Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. September 3rd, 2026

Does Ottawa need a Downtown safety czar? Mayoral candidate and Incumbent Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has unveiled his Public Safety Action Plan. If re-elected in October, he plans to hire 350 new police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. Sutcliffe says he will double investments into ANCHOR – Ottawa’s 9-1-1 alternative program. And finally, he’s vowing to appoint a Downtown Safety Czar. Kristy Cameron digs deeper with Josiah Frith, the President of the Lowertown Community Association. Then, we check in with CFRA’s Andrew Pinsent. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.