Hour 3 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. August 21st, 2025

As previously heard in Hour 1, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has released his 2026 ‘budget direction’ for the City of Ottawa. He says there could be a transit fare hike, somewhere between 2.5 percent and 7.5 percent. Police spending for 2026, according to Sutcliffe, could also climb between 2.9 percent and 6.5 percent. In your view, what municipal service needs the most investment? What service would you pay more taxes to improve? Guest host Andrew Pinsent sifts through the CFRA textboard and tackles today’s Question of the Day. Later in Hour 3, he searches for your gardening questions, as gardening expert Carson Arthur delivers some get-ahead pointers for the 2026 gardening season. Plus, a home burglar is facing charges in Lindsay, while the Ontario homeowner who tried to defend himself is also facing charges. It’s a complex investigation that caught the attention of Premier Doug Ford, and he pulled no punches when taking sides. We tread through these complex waters with Nick Cake, a London-based criminal defence lawyer.