Ottawa councillors face competitive races in seven wards ahead of municipal election

OTTAWA · Voters across Ottawa will choose city councillors in 22 wards in one week. While almost every sitting councillor is running again, several wards are seeing competitive, well-funded or unpredictable races. Two wards have no challengers, but others feature tight margins from the last election, high-profile opponents or incumbents who have drawn criticism. Among the wards to watch are Kanata South, Knoxdale-Merivale, Kitchissippi, Rideau-Vanier, West Carleton-March, Orléans East-Cumberland and Stittsville.

In Kanata South, four-term councillor Allan Hubley is facing a rematch with Erin Coffin, who secured 23 per cent of the vote last time as his closest competitor. Coffin, president of the Bridlewood Community Association and a federal public servant, said she is in a better position now with more ward experience. Other challengers include Megan Strazds-Esenbergs and Sam Bhalesar, a former Liberal Party of Canada secretary. Bhalesar accepts that Coffin is "a contender," but she's adamant that this isn't just a Hubley-Coffin rematch. "Whatever happened in the past, each election is different," said Bhalesar.

Left-wing advocacy group Horizon Ottawa is also targeting Hubley in one of three wards it aims to flip. "We are definitely focused solely on Allan Hubley, his voting record and reminding people about all of these reasons why his time really should be up on council," Horizon co-ordinator Tom Ledgley said. Hubley dismissed the group's efforts as based on misleading and negative attacks. Candidates listed transit, traffic and infrastructure as key issues, with Hubley adding taxes and fiscal responsibility.

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The race in Knoxdale-Merivale has grown acrimonious. Incumbent Sean Devine, who won with 39 per cent of the vote last election, faces two challengers: Cole Fraser Jones and Anna Ielo-Tal, both federal public servants. Ielo-Tal has posted signs with slogans like "Stop the War on Drivers" and "Faith Deserves Respect" as she tries to frame Devine as anti-car and critiques his opposition to the bubble bylaw restricting protest near schools and places of worship. Devine has accused her of spreading misinformation over his record and past statements. He also said he sees signs that outside forces are targeting the ward to unseat him, noting that at least two city councillors have supported Ielo-Tal. Both Ielo-Tal and Devine are running well-funded campaigns, while Jones is operating on a tighter budget. The ward was among those hardest hit by the Canada Day floods, and candidates agree stormwater infrastructure is a top priority.

Kitchissippi is one of two wards with no incumbent, drawing several well-funded candidates. Tech entrepreneur Subhir Uppal, former CBC and Ottawa Citizen journalist Joanne Chianello and former Hintonburg Community Association president Brian Innes all say their fundraising totals are either at the maximum spending limit or close to it. A fourth candidate, Xavier Commerford, joined later and has raised far less but is relying on volunteers for a progressive grassroots platform. Intensification is a key issue in the ward, which keeps seeing tall towers and infill development. Innes said projects are being approved "without really understanding the impact on citizens who live here." Chianello said she supports "smarter intensification" that ensures recreation, services and infrastructure keep up with growth.

The other open ward is Rideau-Vanier, where incumbent Stéphanie Plante is not running again. The race there includes community organizer and former public servant Catherine McKenney, who ran for mayor in 2022, and lawyer and community advocate Mark Sutcliffe. Both have raised significant funds and have high-profile endorsements. The ward faces issues around homelessness, social services and development pressure in lowertown and Vanier.

In West Carleton-March, incumbent Eli El-Chantiry faces a challenge from former journalist and communications professional Sarah Wright. El-Chantiry has served since 2003 and is known for his focus on rural issues, while Wright is highlighting the need for better broadband and support for local agriculture. Orléans East-Cumberland features incumbent Matthew Luloff against business owner and community volunteer Jennifer Robitaille. Luloff has emphasized his work on transit and recreation, while Robitaille is campaigning on fiscal responsibility and traffic congestion. In Stittsville, incumbent Glen Gower is being challenged by small business owner and community advocate Michael Qaqish. Gower has focused on infrastructure and growth management, while Qaqish is prioritizing affordability and community safety. Voters head to the polls on Oct. 24.

With files from CBC News and Simcoe Reformer