Ottawa police's major crime unit is investigating the city's 14th homicide of the year after a 55-year-old man was fatally stabbed Thursday evening in the Carlington area, near the Central Experimental Farm.

Police said the call came in at about 6:15 pm. ET with a report that a man had been stabbed on Rosenthal Avenue.

A neighbour, who didn't want their name used because of safety concerns, said they heard several adults and children screaming outside, went to their window and saw a man covered in blood, who collapsed.

The neighbor said they were in shock because they'd seen the man earlier the same afternoon, sitting on the steps of one of the Ottawa Community Housing row houses, laughing and chatting with another neighbour.

The man was taken to hospital in "very serious" condition, police said. He was later pronounced dead.

Officers were guarding the scene later in the evening and witnesses went to the police station for questioning.

No arrests have been made, but police said Friday morning they have identified a possible suspect.

Close to last homicide

The homicide comes 11 days after 26-year-old Abdi Jama was killed less than a kilometre away on Shillington Avenue.

The councillor for the area said at a Thursday night budget consultation it's time for city council to have a long talk about the resources available to police.

"We've allocated 25 new officers last year, it's the plan again going into 2017 to add another 25, but we want to make sure these new resources are being allocated to the main priorities we know exist in Ottawa," said Riley Brockington.

"I think there would be benefits for council to have this conversation in greater length and greater detail and try to better understand how police allocate their resources to these main priorities."