The mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney said Ottawa will reach net zero emissions by 2050 through a "bold climate action" plan.

The Ottawa mayoral candidate launched their climate platform, which would increase green space and tree canopy, reduce emissions from buildings, and create a chief climate officer position to oversee the plan.

They said Thursday, "We will transform Ottawa into a zero-free city by 2050." "This is a plan that includes us all. ... We will make Ottawa a global leader in climate action, and the people who live here will also be climate leaders."

McKenney earlier this week promised to transform the Greenbelt into a national urban park, which is also part of the plan.

The plan said, based on city projections, buildings and transportation will make up about 75 percent of emissions reductions from now until 2050.

McKenney added in the same context, "They will require zero-emission buildings in all new construction by 2030, incentivize retrofitting of residential homes."

"They will also increase the city’s tree canopy to 40 percent by 2030."

The plan states that the chief climate officer, a new position, "ensures that climate and nature impacts are at the heart of every major decision the city makes."

McKenney’s plan will also see the city divest from fossil fuel investments and adopt a "clean procurement" purchasing policy, becoming carbon neutral by 2040.

It will also see the environmental plan of competing candidate Mark Sutcliffe, released last month, plant more trees across Ottawa — 250,000 annually.

He also pledged to provide 200 new electric vehicle charging stations, 100 e-bike charging stations, and $100 million in retrofits over four years for city buildings.

Bob Chiarelli did not launch a full environmental platform, but on his website calls for the formation of a city council committee to work with Hydro Ottawa to develop "effective, practical, affordable policies and climate change and carbon reduction."

There are 14 candidates for mayor in the Ottawa municipal election, which will be held on October 24. Advance voting days begin Saturday.