. Capital Coun. Shawn Menard called the report a crucial moment for the city to reflect on decisions that led to this point.
The plan signals both financial pressure ahead and a commitment to transparency. Whether property owners accept the path forward will become clearer as tax bills arrive.