List of Ottawa mayors
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the mayors of the City of Ottawa
, Ontario, Canada. Until 1854, Ottawa was known as Bytown. Over the course of Ottawa's history
, the borders of the municipality have greatly expanded through annexation
s. This most recently occurred in 2001 when a number of neighbouring communities were amalgamated
with Ottawa, resulting in a new legal entity that took the name of one of its municipal predecessors.
Note: Bellemare and Thompson served as Acting Mayor during O'Brien's leave of absence.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario, Canada. Until 1854, Ottawa was known as Bytown. Over the course of Ottawa's history
History of Ottawa
The History of Ottawa, capital of Canada, was shaped by events such as the construction of the Rideau Canal, the lumber industry, the choice of Ottawa as the location of Canada's capital, as well as American and European influences and interactions...
, the borders of the municipality have greatly expanded through annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
s. This most recently occurred in 2001 when a number of neighbouring communities were amalgamated
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
with Ottawa, resulting in a new legal entity that took the name of one of its municipal predecessors.
Bytown
- 1847 – John ScottJohn Scott (Canadian politician)John Scott was the first mayor of Bytown, later Ottawa, in 1847. He also served a second term as mayor in 1850. He concurrently served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada representing Bytown from 1848 to 1851....
- 1848 – John Bower LewisJohn Bower LewisJohn Bower Lewis, QC was the second mayor of Bytown in 1848, the first mayor of Ottawa from 1855 to 1857, and a member of the 2nd Canadian Parliament from 1872 to 1873....
- 1849 – Robert HerveyRobert HerveyRobert Hervey was the third mayor of Bytown in 1849.He was born in Glasgow in 1820. He came to Canada where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1842. He partnered in a law practice in Bytown with John Bower Lewis. Hervey was mayor at the time of the Stony Monday Riot where supporters of...
- 1850 – John ScottJohn Scott (Canadian politician)John Scott was the first mayor of Bytown, later Ottawa, in 1847. He also served a second term as mayor in 1850. He concurrently served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada representing Bytown from 1848 to 1851....
- 1851 – Charles SparrowCharles SparrowCharles Sparrow was the fifth mayor of Bytown.He was born in Quebec in 1808 and moved to Bytown while still young. Sparrow owned a general store and tannery on Sussex Street in the Lower Town part of Bytown. He was elected to municipal council in 1850 and became mayor in 1851. He is buried at St...
- 1852 – Richard William ScottRichard William ScottSir Richard William Scott, PC, KC was a Canadian politician and cabinet minister.He was born in Prescott, Ontario in 1825. A lawyer by training, Scott was admitted to the bar in 1848 and established a practice in Bytown...
- 1853 – Joseph-Balsora Turgeon
- 1854 – Henry J. FrielHenry J. FrielHenry James Friel was mayor of Bytown in 1854 and then of Ottawa in 1863 and 1868-1869.He was born in Montreal of Irish Catholic parents in 1823. His family moved to Bytown, which was later renamed Ottawa, in 1827. In 1846, he purchased the Bytown Packet, a local newspaper, with John George Bell...
Ottawa (1855–2001)
- 1855–1857 – John Bower LewisJohn Bower LewisJohn Bower Lewis, QC was the second mayor of Bytown in 1848, the first mayor of Ottawa from 1855 to 1857, and a member of the 2nd Canadian Parliament from 1872 to 1873....
- 1858–1859 – Edward McGillivrayEdward McGillivrayEdward McGillivray was the second mayor of Ottawa, Canada from 1858-1859.He was born in Glengarry County in 1815, and moved to Bytown at the age 20. He opened a general store there in 1836 and was involved in the fur trade...
- 1860–1862 – Alexander WorkmanAlexander WorkmanAlexander Workman was an Anglo-Irish-Canadian politician and the mayor of Ottawa from 1860 to 1862.Workman was born in County Antrim, Ireland. He settled in Huntley Township in Upper Canada in 1820...
- 1863 – ? – Henry J. FrielHenry J. FrielHenry James Friel was mayor of Bytown in 1854 and then of Ottawa in 1863 and 1868-1869.He was born in Montreal of Irish Catholic parents in 1823. His family moved to Bytown, which was later renamed Ottawa, in 1827. In 1846, he purchased the Bytown Packet, a local newspaper, with John George Bell...
- 1864–1866 – Moss Kent DickinsonMoss Kent DickinsonMoss Kent Dickinson was a Canadian businessman, mayor of Ottawa from 1864 to 1866 and member of the Canadian Parliament from 1882 to 1887....
- 1867 – Robert LyonRobert Lyon (politician)Robert Lyon was a judge and politician in the County of Carleton in eastern Ontario. He was mayor of Ottawa in 1867 and a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1871....
- 1868–1869 – Henry J. FrielHenry J. FrielHenry James Friel was mayor of Bytown in 1854 and then of Ottawa in 1863 and 1868-1869.He was born in Montreal of Irish Catholic parents in 1823. His family moved to Bytown, which was later renamed Ottawa, in 1827. In 1846, he purchased the Bytown Packet, a local newspaper, with John George Bell...
- 1870–1871 – John RochesterJohn Rochester (politician)John Rochester was a Canadian industrialist, mayor of Ottawa, Ontario from 1870 to 1871, and a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Carleton from 1872 to 1882....
- 1872–1873 – Eugène Martineau
- 1874–1875 – John Peter FeatherstonJ.P. FeatherstonJohn Peter Featherston was the mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1874 to 1875.Born in Durham, England in 1830, he came to Canada in 1858. Upon settling in Ottawa, he opened a drug store. In 1867 he was elected to city council, and in 1879 was appointed clerk and registrar for the Carleton County court...
- 1876 – G. B. Lyon-Fellowes
- 1877 – William Henry Waller
- 1878 – Chauncey Ward Bangs
- 1879–1881 – Charles Herbert Mackintosh
- 1882–1883 – Pierre St. JeanPierre St. JeanPierre St-Jean was a Canadian doctor and politician.He was born in Bytown in 1833. During the 1840s, he established a French language literary society there with J.B. Turgeon. He studied medicine at McGill College in Montreal and received his license to practice medicine in 1855...
, M.D. - 1884 – Charles Thornton Bate
- 1885–1886 – Francis McDougalFrancis McDougalFrancis McDougal was a Canadian businessman and mayor of Ottawa from 1885 to 1886.He was born in Lancaster, Ontario in 1826 and came to Bytown in the 1840s. He worked as clerk in a hardware store and opened his own hardware business in 1851 on Sussex Street. He was an alderman from 1869 to 1876...
- 1887–1888 – McLeod StewartMcLeod StewartMcLeod Stewart was an Ottawa lawyer and mayor of Ottawa from 1887 to 1888. He was born in Ottawa in 1847, the son of William Stewart, who represented Bytown in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1847....
- 1889–1890 – Jacob ErrattJacob ErrattJacob Erratt was mayor of the city of Ottawa, Canada from 1889 to 1890.He was born in West Winchester, Ontario and came to Ottawa in 1869. He owned a furniture store in the city. He served on city council from 1882 to 1884. In 1888, he was named acting mayor. During his term as mayor, he served on...
- 1891 – Thomas BirkettThomas BirkettThomas Birkett was mayor of Ottawa, Canada in 1891 and a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Ottawa City from 1900 to 1904....
- 1892–1893 – Olivier DurocherOlivier DurocherOlivier Durocher was mayor of the city of Ottawa, Canada from 1892 to 1893.He was born in Saint-Antoine, Quebec in 1844 and moved to Ottawa around 1861. He apprenticed as a shoemaker, later opening his own business...
- 1894 – George Cox
- 1895–1896 – William BorthwickWilliam BorthwickWilliam Borthwick was mayor of Ottawa from 1895 to 1896.He was born near Mer Bleue in Gloucester Township in 1848. He went to California in 1868 and worked in the timber trade there. He returned to Ottawa in 1872 and opened a grocery store...
- 1897–1898 – Samuel BinghamSamuel BinghamSamuel "Sam" Bingham was the Mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada between 1897 and 1898.He was born in Bytown's Lower Town to Irish Catholic parents in 1845. As a young man, he worked on the log drives on the Gatineau River...
- 1899–1900 – Thomas PaymentThomas PaymentThomas Payment was mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from 1899 to 1900.He was born in Manotick, Ontario, in 1853. He worked as a bookkeeper with a railroad company in Maine. Later, he studied at the Ontario College of Pharmacy and opened a drug store in the Byward Market area of Ottawa...
- 1901 – William Dowler MorrisWilliam Dowler MorrisWilliam Dowler Morris was mayor of Ottawa, Canada in 1901.He was born in County Leitrim, Ireland in 1857 and came to Canada in 1877. He became involved in the oil, coal and real estate businesses; he also owned a brickyard. Morris was first elected to city council in 1892...
- 1901 – James Davidson
- 1902–1903 – Fred Cook
- 1904–1906 – James A. EllisJames A. EllisJames Albert Ellis was mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1904 to 1906 and in 1913. He represented Ottawa West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1911 to 1914....
- 1906 – Robert A. HasteyRobert A. HasteyRobert A. Hastey was mayor of Ottawa in 1906.He was born in Bytown in 1847. He worked in the stagecoach business for a number of years. Hastey served on city council as an alderman for twelve years and served as mayor for about a month after mayor James A...
- 1907–1908 – D'Arcy ScottD'Arcy ScottD'Arcy Scott , the son of Sir Richard William Scott, was mayor of Ottawa from 1907 to 1908.Scott was a prominent Ottawa lawyer. He played an important role in the construction of Union Station, now the Government Conference Centre in Ottawa...
- 1908 – Napoleon ChampagneNapoléon ChampagneNapoléon Champagne was mayor of Ottawa in 1908 and 1924, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing Ottawa East from 1911 to 1914....
- 1909–1912 – Charles HopewellCharles HopewellCharles Hopewell was mayor of Ottawa from 1909 to 1912.He was born in March Township in 1861. During his term in office, he negotiated grants in lieu of taxes with the federal government. He also served as magistrate after his term as mayor...
- 1912 – Edward H. HincheyEdward H. HincheyEdward H. Hinchey was mayor of Ottawa, Canada in 1912.Hinchey worked in the weights and measures department of the federal government. He was first elected to city council in 1909. He replaced Charles Hopewell as mayor for a short period between June 21 and July 2 in 1912.He died in Ottawa in 1936...
- 1913 – James A. EllisJames A. EllisJames Albert Ellis was mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1904 to 1906 and in 1913. He represented Ottawa West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1911 to 1914....
- 1914 – Taylor McVeityTaylor McVeityTaylor McVeity was elected mayor of Ottawa in 1914.McVeity studied law, was called to the bar in 1882 and opened an office in Ottawa. After his term as mayor, he later moved to Windsor, Ontario....
- 1915–1916 – Nelson D. PorterNelson D. PorterNelson Davis Porter was mayor of Ottawa, Canada from 1915 to 1916.He was born in Montreal in 1863 and came to Ottawa with his family in 1870. He worked as an insurance and real estate agent...
- 1917–1920 – Harold FisherHarold FisherHarold Fisher, KC was mayor of Ottawa from 1917-1920 and a Liberal MPP from 1923-1926.He grew up in Toronto where he attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute, the University of Toronto, and then got his law degree from Osgoode Hall. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1902. He moved to Ottawa in 1903...
- 1921–1923 – Frank H. PlantFrank H. PlantFrank Henry Plant was mayor of Ottawa from 1921 to 1923 and in 1930.He was born in London, Ontario in 1883 and came to Ottawa with his family in 1900. As an alderman, he helped introduce the "two platoon" system for firefighters in the city. Before that, firefighters were on duty 24 hours per day...
- 1924 – Henry WattersHenry WattersHenry Watters was mayor of the city of Ottawa in 1924.He was born in Bytown in 1853. He worked as a clerk in a drug store, studied to become a pharmacist and opened his own drug store. He was a founding member of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Association. He was president of the local Liberal...
- 1924 – Napoléon ChampagneNapoléon ChampagneNapoléon Champagne was mayor of Ottawa in 1908 and 1924, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing Ottawa East from 1911 to 1914....
- 1925–1927 – John P. BalharrieJohn P. BalharrieJohn Paul Balharrie was mayor of Ottawa from 1925 to 1927.He was born in Ottawa in 1883 and began work in his family's bakery. Balharrie is said to have made his fortune in real estate. He was first elected to city council in 1918. As mayor, Balharrie welcomed Charles Lindbergh to the city after...
- 1928–1929 – Arthur EllisArthur Ellis (politician)Arthur Ellis was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was mayor of Ottawa from 1928 until 1929....
- 1930 – Frank H. PlantFrank H. PlantFrank Henry Plant was mayor of Ottawa from 1921 to 1923 and in 1930.He was born in London, Ontario in 1883 and came to Ottawa with his family in 1900. As an alderman, he helped introduce the "two platoon" system for firefighters in the city. Before that, firefighters were on duty 24 hours per day...
- 1931–1933 – John J. AllenJohn J. AllenJohn J. Allen was mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1931 to 1933.He was born in Dungannon in Huron County, Ontario in 1871. In 1900, he came to Ottawa and opened a drug store; eventually, he and his partner, William Cochrane, sold their business to United Drug Stores, later Rexall. Allen and Cochrane...
- 1934–1935 – Patrick Nolan
- 1936–1948 – J.E. Stanley Lewis
- 1949–1950 – E.A. Bourque
- 1951 – Grenville GoodwinGrenville GoodwinGrenville W. "Gren" Goodwin was Mayor of Ottawa for several months in 1951. His hometown was Prescott, Ontario and he was an optometrist by profession....
- 1951–1956 – Charlotte WhittonCharlotte WhittonCharlotte Elizabeth Whitton, OC, CBE was a Canadian feminist and mayor of Ottawa. She was the first female mayor of a major city in Canada, serving from 1951 to 1956 and again from 1960 to 1964...
- 1957–1960 – George H. NelmsGeorge H. NelmsGeorge H. Nelms was mayor of Ottawa from 1957 to 1960. He was an optician by profession. Nelms was born in Thame, Oxfordshire, England in 1905 and came to Canada in 1912...
- 1961–1964 – Charlotte WhittonCharlotte WhittonCharlotte Elizabeth Whitton, OC, CBE was a Canadian feminist and mayor of Ottawa. She was the first female mayor of a major city in Canada, serving from 1951 to 1956 and again from 1960 to 1964...
- 1965–1969 – Donald Bartlett ReidDonald Bartlett ReidDonald Bartlett "Don" Reid was Mayor of Ottawa, Ontario from 1965 to 1969.Reid was born in Capreol, Ontario. He died at the Ottawa Heart Institute aged 75, leaving behind his wife Jean and five children....
- 1970–1972 – Kenneth H. Fogarty, Q.C.
- 1972–1974 – Pierre Benoit
- 1975–1978 – Lorry GreenbergLorry GreenbergLawrence "Lorry" Greenberg was Mayor of Ottawa, Ontario from 1975 to 1978.He graduated from Lisgar Collegiate in 1952.jl He was one of the founding members of Minto Developments Inc., but left the company in 1960...
- 1978–1985 – Marion DewarMarion DewarMarion Dewar, CM was a prominent member of the New Democratic Party , mayor of Ottawa from 1978 to 1985 and a member of the Parliament of Canada from 1986 to 1988.-Early life:...
- 1985–1991 – James A. Durrell
- 1991 – Marc LavioletteMarc LavioletteMarc Laviolette was Mayor of Ottawa for much of 1991. He was declared Mayor on 18 February 1991 after Jim Durrell resigned to become president of the fledgling Ottawa Senators ice hockey team...
- 1991–1997 – Jacquelin HolzmanJacquelin HolzmanJacquelin Holzman served as mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1991 to 1997. Never attending university, she married at age nineteen and started a family...
- 1997–2000 – Jim Watson
- 2000–2001 – Allan HigdonAllan HigdonAllan L. Higdon served as acting mayor of Ottawa, Canada from July 2000 to 2001.Born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, he immigrated to Canada in 1957. He received a BA from Queen's University in English and History and received a B.Ed from the University of Toronto.He then worked with the Canadian...
- acting mayor
Amalgamation
When the city of Ottawa amalalgamated in 2001, these were the mayors of the municipalities that amalgamated:- Chair of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton: Bob ChiarelliBob ChiarelliRobert "Bob" Chiarelli is a Canadian politician. He served in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1987 to 1997, and was subsequently re-elected to the legislature in 2010 after serving as regional chair and mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2006...
- OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: Allan HigdonAllan HigdonAllan L. Higdon served as acting mayor of Ottawa, Canada from July 2000 to 2001.Born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, he immigrated to Canada in 1957. He received a BA from Queen's University in English and History and received a B.Ed from the University of Toronto.He then worked with the Canadian...
-acting mayor - GloucesterGloucester, OntarioGloucester is a suburb of and within the City of Ottawa. Gloucester Township was established in 1792 and originally included lands east of the Rideau River from the Ottawa River south to Manotick. It was incorporated as a township in 1850 and became a city in 1981...
: Claudette CainClaudette CainClaudette Cain was the mayor in the city of Gloucester, Ontario from 1991 until 2001 when Gloucester became part of the city of Ottawa.Before being elected to Gloucester council, Cain was an assistant to the council and a press secretary for the Carleton Separate School board.In the Ottawa... - KanataKanata, OntarioSituated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
: Merle NicholdsMerle NicholdsMerle Nicholds served as the final mayor of Kanata, Ontario from 1991 to 2000.Her background was in nursing and was employed by the Scarborough Health Department Metropolitan Toronto until 1982... - NepeanNepean, Ontario- Recent quantity of snow :- History :Nepean Township, originally known as Township D, was established in 1792 and originally included what is now the central area of Ottawa west of the Rideau River. Jehiel Collins, from Vermont, is believed to have been the first person to settle in Nepean...
: Mary Pitt - VanierVanier, Ontario-External links:**...
: Guy CousineauGuy CousineauGuy Cousineau was the last mayor of the city of Vanier before it was amalgamated with Ottawa in 2001.He was born in Eastview, which was later renamed Vanier, in 1937, the son of Trefflé Cousineau and Augustine Charette. His grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Charette, was mayor of Eastview in 1936... - Cumberland: Gerry Lalonde -acting mayor
- GoulbournGoulbourn Township, OntarioGoulbourn Township, Ontario was formed in 1818, roughly 20 km southwest of downtown Ottawa, with the first major settlement occurring in Richmond. Other communities in the township include Stittsville, Munster, and Ashton. Stittsville is the largest community in the township, owing in part to its...
: Janet StavingaJanet StavingaJanet Stavinga is a politician from East Ontario, Canada, she was an Ottawa City Councillor. She represented the Goulbourn ward covering what was once the independent Goulbourn Township. Stavinga represent the claim of Tanakiwin, the traditional territory of the Algonquin Nation.She was first a... - OsgoodeOsgoode Township, OntarioOsgoode Township is a former township that is now a part of the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It encompassed the same area that is currently Osgoode Ward. The township along the Rideau River was established in 1798 and incorporated in 1850. It was an independent township in Carleton County until...
: Doug ThompsonDoug ThompsonDoug Thompson is a councillor in the city of Ottawa for the Osgoode Ward. Thompson is also the former mayor of Osgoode Township prior to the amalgamation with the new City of Ottawa, and he is a Councillor with the amalgamated City of Ottawa Council for Osgoode Ward. Prior to being Mayor of... - RideauRideau Township, OntarioRideau is an historic township in eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located in the rural parts of the City of Ottawa, in the extreme south. Its eastern boundary is the Rideau River, its namesake....
: Glenn BrooksGlenn BrooksRobert "Glenn" Brooks is a Canadian politician who was mayor of Rideau Township and later Ottawa City Councilor representing the rural Rideau-Goulbourn Ward. He grew up on a dairy farm outside of Oshawa and became a science teacher, he and is a wife Gail also operated a small beef cattle farm.He... - West CarletonWest Carleton Township, OntarioWest Carleton is a historic township in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located in the rural parts of the new City of Ottawa, west of Kanata. Its northern boundary is the Ottawa River....
: Dwight EastmanDwight EastmanDwight Eastman was the last mayor of West Carleton Township before it was amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa.Eastman served as mayor of West Carleton from 1995 until 2001. He was elected in the 2000 Ottawa election as city councillor representing the new West Carleton Ward... - Rockcliffe ParkRockcliffe Park, OntarioRockcliffe Park is one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Ontario, and is one of the most prosperous enclaves in Canada. From 1926 until 2001 it was an independent village, but was amalgamated with the rest of the city January 1, 2001...
: Patrick J. Murray
Post amalgamation
- Bob ChiarelliBob ChiarelliRobert "Bob" Chiarelli is a Canadian politician. He served in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1987 to 1997, and was subsequently re-elected to the legislature in 2010 after serving as regional chair and mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2006...
, 2001-06 - Larry O'BrienLarry O'Brien (Canadian politician)Lawrence Robert O'Brien , was the 58th mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is also a current director of Calian Technologies Ltd. and its former CEO and chairman....
, 2006-10 - Michel BellemareMichel BellemareMichel Bellemare was member of the City Council in Ottawa, Canada from 1994 to 2010. He served as acting as mayor of Ottawa, while mayor Larry O'Brien faced charges from May 2-July 8, 2009....
, 2 May – 8 July 2009 (Acting) - Doug ThompsonDoug ThompsonDoug Thompson is a councillor in the city of Ottawa for the Osgoode Ward. Thompson is also the former mayor of Osgoode Township prior to the amalgamation with the new City of Ottawa, and he is a Councillor with the amalgamated City of Ottawa Council for Osgoode Ward. Prior to being Mayor of...
, 8 July – 6 August 2009 (Acting) - Jim Watson, 2010- present
Note: Bellemare and Thompson served as Acting Mayor during O'Brien's leave of absence.
See also
- List of Ottawa municipal elections
- Mayors of Osgoode TownshipOsgoode Township, OntarioOsgoode Township is a former township that is now a part of the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It encompassed the same area that is currently Osgoode Ward. The township along the Rideau River was established in 1798 and incorporated in 1850. It was an independent township in Carleton County until...