From left: Mayor Mark Sutcliffe with mayoral candidates Neil Saravanamuttoo, Alex Lawson and Jeff Leiper at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.
Housing, development and Ottawa’s future growth took centre stage Thursday as four mayoral candidates faced questions from the city’s homebuilding and real estate communities.
Hosted by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) and the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB), the Sept. 24 debate brought candidates Alex Lawson, Jeff Leiper, Neil Saravanamuttoo and incumbent Mark Sutcliffe together ahead of the Oct. 26 municipal election.
GOHBA executive director Jason Burggraaf and OREB CEO Nicole Christy co-moderated the discussion, which drew industry leaders, association members and community stakeholders.
The conversation tackled some of the biggest issues facing Ottawa’s housing market, including affordability and supply, development approvals, infrastructure and the costs of building new communities. The discussion offered a chance to hear how the candidates would approach the practical challenges of accommodating Ottawa’s continued growth — from getting projects approved to ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with new homes.
The debate also brought the pressures facing buyers and renters into sharper focus, with housing affordability increasingly tied to Ottawa’s ability to attract workers, support businesses and accommodate growing families.
Housing remains a major issue for the city’s development and real estate sectors, as industry leaders look to the next council for policies and partnerships that can help get more homes built. The debate was part of GOHBA and OREB’s broader effort to keep housing and responsible growth high on the municipal election agenda.
Co-hosts Jason Burggraff (GOHBA) and Nicole Christy (OREB) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Jason Ralph (Royal LePage Team Realty), Tami Eades (OREB) and David Wildeboer (Wild Ridge Landscapes) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.From left: Linda Oliveri Blanchard (Enercare), Tanya Buckley (Urbandale Construction), Jason Burggraff (GOHBA), Michelle Taggart (Tamarack Homes/Tartan Homes), Amy Crooks (GOHBA), Serge Desjardins (GOHBA) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Vir C. Advani (RBC Dominion Securities) and Soula Burrell (GOHBA) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Richard Sachs (Urbandale), Robert Merkley (Merkley Supply) and Josh Kardish (eQ Homes) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.GOHBA board members (L-R) Linda Oliveri Blanchard (Enercare), Tanya Buckley (Urbandale Construction) and Simran Kochar (Stone Design Concepts) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Kaite Burkholder Harris (Alliance to End Homelessness), Cliff Youdale (Ottawa Community Housing) and Lisa Dalla Rosa (Fotenn Planning + Design) at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at the mayoral debate hosted by GOHBA and OREB, held at the St. Elias Banquet Centre, Sept. 24, 2026. Photos by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla/OBJ.
