This should be a vigorous budget debate based on financial reality in Ottawa, not on fulfilling election promises.

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Ahead of budget 2025 deliberations, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has warned about property tax increases, massive transit fare hikes and service cuts the likes of which the city hasn’t seen in decades.

In its budget directions, released Monday and approved Wednesday, we learned that property tax increases could be 2.9 per cent, transit levy hikes between 2.9 and 37 per cent, and fare increases between 2.5 and 75 per cent. Worst case: a single ride on OC Transpo could cost $6.65, up from $3.80. A monthly pass could go from $128 to $225. All this is because of a lack of federal and provincial funding that has left OC Transpo with a $120-million deficit.

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