Mark Sutcliffe’s accessibility position is best assessed through actions taken during his term rather than a dedicated campaign policy. Council approved the City’s 2025–2029 Municipal Accessibility Plan and the 2026–2029 OC Transpo Accessibility Plan, which identifies and addresses barriers across conventional transit, rail and Para Transpo.

The 2026 transit budget funded recruitment of Para Transpo operators, continued replacement of older specialized-transit vehicles and maintenance of discounted Access, Community and EquiPass fares. Council also approved four free monthly trips for seniors who pay per ride on Para Transpo.

By February 2026, 41 new Para Transpo minibuses were in service, with 10 additional vehicles expected for on-demand transit by the fourth quarter. The City also continued onboarding vehicles, improving fleet management and recruiting mechanics and operators.

Sutcliffe endorsed OC Transpo’s Customer-First Action Plan, which promises measurable improvements in reliability, accountability, safety and the customer experience. These system-wide objectives are relevant to riders with disabilities, although no separate Para Transpo performance guarantee has been published.

Important unanswered questions include whether he would establish public targets for Para Transpo on-time performance, trip availability, booking waits and complaint resolution; how quickly inaccessible stops and facilities would be upgraded; and how disability-led consultation would shape budgets and capital projects.

Jeff Leiper has not published a standalone accessibility or Para Transpo platform. His most relevant commitments are contained in his transit and people-focused City-services policies.

Leiper proposes a Transit Service Guarantee with public standards for on-time performance and frequency, regular reporting and stronger accountability. He also proposes restoring a citizen seat in transit governance so riders have a direct voice in decisions. These commitments could improve transparency for riders with disabilities if Para Transpo and accessibility measures are explicitly included.

His broader platform calls for maintaining community centres and public facilities, extending access to community spaces, improving booking systems, reviewing City fees and investing in neighbourhood parks, lighting and public spaces. Those measures are relevant to physical, financial and program access.

However, the campaign has not established targets for Para Transpo on-time performance, unaccommodated trips, same-day bookings, phone waits, fleet capacity or travel-time limits. Nor has it published a disability-specific plan for sidewalks, snow clearing, accessible intersections, websites or City consultation.

His position is therefore classified as supportive with medium confidence: the accountability and access principles are clear, but the specialized service details remain incomplete.

Alex Lawson’s May 2026 OC Transpo plan includes a specific Para Transpo commitment. Under the route section, he says Para Transpo should be treated as a core component of the transit system rather than a side service.

Lawson commits to giving Para Transpo riders the same on-time and service-delivery standards as other Ottawa transit riders and assigning a named senior staff member to be accountable for Para Transpo within a reorganized OC Transpo structure.

The transit plan also proposes functional audio-and-video surveillance on every OC Transpo vehicle, explicitly including Para Transpo vehicles. The plan does not amount to a comprehensive municipal accessibility platform: it does not set out detailed positions on eligibility, booking windows, trip denials, accessible City facilities, winter mobility or disability-led consultation. Compare Ottawa therefore treats this as a clear Para Transpo position while leaving broader accessibility questions open.

Neil Saravanamuttoo proposes a broad transit recovery plan centred on lower fares, more reliable service, better real-time information and a network redesign shaped by riders and frontline operators. These proposals could affect riders with disabilities, particularly through affordability and service reliability.

However, the campaign material reviewed does not yet set out specific commitments for Para Transpo eligibility, booking, on-time performance, accessible stops, conventional-transit accessibility, sidewalks, crossings, recreation facilities or digital accessibility. This position should therefore be treated as incomplete pending a dedicated accessibility announcement.