TCMV

Jeff Leiper

City Councillor- Ward 15

First elected to represent Kitchissippi Ward as a councillor in 2014
Served as Chair of the Information Technology Sub-Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee
Was also a member of the Planning and Environment Committees as well as the Transit Commission
Previously served as president of the Hintonburg Community Association
His background spans journalism, public policy, and leadership roles in the technology sector
Leiper also served as a manager and executive at Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications regulator

Source 1

Jeff Leiper’s Priority Issues

Reverse the city’s five-day return-to-office mandate, arguing the move to force workers in the office could have a negative impact on suburban businesses.

Launch a Meanwhile Leasing Program

that matches empty storefronts downtown with small businesses, pop-ups or community organizations on flexible short-term leases.

Transit that works:

Restore the citizen seat on the Transit Commission, introduce a Transit Service Guarantee, restore cuts, deliver dedicated bus lanes city-wide

Housing that works:

1500 new non-profit homes, protect existing affordable housing, enforce housing standards

City Hall that works in the open:

Respecting Council decision making by not using strong mayor powers, publish a weekly mayoral schedule and disclose meetings with lobbyists, improve decision transparency, replace the City Budget Process, refuse all donations from developers

Safety that works:

Expand crisis response, strengthen by-law enforcement, stop downloading federal responsibilities onto the city, focus police resources

A city that works for people:

Fix what Ottawa already has, expand access to community spaces, open libraries on Sundays, create Ottawa Neighborhood Improvement Fund, review city fees

triple funding for night ambassadors and safety outreach, fill empty commercial spaces and create a dedicated area for festivals to improve the ByWard Market…permanent festival plaza

Source: leiper2026.ca

Jeff’s Answers: Muslims & Islamophobia

How will you strengthen relationships and trust between police services and Muslim communities?

How will you work with mosques, Islamic schools, and Muslim organizations to improve community safety and emergency preparedness?

What steps will you take to address Islamophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination?

How will you ensure Muslim residents and community organizations have a meaningful voice in municipal decision-making?

How will you support Muslim organizations that provide community services, settlement support, youth programming, food assistance, and other essential services?

How can the city provide a more nuanced approach to zoning for religious institutions (such as mosques) given their practices, cultures and needs differ?

What do you think is the greatest problem the ward is facing, and how do you plan to address it?

How will you ensure that anti-racism and EDI policies explicitly recognize and address anti-Palestinian racism where it occurs?

How will you ensure that your city’s commitments to freedom of expression, anti-racism, religious freedom, and equal treatment are applied consistently across all communities, including when issues are politically contentious?

Ottawa