Sutcliffe was elected
mayor of Ottawa in the
2022 municipal election. Described as a
centrist, Sutcliffe defeated
Catherine McKenney, a progressive councillor supported by many
New Democratic Party and some
Liberal figures. Sutcliffe was supported by many sitting Liberal and Conservative politicians. During his term as mayor, he has had a strong focus on reducing government spending. Sutcliffe has particularly concentrated his cost-cutting initiatives on
OC Transpo, Ottawa's
public transit agency, including fare increases, reducing
O-Train frequency, and eliminating fare discounts for youth. Another project undertaken during Sutcliffe's tenure is Lansdowne 2.0, a project to redevelop
Lansdowne Park. The project was initially planned under Sutcliffe's predecessor
Jim Watson, with Sutcliffe becoming a strong proponent of it after he was elected mayor. The city of Ottawa is expected to spend approximately $500 million on Lansdowne 2.0, which will include a redevelopment of
TD Place Stadium, a total reconstruction of
TD Place Arena, and a new event centre adjacent to the stadium. The
Ottawa Charge of the
Professional Women's Hockey League have criticized the project and stated they will not play at TD Place Arena, if the arena's capacity is reduced from 8,585 to 5,500, as is planned. Throughout his term, Sutcliffe has been an opponent of
remote work and has supported plans to eliminate remote work for the provincial and
federal public service. On January 1, 2026 the city of Ottawa ended remote work for its employees. Sutcliffe has cited the importance of
corporate culture, as well as the economic activity created by workers purchasing goods, services, and parking in the downtown core as reasons to end remote work. In August 2024, Sutcliffe declined to participate in Ottawa's annual
pride parade and other
Capital Pride events, citing a statement the organization had released that expressed solidarity with Palestinians and described Israel's actions in the
Gaza war as a genocide. ==Personal life==