Tobi Nussbaum to lead NCC for another 4 years

NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum speaks at news conference on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) says Tobi Nussbaum has been reappointed to another four years as CEO.

Nussbaum, a former Ottawa city councillor, was first appointed to lead the NCC starting in February 2019. A spokesperson confirmed his 4-year reappointment to CTV News Ottawa on Thursday. His previous appointment was set to expire Feb. 3.

During his time at the NCC, he has overseen the expansion of active use projects on scenic parkways, the opening of several NCC bistros around the capital, the reopening of the popular River House, and the construction of a new central library at LeBreton Flats.

Most recently, the NCC announced an agreement in principle with the Ottawa Senators to sell a parcel of land at LeBreton Flats to the NHL club for a future hockey arena close to downtown Ottawa. Nussbaum said last week that the NCC hopes to finalize its deal with the Sens by the end of the year.

The NCC and the City of Ottawa sometimes find themselves at odds over priorities. In the summer of 2023, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe began campaigning against the NCC’s closure of a stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway to vehicle traffic, turning it into a pathway for active use, such as walking, running and cycling. Nussbaum publicly defended the decision, but last summer, a shorter portion of the road was used for active transportation.

Some of the files the NCC will be working on over the next four years include the replacement of the Alexandra Bridge and the future of 24 Sussex Drive. The NCC is also planning to build an event centre in the former Chapters building on Rideau Street after purchasing the site last year.