Sutcliffe pledges 350 new first responders and downtown safety czar if re-elected
Mayor's platform includes 200 police officers, 100 paramedics, 50 firefighters, and a dedicated coordinator to address drug use and crime downtown.
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Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe unveiled a 32-measure public safety platform September 3 at Fisher Park in Wellington Village, pledging to hire 350 additional first responders if re-elected — 200 police officers, 100 paramedics, and 50 firefighters.
The new officers would be assigned to guns and gangs units, intimate partner crimes, and hate crime investigations. Sutcliffe also pledged to expand community policing and neighbourhood watch programs, activate a 24/7 Emergency Co-ordination Centre, and double city investment in alternative response initiatives like ANCHOR.
He announced plans to appoint a downtown safety czar to co-ordinate across city departments, agencies, and different levels of government — providing a 24/7 effort to clean streets, connect vulnerable residents with treatment and housing, and maintain community safety.
Sutcliffe said the city has made progress but "our work is not finished." His campaign points to hiring 340 police and paramedic personnel since becoming mayor in 2022, and credits the largest police budget increase in the city's history during his tenure. Council approved a $26.1 million increase for the 2026 police budget, bringing the OPS net operating budget to $414.9 million.
The pledges come as Ottawa Police report an 8 per cent increase in citywide crime as of August 17 compared to the same period last year — including a 4 per cent rise in violent crime, a 6 per cent increase in property crime, and a 5 per cent rise in assaults. Sexual violations rose 24 per cent. Police responded to 723 overdose calls as of mid-August, a 92 per cent increase over the same period in 2025, though police noted the spike "reflects operational priorities or officer workload rather than a trend."
What is the total cost of hiring 350 additional first responders and how would it be funded?
Why the 24 per cent increase in sexual violations as of mid-August compared to last year?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many new first responders is Mayor Sutcliffe pledging to hire?
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is pledging to hire 350 additional first responders if re-elected: 200 police officers, 100 paramedics, and 50 firefighters.
What is the downtown safety czar role?
The downtown safety czar will co-ordinate across city departments, agencies, and different levels of government to provide 24/7 efforts to clean streets, connect vulnerable residents with treatment and housing, and maintain community safety.
How many overdose calls did Ottawa Police respond to?
Ottawa Police responded to 723 overdose calls as of mid-August, representing a 92 per cent increase over the same period in 2025.
