The Ottawa mayor said the premier was invited after the Toronto Freeway deal

Ottawa's mayor said Monday he spoke with the prime minister about the possibility of transferring some responsibilities, such as Highway 174, to the province to ease pressure on the nation's capital.

On Monday, Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced that the provincial government would be tasked with overseeing Toronto's two main highways, the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway.

The deal will unlock $1.2 billion for Toronto over the next three years, the province says. This allows the city to focus on transit projects and support housing.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told the CBC on Tuesday that a similar deal could be in the works for his city.

“(Ford) called me, we talked briefly and I think I'm ready to listen,” Sutcliffe said.

“Big cities in Ontario are facing a lot of challenges, so I think this is the beginning of the conversation once they've finished the process with Toronto about what could happen in Ottawa.”

Sutcliffe added that “all options should be on the table as to what we can do together,” and said he looks forward to how the province can help ease Ottawa's financial burden.

Ottawa's draft budget for next year proposes a 2.5 per cent property tax hike amid inflationary pressures and a gaping hole in OC Transpo funding.

A “split” with Highway 417, right, and Highway 174 east of downtown Ottawa. 174 East continues through Ottawa to Clarence-Rockland. (Michelle Aspirot/CBC)

On Monday, Orléans MPP Stephen Blais called on the Ford government to give Ottawa “a new, fairer deal like the one announced for the city of Toronto.”

For more than a decade, Blaise has called for Ontario to return control of the 174, which was imposed on Ottawa in the 1990s.

On Monday, Blais criticized the province's “constant feeding into Toronto at the expense of Ottawa and other cities.”

The story continues

“As Ontario's second-largest city, Ottawa's taxpayers should not be continually overlooked by the Ford government … especially in these difficult economic times,” he said.

Mayor Sutcliffe said if the province took over Ottawa's highways, it would shift the city's operating costs to focus on issues like transit and affordable housing. He noted that the process in Toronto has taken several months, so Ottawans should not expect news anytime soon.

“I am very pleased that the Ford government has shown that it is ready to have this conversation,” Sutcliffe said.