Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is the most popular mayor in Canada, according to new public opinion research that provides a rare glimpse outside elections into how residents feel about their civic leaders.
The Mainstreet Research poll, commissioned by Postmedia, surveyed residents in 10 of Canada’s largest cities on their level of satisfaction with their mayor, councillors and city council. Mr. Watson ranked highest in the country with a 79 per cent satisfaction rating, edging out Saskatoon’s Charlie Clark and Calgary’s Naheed Nenshi.
Ottawa residents also ranked city council and individual councillors as the most satisfactory in Canada, with 65 and 64 per cent satisfaction, respectively.
(Sponsored)
OBJ launches the 2026 Executive Report on Cornwall
Cornwall has emerged as one of Eastern Ontario’s most compelling locations for business investment, thanks to a combination of affordability, strategic positioning, and a steadily growing economic base.
OCOBIA eyes Ottawa BIA expansion as it gears up for election year
Michelle Groulx says it’s not difficult to spot the Ottawa neighbourhoods with their own business improvement area (BIA). That’s because, she says, BIAs are a visual and experiential representation of
Mr. Watson beat incumbent Larry O’Brien to become mayor in 2010 and was easily re-elected in 2014.
During his time in office, Mr. Watson has maintained a high profile in the community, overseen construction and planning of the city’s light-rail line and kept property tax increases below the maximum 2.5 per cent increase promised in his 2010 campaign. This year’s increase was two per cent, although rates for water and sewer services are increasing at a higher rate.
Monday’s poll is likely to spark fresh speculation about Mr. Watson’s political future.
He has so far declined to say whether he will seek an additional mayoral term when municipal elections are next held across the province in October 2018.
The Mainstreet/Postmedia poll has a margin of error of four percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
