No cuts coming to Ottawa’s number of city councillors, Doug Ford says

After announcing legislation to significantly reduce the number of city councillors in Toronto, Ontario Premier Doug Ford brushed off the suggestion he might do the same in Ottawa.

News broke Thursday evening of Ford’s intention to cut the number of city councillors in Toronto from 47 to 25, and he confirmed it in a news conference Friday morning.

But Ford suggested Ottawa’s wards are not on the chopping block.

“Let’s not even compare Ottawa,” Ford told reporters Friday. “It’s apples and oranges. Apples and oranges when you compare a town the size of Ottawa, a beautiful city compared to a city the size of Toronto. You can’t even compare it.”

Ford said whittling Toronto city council down to 25 councillors will streamline the decision-making process at city hall.

He’ll be introducing legislation to make the changes before Ontario’s Oct. 22 municipal election, he said.

Progressive Conservative MPP Goldie Ghamari, who represents the Carleton riding, said on Twitter that she spoke to the premier about his plans to change municipal wards in Toronto and confirmed he had no plans to do the same in Ottawa.