Ford and Sutcliffe talk housing, economy in first meeting since municipal election

Ontario Premier Doug Ford met with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe as he arrived in Ottawa Monday ahead of a premiers' meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"I had the pleasure of meeting with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to talk about how we can work together for the people of Ottawa," Ford said in a tweet, showing pictures of him shaking hands with Sutcliffe, handing him an Ontario-branded paper bag, and sitting across from Sutcliffe at a table.
"Whether it’s supporting the region’s tech sector or building a new hospital and homes for a growing city, we agreed — let’s get it done," Ford said.
"I’m looking forward to working with you and your government to build more homes and grow Ottawa’s economy," Sutcliffe later said in his own tweet.
A spokesperson for the mayor's office said Sutcliffe and Ford met for about an hour Monday.
"Mayor Sutcliffe and Premier Ford met for approximately one hour and mainly discussed increasing the supply of homes in Ottawa as well as economic development," Liam Harrington said. "The gift from the premier was a wooden bowl."
The premier's office did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting.
This is the first time Sutcliffe has met with Ford since being elected mayor of Ottawa. He was supposed to have a meeting with the premier at Queen's Park last November, about a month after the election, but the premier had to cancel it at the last minute. Sutcliffe met with several cabinet ministers instead.
Ford is in town to meet with other premiers and the prime minister Tuesday as they discuss federal health-care transfers, which is expected to include an offer of billions of dollars in new spending. It remains unclear, however, if any deal will be signed at the meeting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. President Joe Biden to meet Trudeau, address Parliament today
After two years in office, U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, and is waking up to a full day of events in the capital.

Ontario crypto king kidnapped, tortured in an attempt to get millions in ransom, documents say
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Restaurants and bars brace for biggest alcohol tax jump in 40 years
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
Utah bans kids from accessing social media during evening hours, without parent consent
Children and teens in Utah would lose access to social media apps such as TikTok if they don't have parental consent and face other restrictions under a first-in-the-nation law designed to shield young people from the addictive platforms.
Hershey looking to remove lead, cadmium from chocolate
Hershey Co. is looking to reduce 'trace' amounts of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief financial officer Steve Voskiul told Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars had potentially harmful levels of the heavy metals.
Protests continue in France; King Charles III visit postponed
Protesters angry at French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms continued with scattered actions on Friday, as the unrest across the country led officials to postpone a planned state visit by King Charles III.
Make sure to check your grocery bill, otherwise you may pay more: survey
A majority of Canadians have seen a mistake on their grocery receipts in the last year, according to a new survey conducted by Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
Asteroid to hurtle past Earth closer than the moon this weekend
An asteroid discovered just last week will pass closer to the Earth than the orbit of the moon this weekend, an occurrence so rare it happens only once in a decade, according to NASA.
Eastern Ont. mayor wants more help from feds to manage influx of asylum seekers, supports STCA renegotiation
As the federal government looks to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S., an eastern Ontario mayor says his city needs more help from Ottawa to deal with the influx of asylum seekers arriving through irregular crossings like Roxham Road.