Jeff Leiper
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jeff Leiper
| image =
| caption = Leiper in 2018
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1970}}
| birth_place = Ottawa
| office = Ottawa City Councillor
| term_start = December 1, 2014
| term_end =
| predecessor = Katherine Hobbs
| successor = Incumbent
| party =
| constituency = Kitchissippi Ward
| majority =
| spouse = Natalie Hanson
| residence = Hintonburg, Ottawa
| alma_mater = University of Ottawa
Algonquin College
}}
Jeffreyhttps://www.uottawa.ca/alumni/sites/www.uottawa.ca.alumni/files/acce_-_final_-_eng_-_alum16_423_rapportannueldiplomes_eng_accessible_final.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102201346/https://www.uottawa.ca/alumni/sites/www.uottawa.ca.alumni/files/acce_-_final_-_eng_-_alum16_423_rapportannueldiplomes_eng_accessible_final.pdf |date=2022-01-02 }} {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} Leiper (born 1970){{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/kitchissippi-ward-ottawa-election-2018-1.4792170| title = Kissing babies in Kitchissippi {{!}} CBC News}}{{cite tweet|number=1095819864898523136|user=cmckenney|title=Wishing @JLeiper a speedy recovery. His statement about a health-related absence here. |date=13 February 2019}} is the current Ottawa city councillor for Kitchissippi Ward. He was first elected in the 2014 Ottawa municipal election, defeating the incumbent Katherine Hobbs.
Early life and career
Leiper was born and raised in Ottawa. He studied history and English at the University of Ottawa, and print journalism at Algonquin College. As a youth, Leiper was a member of the youth wing of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, though he is now a committed progressive.{{Cite web|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-votes-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-candidates-in-kitchissippi|title = Ottawa Votes: What you need to know about the candidates in Kitchissippi}} Leiper first ran for office as a 24 year old in the 1994 municipal elections for a seat on Cumberland Township Council. At the time he was still attending the University of Ottawa. He ran on a platform of higher density developments, the completion of a north-south link between then Highway 17 (now Highway 174) and Highway 417 (which was never built), more parks and the completion of a library.Ottawa Citizen, November 8, 1994, pg C10 Running in Ward 2, covering the southern section of Orleans, he won just 3% of the vote.Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 1994, pg C4
He has lived in Kitchissippi Ward since 1995 when he and his spouse Natalie moved into the Julian Apartments in the Wellington West area. Today, he lives in Hintonburg with Natalie and their son.
Leiper has a long background working with the Hintonburg Community Association, where he served as its president.{{Cite web|url=https://kitchissippi.com/2014/01/13/jeff-leiper-hintonburg/|title = A new hat in the ring|date = 13 January 2014}} He has also worked with the volunteer-run community newspaper Newswest in the ward. For many years, he created and organized events such as the Cyclelogik Hintonburg 5k Run/Walk and Newswest Kids 1K, Dog Movie Night and the annual Hintonburg Street Hockey Tournament. His community work includes a significant background in planning, traffic, economic development, and other neighbourhood and citywide issues.
Professionally, Leiper began his career in the Information and Communications Technology sector as a journalist. He subsequently worked as an industry analyst for an international consulting firm, then as an executive in a federal regulatory agency. Prior to his election, he worked as an executive at an NGO with a mandate to promote the full participation by all Canadians including women, youth, and internationally educated professionals in the technology workforce.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}
Political career
Leiper was first elected to Ottawa City Council in the 2014 Ottawa municipal election, where he defeated incumbent Katherine Hobbs to become city councillor for Kitchissippi Ward.{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Andrew |date=2014-11-21 |title=Departing councillor Katherine Hobbs: 'It's a job that becomes a lifestyle' |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/departing-councillor-katherine-hobbs-its-a-job-that-becomes-a-lifestyle |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=2025-05-01}}
Leiper was re-elected in the 2018 Ottawa municipal election with 85% of the vote, the second-largest margin of victory in the elections that year (after Stephen Blais). On February 13, 2019, he suffered a heart attack while shoveling snow.{{cite news |last=Crawford |first=Blair |date=2019-02-13 |title=Coun. Jeff Leiper recovering from heart attack after shovelling snow |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/coun-jeff-leiper-recovering-from-heart-attack-after-shovelling-snow |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=2025-05-01}} Following his recovery, he announced he had quit smoking and partnered with Ottawa Public Health to encourage others to quit smoking as well.{{cite news |last=Helmer |first=Aedan |date=2019-02-16 |title=Coun. Jeff Leiper turns heart attack health scare into anti-smoking message |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/coun-jeff-leiper-turns-heart-attack-health-scare-into-anti-smoking-message |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=2025-05-01}} In the aftermath of the convoy protests in Ottawa, Leiper called for a royal commission to investigate the shortcomings in the police response and the rise of political extremism in Canada.{{cite news |last1=McKenney |first1=Catherine |last2=Leiper |first2=Jeff |date=2022-03-14 |title=Ottawa occupation needs a Royal Commission |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/mckenney-and-leiper-ottawa-occupation-needs-a-royal-commission |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2025-05-02}}{{cite news |last=Quenneville |first=Guy |date=2022-03-29 |title=Ottawa police board requests convoy review despite concerns over timeline |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-services-board-freedom-convoy-response-audit-1.6400199 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-05-02}}
Leiper was re-elected for a third time in the 2022 Ottawa municipal election. During his third term, his top priorities included affordable housing and improvements to public transit.{{cite news |last=Senack |first=Charlie |date=2024-03-07 |title=Five priorities Jeff Leiper has for this term of council |url=https://kitchissippi.com/five-priorities-jeff-leiper-has-for-this-term-of-council/ |work=Kitchissippi Times |location=Ottawa |access-date=2025-05-02}} In 2023, he voted against "Landsdowne 2.0" which would provide over $400 million dollars of municipal subsidies for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park. The project was approved by a vote of 16 to 9.{{cite news |last=Skura |first=Elyse |date=2023-11-09 |title=Lansdowne 2.0 gets city council's stamp of approval |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lansdowne-2-0-gets-city-council-s-stamp-of-approval-1.7017822 |work=CBC News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}{{cite news |last=Raymond |first=Ted |date=2024-04-17 |title=Council approves crucial procedural step for Lansdowne 2.0 plan |url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/council-approves-crucial-procedural-step-for-lansdowne-2-0-plan-1.6850072 |work=CTV News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}{{cite news |last=Glass |first=Marlo |date=2023-11-10 |title=How Ottawa's councillors voted on Lansdowne 2.0 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/how-ottawas-councillors-voted-on-lansdowne-2-0 |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}} In June 2024, Leiper proposed delaying the city's plan to remove free parking in Westboro and Wellington Village until O-Train service was available in both neighborhoods. However, the proposal was defeated at the city's transit committee.{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2024-06-27 |title=Push to delay paid parking in Westboro, Wellington West fails |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/push-to-delay-paid-parking-in-westboro-wellington-west-fails-1.7248634 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-05-02}} Later that year, Leiper led opposition to OC Transpo plans to reduce O-Train frequency as a cost-saving measure.{{cite news |last=Skura |first=Elyse |date=2024-09-13 |title=OC Transpo defends LRT schedule cuts that councillors say aren't worth it |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-ottawa-lrt-cut-service-midday-1.7322025 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-05-02}} His motion to reverse the O-Train service cuts was defeated narrowly by a vote of 13 to 12.{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2024-09-18 |title=Bid to reverse LRT frequency cut loses at council |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bid-to-reverse-lrt-frequency-cut-loses-at-council-1.7327221 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-05-02}} In December 2024, he was one of three councillors to vote against the 2025 city budget proposed by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe (the others were Laine Johnson and Sean Devine). He argued that aggressive cost-cutting measures would cost the city more money in the long-term.{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2024-12-11 |title=Council passes 2025 budget with 3.9% tax hike |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/council-passes-2025-budget-with-3-9-tax-hike-1.7408013#:~:text=Ottawa%20city%20council%20has%20passed,it%20balanced%20affordability%20with%20investment. |work=CBC News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2025-05-02}}
On June 25, 2025, Leiper announced his intention to run for mayor of Ottawa in the 2026 Ottawa municipal election.{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2025-06-25 |title=Coun. Jeff Leiper eyes mayoral run against Mark Sutcliffe |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-leiper-mayoral-run-1.7569914 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-06-28}}{{cite news |last=Laucius |first=Joanne |date=2025-06-25 |title=Councillor Jeff Leiper says he plans to run for mayor in 2026 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/jeff-leiper-says-he-plans-to-run-for-mayor-in-2026 |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=2025-06-28}}
Electoral record
| class="wikitable" | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="230px" colspan="2" | 2022 Ottawa Municipal Election: Kitchissippi Ward
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=#009999 width="30px"|
| Jeff Leiper (X) | 11,055 | 71.97 |
| bgcolor=#D16806 width="30px"|
| Oonagh Fitzgerald | 3,247 | 21.14 |
| bgcolor="#40924e" width="30px" |
| Daniel Stringer | 1,058 | 6.89 |
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="230px" | 2018 Ottawa Municipal Election: Kitchissippi Ward
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| bgcolor="#009999" width="30px" |
| Jeff Leiper (X) | 12,068 | 85.28 |
| bgcolor="#552413" width="30px" |
| Daniel Stringer | 2,083 | 14.72 |
| class="wikitable" | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="230px" colspan="2" | 2014 Ottawa Municipal Election: Kitchissippi Ward
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=#009999 width="30px"|
| Jeff Leiper | 7,557 | 55.36 |
| bgcolor=#74AA3D width="30px"|
| Katherine Hobbs (X) | 4,197 | 30.75 |
| bgcolor=#47BCEC width="30px"|
| Michelle Reimer | 1,530 | 11.21 |
| bgcolor=#49C0D9 width="30px"|
| Ellen Lougheed | 272 | 1.99 |
| bgcolor=#DCDCDC width="30px"|
| Larry Wasslenn | 95 | 0.70 |
| class="wikitable" | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="230px" colspan="2" | 1994 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality Elections: Cumberland Township: Bilberry Ward
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=#DCDCDC width="30px"|
| Dave Lewis | 1,514 | 73.49 |
| bgcolor=#DCDCDC width="30px"|
| Vic Powell | 476 | 23.11 |
| bgcolor=#009999 width="30px"|
| Jeff Leiper | 70 | 3.40 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://kitchissippiward.ca/ Ward Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141217081823/http://ottawa.ca/en/city-council/councillor-jeff-leiper Official City of Ottawa Biography]
- [http://www.jeffleiper.ca/ Personal site]
- [https://twitter.com/JLeiper Twitter account]
{{Ottawa City Council}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leiper, Jeff}}
Category:Ottawa city councillors