Ottawa Must Obey Budget Law: BENN

Published 02/22/2025 · Updated 02/22/2025

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So, what is Plan Y? Why Y? Because Plans A through X have failed.

About six or seven months ago, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe spoke of how unfairly the federal and provincial governments were treating Ottawa. A few well-chosen examples were cited. Well chosen as in not entirely accurate. The feds were short changing the city with payments in lieu of taxes being reduced on vacant office buildings that were vacant. The National Capital Commission classifying the vacant parcel of land that is LeBreton as vacant. The province giving Toronto more money for transit than Ottawa, artfully ignoring the concept that the two cities are not comparable.

A lot of public posturing. Calls to both Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park that yielded no tangible results. With both senior governments having much larger fiscal problems on their plates, no meaningful feedback. And elections on their minds.

A few months later council receives a draft budget with a $38-million place-keeper in it. Not balanced per provincial statutes. Council passes it anyways. Because paying attention to the details is not s strong suit for a city that excels at sending virtue signals.

During the current provincial election campaign both the PCs and Liberals promised future money. Details to follow pending the outcome of the election. Give a month or two and the federal parties will pass through town with similar future-oriented promises.

In the meantime, the court that heard the city’s case regarding the payments in lieu of taxes has ruled. The city lost another one.

So here we are, about two months into the city’s fiscal year and there is still a $38-million hole in the unbalanced budget.

So council … what is Plan Y? Every day that passes is one less day to take the action that should have been taken three months ago. The ball is in your court council. Time to grow up and meet your obligations. Not just to the statutes. To the people of Ottawa.

Ron Benn, a finance executive, has been a member of the Centrepointe Community Association for the better part of three decades.