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  • On 8 March 2018 In Blog, News Tags , ,

    International Women’s Day

    International Women’s Day is a day on which we honour all women for their accomplishments and pay tribute to inspiring women who have led – and continue to lead – the way forward towards a more equal and just society. It was my immense pleasure to welcome her Excellency Susan Jane le Jeune d’ Allegeershecque,  British High Commissioner, her Excellency Kareen Géraldine M.L. Rispal, Ambassador of France and her Excellency […]

  • On 31 December 2017 In Blog, News, Ottawa 2017 Tags

    2017 – From Ottawa the old to Ottawa the Bold

    It was nearly six years ago, during my State of the City address in January 2012, that I announced the creation of the City of Ottawa’s Canada 150 Anniversary TaskForce. This TaskForce quickly gained momentum, and in 2015, it incorporated into the organization we know today: Ottawa 2017. At its helm since 2014, the one and only Guy Laflamme. Through infinite creativity and contagious energy, Guy envisioned and delivered a […]

  • On 3 October 2017 In Blog Tags ,

    My remarks at the Bike Ottawa AGM, October 2, 2017

    Check against delivery Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Bonsoir Mesdames et Messieurs. It is a pleasure to join all of you this evening for the Bike Ottawa Annual General Meeting. I would like to thank Bike Ottawa, your President, Gareth Davies, and your Board, for welcoming me tonight. I don’t have to tell any of you that Gareth is a tireless cycling advocate here in Ottawa, who was recently named […]

  • On 29 September 2017 In Blog Tags

    Mayor Watson’s statement on recent verbal abuse case in City Long Term Care home

    I am appalled and furious with this news about elder abuse in one of our long term care homes. This behavior will not be tolerated and I am fully supportive of the immediate dismissals of those involved in this outrageous and callous behavior. I have asked staff to bring in a third party to review all aspects of our long term care residences and report back with all concerns and […]

  • On 29 September 2017 In Blog, News Tags , , ,

    Mayor Watson recognizes that now is the right opportunity to transform housing

    Ottawa — As the federal government is’ expected to launch the National Housing Strategy (NHS) this fall, Mayor Jim Watson recognizes that it could be a once in a generation opportunity to transform affordable housing in Canada. “Safe, affordable housing is the bedrock of the liveable, sustainable and caring cities we aspire to build. Despite this, a million and half Canadian households are unable to find a home they can […]

  • On 26 April 2017 In Blog, News Tags , , ,

    Hockey bet with the Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio

    The Ottawa Senators will open their second round playoff series against the New York Rangers in Ottawa at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 27. As it is has now become tradition during for playoff games, I’ve established a friendly bet with the opposing team’s Mayor. The Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio and I have placed a hockey bet that our respective teams will emerge victorious for this […]

  • On 8 March 2017 In Blog, News Tags

    Happy International Women’s Day

    Today, March 8 2017, is International Women’s Day. It’s a day to honour all women for their accomplishments and to pay tribute to inspiring women everywhere who have made a difference in the lives of others and who have led – and continue to lead – the way forward towards a more equal and just society. It’s also an occasion to recognize that women all over the world have brought […]

  • On 6 January 2017 In Blog, News, Ottawa 2017 Tags ,

    Visit Ottawa’s rural attractions this year!

    One of my favourite things about Ottawa is its particularly large geographical scale. But despite having a total land surface of 2758 km², it is easy to travel from our vibrant urban neighbourhoods to family-centric suburbs to rural and farming areas in 20 minutes. family-centric suburbs and.This year, visit Ottawa’s rural attractions!

  • On 5 December 2016 In Blog, News Tags , , , ,

    My poem for Mayor Naheed Nenshi – 2016 Grey Cup bet

    As tradition would have it, the Mayor of Calgary, Naheed Nenshi, and I placed a bet on who would win the 2016 Grey Cup: the Ottawa RedBlacks or the Calgary Stampeders. As we all know, the Ottawa RedBlacks came back from Toronto with the 104th Grey Cup in hand. To honour our bet, my good friend Mayor Nenshi wore the RedBlacks’ jersey at his City Council on December 5, sent […]

  • On 25 October 2016 In Blog, News, Ottawa 2017 Tags , , , , ,

    Canada was named the number 1 country to visit in 2017 by Lonely Planet

    I’m very proud to see that Canada was named the number 1 country to visit in 2017 by Lonely Planet. With Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations just around the corner, our Nation’s Capital is ready to host the biggest party ever thrown for our great country. Be here for Canada’s Big Year! Read Ottawa Tourism’s News Release below: — Ottawa Tourism elated Lonely Planet recognizes Canada as #1 place to visit in […]

  • On 7 October 2016 In Blog, Community Services, News Tags , ,

    Trick or Treat with the Mayor!
  • On 19 September 2016 In Blog, News Tags , ,

    Congratulations Ottawa Champions, 2016 CanAm league Champions!

    Ottawa Champions fans joined me and my fellow City Councillors today to celebrate the Ottawa Champion’s first CanAm league victory! Nearly 300 people attended a rally held in Jean Pigott at City Hall, along with players from the Ottawa Champions team and members of the Ottawa Champions office. It was great to hear from David Gourlay, President of the Ottawa Champions and from Sebastien Boucher, local Ottawa Champions player, as they […]

  • On 11 July 2016 In Blog, News Tags , , ,

    City of Ottawa and Ottawa Champions baseball team invite residents to join in honouring Max Keeping on Saturday

    The City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Champions baseball team are inviting residents to remember popular local community builder Max Keeping, by filling the RCGT Park baseball stadium for the ball game on Saturday, July 16, at 7 p.m., when the Champions will host the Rockland Boulders. The game will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. with a short ceremony renaming the Coventry Pedestrian and Cycling Bridge over Highway 417 the […]

  • On 4 July 2016 In Blog, News Tags , , , , , , ,

    North American Leaders Summit 2016

    On Wednesday, June 29, 2016, I had the privilege and honour to welcome and meet United States President Barack Obama here in Ottawa, during the North American Leaders Summit. The American leader met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto. Together they discussed and developed strategies for clean energy, economic growth and collaboration between the three countries. In the receiving line, President Obama and I talked about my tie, the […]

  • On 17 June 2016 In Blog, News

    Downtown Ottawa is open for business with free special bus service and free two-hour parking

    This weekend, Rideau-Vanier Councillor Mathieu Fleury and I encourage you to to spend some time in downtown Rideau and in the ByWard Market to support our local businesses and the people who work there. We want to make it easy to get to the core, so the the City will provide two hours of free parking on Sunday June 19 and 26, and free shuttles on those same Sundays from Trim, […]

  • On 12 June 2016 In Blog, News

    My message in the wake of the Orlando tragedy

    It was with great sadness that I learned this morning of the horrible tragedy that happened in a nightclub in Orlando overnight, where the lives of 50 members of the LGBTQ community were taken. This was the deadliest shooting in the history of the United States. My condolences go to the families and friends of the victims, and to our American friends who are mourning this loss.   I have […]

  • On 4 June 2016 In Blog, News, Stage 2 Tags , , , , ,

    Historic transit win for Ottawa residents

    On June 3, the Province of Ontario announced an investment of $1 billion towards the City’s Stage 2 LRT initiative, plus 50 per cent of the cost associated with extending the O-Train system to the airport and from Place d’Orléans to Trim. This is a total investment of $1.16 billion. This is an historic vote of confidence in the future of the City of Ottawa. This is also the single […]

  • On 31 May 2016 In Blog, News Tags , ,

    Remembering Heather Crowe, Smoke-Free Ontario advocate

    From time to time I’m asked, particularly by students, what one action I’m most proud of as a politician. And I always answer that it was having the opportunity to implement the Smoke Free Ontario Act, as Ontario’s first minister of Health Promotion back in 2006. But while I had the honour of making sure this important law was implemented, the true credit for this ground breaking piece of legislation […]

  • On 20 May 2016 In Blog, News Tags ,

    Mayor’s Annual Canada Day Celebration for Seniors

    I am hosting my Annual Canada Day Celebration for Seniors on Friday, July 1 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne Park. 1015 Bank Street, Ottawa. Tickets are required for entry and to claim prizes. There is limited free parking for ticket holders from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are available now by calling the City of Ottawa at 613-580-2424, ext. 25683 or by emailing protocolrsvp@ottawa.ca by Wednesday, June 22. They will be distributed […]

  • On 14 April 2016 In Blog, News Tags , , ,

    More transportation choices: Ottawa opens the door to companies like Uber and Lyft, while modernizing taxi regulations

    I’m pleased to tell you that Ottawa has become one of the first Canadian jurisdictions to adopt regulations for Private Transportation Companies like Uber and Lyft. ‎We’ve also cut fees and red tape on the traditional taxi industry in order to allow it to compete and innovate. The new regulations come into effect on September 30. If a Private Transportation Company like Uber or Lyft want to operate in Ottawa, […]

  • On 14 April 2016 In Blog Tags

    National Capital Commission Board

    April 11, 2016 was a historical day for the Mayor of Gatineau Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin and I as we signed the National Capital Commission (NCC) Declaration, which welcomes our participation on their Board on an ex-officio, non-voting basis. I’d also like to thank Minister Mélanie Joly for her warm welcome. My first NCC Board meeting will be on April 28, 2016.

  • On 27 January 2016 In Blog, News, Speeches

    State of the City Speech – 2016

    State of the City 2016 A Year of Collaboration Good morning and Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a healthy and restful Christmas and holiday season. I also want to welcome those in the audience for joining us this morning. Colleagues… As I said in last year’s State of the City speech, 2015 was a Year of Momentum. And 2016 will be a Year of Collaboration – working together […]

  • On 1 January 2016 In Blog, Budget, Finances

    Budget 2016

    2016 promises to be a big year in our city and before embarking on a year of important work to build a better Ottawa, I wanted to take a look back on the year we have just left behind. October of 2015 brought with it Council’s one year anniversary since our election as well as the 5 year anniversary since my election as Mayor in 2010. Your continued support remains […]

  • On 1 January 2016 In Blog

    Ottawa River Action Plan

    Throughout my travels around our city, I have the opportunity to meet many people; some of them call our city home while others are visiting from abroad. One of my favorite questions to ask them is what is their favorite attraction in Ottawa? The answers I hear most: Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, and the Byward Market, all share the commonality of being close to the Ottawa River. Whether called […]

  • On 23 July 2015 In Blog, News

    Tourism In Your City

    With summer upon us, Ottawa has sprung to life with innumerable festivals, events and attractions that take place city-wide. Ottawa is not only home to tremendous natural beauty, but as the nation’s capital there are many local and national sites of historic significance to enjoy. In fact, tourism is the third largest contributor to our local economy, behind the high-tech and government sectors. In collaboration with the City of Ottawa, […]

  • On 13 May 2015 In Blog

    Cities of Tomorrow – Challenge and Showcase

    May 13, 2015 – As a member of the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), I have the pleasure to represent Ottawa in addressing many of the challenges large urban centres face, across our province. We have made much progress and in 2014, LUMCO launched several new initiatives including an annual contest and event, the Cities of Tomorrow Challenge and Showcase. Ontario’s Big City Mayors have challenged post secondary […]

  • On 8 May 2015 In Blog

    Ottawa Champions Baseball Home Opener

    As you may have heard, Ottawa’s new professional baseball team will be taking to the field this spring!   The Ottawa Champions Baseball Club’s inaugural home opener is on Friday, May 22nd at 7:00pm (the opening ceremonies and community celebration begin at 6pm) at the Ottawa Stadium, now known as Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park (RCGT Park). I would encourage you to show your support for our newest sports franchise in Ottawa by coming out […]

  • On 22 April 2015 In Blog

    How we’re cleaning up the Ottawa River

    Since I was elected Mayor in 2010, my top environmental priority has been to clean up the Ottawa River. I believe this would be the perfect gift for future generations as Canada approaches its 150th birthday. We have made a lot of progress on this issue and I want to share how we will finish the job. The issue Ottawa is a city of almost 1 million people, and our […]

  • On 11 March 2015 In Blog, Budget, Finances

    Blog: 100 Days

    First of all, I want to thank the residents of Ottawa who have sent me their well-wishes over the past few weeks. It has not been easy for me to be away from City Hall while I recover but the phone calls, letters, emails, Twitter and Facebook messages, and kind words have meant a lot to me. Although I have been away, the work of Council continues and I’m happy […]

  • On 6 March 2015 In Blog, Stage 2, Transportation

    WLRT Corridor Recommendation

    I am writing to update you on the work undertaken by the NCC-City Working Group regarding the western light rail transit (LRT) corridor. I am pleased to inform you that the Working Group has reached an agreement in principle, which was announced at a joint press conference with the NCC this morning. This agreement meets all of the City of Ottawa’s objectives in its unanimously-approved Transportation Master Plan and will […]

  • On 24 October 2014 In Blog, Economic Development

    Speech: Ottawa's Economic Outlook

    (CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY) Thank you for joining us this morning. I always enjoy the opportunity to speak directly to the women and men who are helping drive Ottawa’s economy. And this week is a particularly special one because… On Sunday I returned with a 40 person delegation after a successful 8 day visit to Beijing and Shanghai. Tomorrow is the third anniversary of my election as mayor. And yesterday we […]

  • On 6 March 2014 In Blog

    Happy International Women’s Day 2014

    Saturday, March 8, 2014 is International Women’s Day. This is an occasion to pay tribute to women everywhere who have made a difference in the lives of others. It is a day to celebrate the women who have led – and continue to lead – the way forward towards a more just and equal society. One of the themes for this year’s celebration is “Inspiring Change”. Around the world, and […]

  • On 23 October 2013 In Blog, Finances

    Mayor’s 2014 Budget Address

    [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Introduction Good morning colleagues. Today I have the pleasure to Table the 2014 Draft Budget for the City of Ottawa. As in preceding years, I want to thank each and every one around this Council Table. Thank you for your input into this document which you all provide year round. Thank you for your commitment to making our City a better place in which to live, to […]

  • On 9 October 2013 In Blog, Stage 2, Transportation

    Mayor’s Remarks: Stage 2

    CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Thank you all for coming. I’ve invited you here today to talk about how our city will grow and the fundamental tool that public transit offers us for intelligent planning. And how – if we are smart – we can use our public transit investments to make sure our transportation system will serve Ottawa as we grow in the years to come. This Council began its term […]

  • On 6 September 2013 In Blog, Finances

    Budget 2014 overview

    Taxes – At the beginning of its term, Council passed a fiscal framework that would limit tax increases to no more than 2.5% annually. It has done better than this target for three consecutive budgets. – In the 2014 Budget, Council is aiming to do even better, with a tax increase of no more than 2% – the lowest in seven years. Savings and Spending Since the beginning of its […]

  • On 6 September 2013 In Blog

    Letter to Environment Minister James Bradley – Sept. 6, 2013

    September 6, 2013   The Honourable James Bradley Minister of the Environment Ferguson Block 11th Floor 77 Wellesley St W Toronto ON M7A2T5   Dear Minister, I am sure that you would be aware of the importance of the West Carleton Landfill issue to residents of the City of Ottawa and to our City Council. This issue and the Environmental Assessment related to the proposal were under consideration by your […]

  • On 12 June 2013 In Blog

    Blog: Progress at the new Lansdowne

    After decades of indecision and conflict, one thing residents keep telling me is that it is great to finally see Lansdowne moving forward! If you look at the site, you see several cranes up and hundreds of construction workers hard at work. I check in on the project about once a week, whether it is by driving by on my way to an event or visiting my parents who live […]