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Building Trades Council voices strong support for Jeff Leiper's Fair Wage Policy commitments

Council President encourages other mayoral candidates to meet or exceed these important promises

July 30, 2026 (Ottawa, Ontario) // -- Braydon Potter, the President of the Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council of Eastern Ontario & Outaouais Region, today applauded mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper for his strong commitments to a Fair Wage Policy (www.leiper2026.ca/fair_wage). Potter, who is also Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 586 Ottawa, released this comment:

"Jeff Leiper has thrown down the gauntlet. In a challenge to Ottawa mayoral candidates, Leiper's commitment to a Fair Wage Policy sets a very high bar that we urge other competitors to meet or exceed," Potter said.

Fair Wage policies help to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable pools of labour and level the playing field for bidding on construction projects. Numerous municipalities across Ontario have Fair Wage policies in place, including Brampton, Hamilton, Oshawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Vaughan, and Toronto, the latter of which has had the policy in place since 1893.

"A Fair Wage Policy is not about union vs non-union," Potter said, "rather it is about leveling the playing field and ensuring that contractors who bid on City projects are paying workers a fair wage, and are not illegally styling their workers as sub-contractors to avoid paying taxes and other mandatory employer related costs, such as health and safety investments, benefits, pension contributions, WSIB, and vacation pay."

The Building Trades Council applauds Jeff Leiper's commitment to local jobs, local businesses, and ethical business practices. The Council supports the following specific commitments made by Leiper's campaign:

• City of Ottawa construction projects valued at more than $1.5 million will be subject to a strong Fair Wage Policy, which will come into force no later than the end of 2027. Policy will apply to all Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) construction projects, as well as road work, sewer and watermain construction, heavy engineering, utilities, and residential housing projects, including affordable housing built by Ottawa Community Housing.

• The creation of a City of Ottawa Fair Wage Office, led by a Manager of the Fair Wage Office, before the end of 2027 to administer and enforce the policy.

• A City of Ottawa commitment to Community Employment Benefits Agreements and a Skilled Trades Workforce Development Plan. These initiatives will create more apprenticeship opportunities and help more people enter the skilled trades, including communities that have historically faced barriers to employment.

• Seeking City Council's support for Ottawa to become a Signatory Contractor with the 20 affiliated unions of the Building and Construction Trades Council.

Potter said: "We will be informing our 35,000 members of the unionized skilled trades of the policy commitments being made by Ottawa mayoral candidates, and we urge more candidates to include these important commitments in their policy platforms."

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For more information, please contact: 

Trevor Haché, Director, Community Relations

Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council of Eastern Ontario & Outaouais Region 

Cell: 613-789-0604

Email: trevhache.buildingtradesunions@gmail.com

www.buildingtradesunions.ca