City's court challenge of federal tax-like payments dismissed

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A federal court has dealt a blow to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe's Fairness for Ottawa campaign, dismissing the city's argument that it's getting shortchanged on payments for servicing tax-exempt government buildings.

The City of Ottawa applied to federal court to review the situation and side with it — restoring roughly $22 million in what are called payments in lieu of taxes or PILTs.

It said the federal government took advantage of a COVID-era provincial tax break meant to provide relief to struggling businesses.

But Justice Panagiotis Pamel found "nothing unreasonable."