2023 Mayor for a Day Contest

Applications now closed

Youth Ottawa is proud to host our first Mayor for a Day contest with the new Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s, in collaboration with the City of Ottawa and Youth Ottawa’s Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC)!

We brought the contest back in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic put it on pause in 2020 and 2021 and have been working hard to bring it back again this year! 

Nominations were open for any Ottawa high school students from Grade 9 to 12 from Feb. 25 to March 25.

On April 11, OYEC and the mayor’s office finalized our two winners: Shanaz Sabir from St. Francis Xavier & Anya Watson from Nepean High School. 

Shanaz Sabir loves the close knit communities Ottawa provides. Her ideas to improve the city include promoting encouraging green initiatives; renewable energy, reducing waste sustainable transportation, and also supporting small businesses.

Anya Watson believes Ottawa is a city full of life, and should be a role model for the rest of Canada. She wants to see Ottawa provide youth more opportunities to experience the outdoors, and a refresh of zoning bylaws to lower costs of infrastructure, revitalize neighbourhoods, and lower environmental issues.

What is the Mayor for a Day Contest?

The Mayor for a Day contest is a unique and exciting opportunity to engage local youth from around the city on municipal politics and civic issues. Ottawa high school students in Grades 9 to 12 are invited to apply by outlining their vision for Ottawa over the next 50 years, for their chance to experience a day with the new Mayor Mark Sutcliffe!

The Mayor for a Day contest is organized by the Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC) in partnership with the City of Ottawa and Mayor Sutcliffe’s office, as a way to promote youth engagement on municipal politics and civic issues.

What's Next?

Our two winners will be shadowing the Mayor throughout the day on May 3, 2023.