Michael Tay on Facebook 
Michael Tay
Independent for Ward 14 Councillor
Businesses & Jobs
Business Permitting
Streamline City permitting processes so small businesses can spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time operating and growing.
Improve communication and accountability around permits so businesses know what is required, who is responsible and when decisions can be expected.
Economic Growth
Improve communication and accountability around permits so businesses know what is required, who is responsible and when decisions can be expected.
Consult BIAs and local businesses early on City projects that affect commercial streets.
Reduce avoidable disruption to businesses during road, infrastructure and construction projects.
Tourism
Strengthen connections between downtown destinations, neighbourhoods, cultural districts and events to encourage visitors to explore more of Ottawa.
Promote Ottawa’s downtown neighbourhoods, cultural districts, events and local businesses as connected destinations for residents and visitors.
Climate Change, Heat, Fires, & the Environment
Energy-Efficient Buildings
Support energy-efficient building upgrades that reduce long-term costs and improve the resilience of Ottawa’s housing and public infrastructure.
Green Space
Protect and expand the urban tree canopy, especially in neighbourhoods with limited shade and green space.
Protect and improve parks and green spaces as neighbourhoods grow and new development is approved.
Use trees, landscaping and green infrastructure to strengthen neighbourhood resilience to extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
Private Vehicles & Parking
Maintain reasonable access to parking while expanding safe and practical alternatives for walking, cycling and transit.
Include the parking and loading needs of residents and businesses when redesigning streets and commercial areas.
Urban Heat
Increase shade, trees and green infrastructure in areas most affected by extreme heat.
Design parks, streets and public spaces with more shade and places for people to safely cool down during extreme heat.
Walking & Cycling
Build safer, better-connected walking and cycling routes that do not abruptly end at dangerous intersections or gaps.
Improve dangerous intersections and crossings with particular attention to pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Use planned road reconstruction as an opportunity to improve sidewalks, crossings and cycling infrastructure.
Prioritize reliable winter maintenance so sidewalks and active transportation routes remain usable year-round.
Zoning
Support more housing and a wider range of housing types while ensuring growth is matched by appropriate public infrastructure and services.
Plan new development alongside trees, parks, transportation, water infrastructure and other neighbourhood needs.
Support a wider range of housing types, including family-sized homes, apartments, supportive housing and missing-middle housing.
Culture & Events
Festivals & Events
Support community festivals and cultural events that bring people together, support local businesses and showcase Ottawa’s diverse neighbourhoods.
Make it easier for community organizations to work with the City when planning neighbourhood events and festivals.
Public Art
Support public art that reflects Ottawa’s diverse communities and adds character to neighbourhood streets and public spaces.
Include local artists and community voices when planning public art and placemaking projects.
Tourism
Strengthen connections between downtown destinations, neighbourhoods, cultural districts and events to encourage visitors to explore more of Ottawa.
Promote Ottawa’s downtown neighbourhoods, cultural districts, events and local businesses as connected destinations for residents and visitors.
Housing & Homelessness
Affordability
Expand the supply of affordable, deeply affordable, supportive and market housing across Ottawa.
Protect existing affordable housing while supporting nonprofit and community housing providers to acquire and preserve homes.
Support more family-sized housing so people can remain in their neighbourhood as their families grow.
Building Maintenance & Occupant Health
Strengthen enforcement of property standards so tenants can expect safe, healthy and properly maintained homes.
Support repairs and renewal of aging affordable housing so existing homes are not lost through neglect or deterioration.
Homelessness
Invest in homelessness prevention, including eviction prevention, housing stabilization and supports that help people remain housed.
Expand supportive and deeply affordable housing with appropriate services for people transitioning out of homelessness.
Improve coordination between housing, mental health, addiction and community services so people are not left navigating disconnected systems.
Focus on moving people from homelessness into stable housing rather than relying indefinitely on emergency responses.
Housing Accessibility
Increase the supply of accessible and adaptable housing for seniors and people with disabilities.
Include accessibility from the beginning when planning new City-supported housing and neighbourhood development.
Indigenous-Led Housing
Support Indigenous-led housing organizations in developing and operating housing that responds to the needs of Indigenous residents.
Work with Indigenous partners early when City land, funding or planning decisions create opportunities for Indigenous-led housing.
Property Taxes
Keep property tax increases as low as reasonably possible while protecting essential City services and infrastructure.
Focus on long-term financial planning rather than short-term freezes that can defer costs or create larger pressures later.
Public & Assistive Housing
Expand nonprofit, public and supportive housing for residents who cannot meet their needs through the private market alone.
Work with nonprofit housing providers to acquire buildings and land for long-term affordable housing.
Pair supportive housing with appropriate mental health, addiction and community services where needed.
Rent & Rental Stock
Protect Ottawa’s existing affordable rental stock as new housing is built.
Strengthen measures that prevent displacement and the loss of affordable homes through renovictions and redevelopment.
Support rental replacement policies that protect tenants when existing rental buildings are redeveloped.
Zoning
Support more housing and a wider range of housing types while ensuring growth is matched by appropriate public infrastructure and services.
Plan new development alongside trees, parks, transportation, water infrastructure and other neighbourhood needs.
Support a wider range of housing types, including family-sized homes, apartments, supportive housing and missing-middle housing.
Human Rights
Physical Accessibility
Improve sidewalks, crossings and public infrastructure so people with disabilities can move through the city safely and independently.
Identify and fix accessibility features that are broken, blocked or no longer serving the people they were designed to support.
Work with people with disabilities and accessibility organizations when planning and evaluating public spaces and infrastructure.
Recent Immigrants
Support settlement and community organizations that help newcomers access housing, employment and essential City services.
Improve coordination between the City and frontline organizations so newcomers can navigate services more easily and successfully settle in Ottawa.
Sex Work
Support coordinated services for people experiencing exploitation and human trafficking, including safe housing and trauma-informed supports.
Local Government, Planning, & Democracy
Budgeting
Prioritize essential services, public infrastructure and programs that deliver measurable value for residents.
Use long-term budgeting to avoid deferring maintenance and creating larger costs in future years.
Report clearly on major spending commitments so residents can see what was promised, what was spent and what was delivered.
Good Governance
Publish regular progress updates so residents can track commitments and hold their councillor accountable.
Explain major decisions and votes clearly, including the reasoning behind them.
Set clear expectations for City-funded programs and require meaningful reporting on whether they are achieving results.
Bring residents, businesses, community organizations and other partners together early when solving neighbourhood problems.
Long-Term Plan
Plan housing growth alongside transit, roads, water infrastructure, parks, trees and community services.
Invest in preventive maintenance and infrastructure renewal instead of waiting for systems to fail.
Make long-term decisions based on what neighbourhoods will need in the years ahead, not only the pressures of the current budget cycle.
Public Engagement
Consult residents and businesses early enough for their input to meaningfully influence City decisions.
Make major planning and development information easier for residents to understand and access.
Report back after consultations so residents know what was heard, what changed and why decisions were made.
Use neighbourhood meetings, community organizations and direct outreach to hear from people who do not usually participate in City processes.
Youth Engagement
Create more opportunities for young people to contribute to decisions about their neighbourhoods and City services.
Work with schools, colleges, community organizations and youth-serving agencies to hear directly from young people.
Support accessible recreation, community programming and public spaces that give young people safe places to participate and connect.
Mental Health, Drugs, & Addiction
Mental Health Crisis Response
Expand appropriate mental health crisis response so police are not the default when a health-focused response is safer and more effective.
Improve coordination between crisis teams, community organizations, paramedics and police so people are connected to the right response quickly.
Invest in prevention and follow-up supports so people in crisis are not repeatedly cycling through emergency systems.
Overdoses & the Contaminated Drug Supply
Support evidence-based overdose prevention and harm reduction services while requiring clear accountability for publicly funded programs.
Distribute addiction and mental health services more fairly across the city instead of concentrating them disproportionately in a small number of neighbourhoods.
Strengthen Good Neighbour agreements and responsive complaint processes around high-impact health and social service sites.
Treatment for Addiction
Expand access to treatment, recovery and stabilization services so people have meaningful options when they are ready for help.
Support a continuum of care that includes harm reduction, treatment, recovery, supportive housing and ongoing community supports.
Improve coordination between addiction treatment, mental health services, housing and primary care.
Public Safety & Policing
Non-Police-Based Public Safety
Expand non-police crisis response for situations involving mental health, homelessness and other needs where a health or community-based response is more appropriate.
Use special constables, outreach teams and other trained responders for appropriate non-emergency public safety functions.
Improve coordination between police, community organizations, mental health services and outreach teams so residents receive the right response to the situation.
Police Funding
Fund policing based on clear public safety needs, measurable outcomes and the services officers are actually expected to provide.
Shift appropriate non-police responsibilities to other trained services so police resources can focus on crime, violence and urgent public safety needs.
Require transparent reporting on how public safety funding is being used and what results it is producing.
Police Wrongdoing & Accountability
Strengthen transparency and accountability when concerns are raised about police conduct.
Support meaningful civilian oversight and community participation in police accountability processes.
Use complaint, use-of-force and community feedback data to identify recurring problems and improve policing practices.
Upstream Causes of Crime
Invest in housing, mental health, addiction treatment, youth supports and other services that address factors contributing to crime and instability.
Focus on prevention and early intervention alongside enforcement when crime occurs.
Support community organizations that can intervene early with people at risk of becoming involved in violence or chronic offending.
Public Spaces & Services
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Maintain and improve accessible recreation facilities, parks and sports spaces so residents of all ages can use them year-round.
Invest in neighbourhood recreation based on how communities actually use parks, fields, courts and other public spaces.
Green Space
Protect and expand the urban tree canopy, especially in neighbourhoods with limited shade and green space.
Protect and improve parks and green spaces as neighbourhoods grow and new development is approved.
Use trees, landscaping and green infrastructure to strengthen neighbourhood resilience to extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
Health Infrastructure
Support accessible community-based health, mental health and addiction services while ensuring neighbourhood impacts are properly planned and managed.
Distribute health and social services more fairly across Ottawa instead of concentrating them disproportionately in a small number of neighbourhoods.
Improve coordination between the City, public health, community health centres and frontline organizations.
Public Washrooms
Improve access to clean, safe and well-maintained public washrooms in high-use public areas.
Consider staffing, maintenance and neighbourhood impacts when expanding public washroom access.
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
Fix missing and unsafe connections in the walking and cycling network instead of allowing routes to end abruptly.
Improve dangerous intersections and crossings for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Use road reconstruction projects as opportunities to improve sidewalks, crossings and cycling infrastructure.
Prioritize reliable winter maintenance of sidewalks and active transportation routes.
Design transportation infrastructure around how people actually move through neighbourhoods, including walking, cycling, transit and driving.
Zoning
Support more housing and a wider range of housing types while ensuring growth is matched by appropriate public infrastructure and services.
Plan new development alongside trees, parks, transportation, water infrastructure and other neighbourhood needs.
Support a wider range of housing types, including family-sized homes, apartments, supportive housing and missing-middle housing.
Reconciliation & Indigenous Nations
Indigenous Languages
Support the visibility and respectful use of Indigenous languages in City spaces, programs and public communications.
Work with Indigenous partners when incorporating Indigenous languages into City initiatives and public places.
Indigenous-Led Housing
Support Indigenous-led housing organizations in developing and operating housing that responds to the needs of Indigenous residents.
Work with Indigenous partners early when City land, funding or planning decisions create opportunities for Indigenous-led housing.
Land Title & Governance
Respect Indigenous rights and work in partnership with the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation on City decisions that affect their rights, interests and traditional territory.
Build stronger government-to-government relationships with the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation and meaningful partnerships with Urban Indigenous communities.
Place Names & Commemorations
Work with Indigenous partners when naming or renaming City places, facilities and commemorative spaces.
Support public commemorations that accurately reflect Indigenous history, presence and contributions in Ottawa.
Residential Schools
Support public education and remembrance initiatives that acknowledge the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools.
Continue municipal work responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action in partnership with Indigenous communities.
Transit & Getting Around
Private Vehicles & Parking
Maintain reasonable access to parking while expanding safe and practical alternatives for walking, cycling and transit.
Include the parking and loading needs of residents and businesses when redesigning streets and commercial areas.
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
Fix missing and unsafe connections in the walking and cycling network instead of allowing routes to end abruptly.
Improve dangerous intersections and crossings for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Use road reconstruction projects as opportunities to improve sidewalks, crossings and cycling infrastructure.
Prioritize reliable winter maintenance of sidewalks and active transportation routes.
Design transportation infrastructure around how people actually move through neighbourhoods, including walking, cycling, transit and driving.
Transit Projects
Prioritize reliable transit service and hold project leaders accountable when major transit commitments fall short.
Plan transit projects with early input from riders, residents and businesses before major decisions are finalized.
Coordinate transit construction with roads, cycling, sidewalks and other public infrastructure so projects work together instead of creating new gaps.
Make accessibility a core requirement in transit planning, including safe station access, crossings and connections for people with disabilities.
Use realistic timelines, transparent reporting and clear public accountability for major transit projects.
Walking & Cycling
Build safer, better-connected walking and cycling routes that do not abruptly end at dangerous intersections or gaps.
Improve dangerous intersections and crossings with particular attention to pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Use planned road reconstruction as an opportunity to improve sidewalks, crossings and cycling infrastructure.
Prioritize reliable winter maintenance so sidewalks and active transportation routes remain usable year-round.
Biography
submitted by the candidate or their team
Michael Tay is a Somerset resident, social service worker and educator with 17 years of frontline experience. He manages transitional housing, teaches at Algonquin College, and serves on Ottawa Police Service community advisory bodies.
Promises
See all 116 promises
Affordability
Protect existing affordable housing while supporting nonprofit and community housing providers to acquire and preserve homes.
Treatment for Addiction
Support a continuum of care that includes harm reduction, treatment, recovery, supportive housing and ongoing community supports.
Non-Police-Based Public Safety
Improve coordination between police, community organizations, mental health services and outreach teams so residents receive the right response to the situation.
Reason for running
submitted by the candidate or their team
I’m running to bring frontline experience to City Hall—grounded in working with everyone from people facing the toughest challenges to policymakers. I want practical, collaborative leadership that listens, understands what people need, and turns that into better decisions.
michaeltay.ca michaeltay.ca