Mayor Sutcliffe says City of Ottawa will not direct public servants to stay downtown after work

An OC Transpo bus is seen at St. Laurent Station. June 11, 2026. (Brad Quinn/CTV News Ottawa)

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe insists there will be “no effort to direct people to stay downtown longer than they want to,” despite a city report outlining an advertising campaign that would encourage people to stay downtown after work to help alleviate pressure on the O-Train, buses and the roads this fall.

As part of the plan to keep commuters moving in September, the City of Ottawa plans to launch an ad campaign focusing on downtown Ottawa and “supporting extended stays” in the core.

A report for council last week said the communications strategy will include “targeted efforts to promote downtown activity, events, and businesses, with the objective of encouraging workers and visitors who travel to the downtown core to extend their time in the area in order to spread the egress from downtown over a longer period.”

Public service unions and public servants have criticized the plan by the City of Ottawa to encourage people to spend time in the downtown core at the end of the workday.

In a letter to City of Ottawa employees, obtained by CTV News Ottawa, Sutcliffe said he wanted to address “misinterpretations and mischaracterizations” that have been circulating on the city’s approach to communicating transportation plans this fall.

“Let me be clear: there is no plan to encourage employers to keep employees downtown longer, nor to do any marketing or communications along those lines,” Sutcliffe said on Tuesday.

“I have asked city staff to ensure that any and all communications will be to inform residents of the 48 different measures the city is taking to make traffic flow more smoothly. There will be no effort to direct people to stay downtown longer than they want to, and any suggestion of that is misleading.“

In a post on social media, Sutcliffe reiterated there had been “misinterpretations and mischaracterizations” about the city’s approach to communicating travel plans this fall.

“I have asked city staff to ensure that any and all communications will be to inform residents of the 48 different measures we are taking to make traffic flow more smoothly. That includes increasing the frequency of Line 1, adding more bus service, including express routes, and addressing other issues including parking and traffic flow.”

The City of Ottawa’s $29 million, 48-point plan to keep commuters moving this fall includes $110,000 for promotion and paid advertising to share mitigation measures and travel tips, and $50,000 for a transit communication campaign geared towards federal employees.

A report for council last week outlined the objectives of the city’s communications approach:

• Support downtown vitality and economic activity by promoting awareness of downtown events, businesses, and visitor experiences, encouraging travel to the core, and supporting extended stays, in collaboration with Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and partners
• Provide timely, clear, and actionable travel information to help residents plan trips and navigate changing traffic and mobility conditions
• Support informed travel decisions by increasing awareness of the full range of transportation options available, including transit, cycling, walking, park-and-ride, carpooling, driving, and multi-modal combinations
• Communicate transparently and consistently about mobility measures, construction activity, and implementation decisions to strengthen public understanding of the city’s response
• Leverage real-time and near real-time information on transit service, traffic conditions, construction impacts, parking availability, and significant unplanned incidents to support efficient trip planning and reduce avoidable congestion
• Collaborate with federal departments to provide timely mobility information and communication materials for distribution through established internal communication channels. Deputy Ministers have confirmed they will communicate key information directly with employees, helping to maximize awareness and ensure employees have access to the information and resources required for informed travel planning.
• Establish clear, accessible channels for public information and feedback to ensure residents can easily access updates and share concerns or observations

Some councillors have raised concerns about capacity on City of Ottawa roads, the Queensway and OC Transpo as public servants and students return this fall.

OC Transpo and the city are expecting an additional 65,000 trips a week into the downtown area this fall, with federal public servants required to be in the office for a minimum of four days a week.

OC Transpo advertising campaign

In a separate memo to council today, OC Transpo manager of strategic communications Amanda Thompson outlined its communications and marketing campaign for the fall.

Thompson said it will focus on “increasing the awareness of enhancements that make transit more frequent, direct and reliable,” including:

• Improved weekday frequency on O-Train Line 1 and an earlier start to weekday service on O-Train Line 2
• New express bus service and Park & Ride connections to improve transit access to major employment areas
• More reliable bus schedules on 30 bus routes serving 50 per cent of customers.
• Improvements to Para Transpo service to strengthen reliability for customers.
• Additional staff present across the network to support customers and safety.

Thompson said in addition to the mobility act plan, the city will work with Business Improvement Areas to “showcase the neighbourhoods and business districts downtown and near employment hubs across Ottawa.”

“The plan aims to highlight local events, restaurants, shops, cultural attractions and new public spaces that contribute to vibrant, welcoming communities,” Thompson said.

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