For the first time in 12 years, voters in Ottawa’s Kitchissippi ward will elect a councillor without an incumbent seeking re-election, opening the door to a new voice at city hall in a community known for its high voter turnout. Longtime councillor Jeff Leiper is running for mayor, creating an open race, with four candidates making their case to residents. Kitchissippi includes the neighbourhoods of Westboro, Hintonburg, Mechanicsville and Hampton Park. “It’s very difficult to beat an incumbent,” said candidate Joanne Chianello. “So, when there isn’t, it’s a clean slate.” Chianello said the absence of an incumbent allows candidates to focus on what they can offer the community rather than comparing themselves with an existing councillor. “We had a very hard working, great councillor for 12 years,” she said. “And so, I think it’s just a fresh start.” “You’re here to not compare yourself necessarily to somebody else. You’re here to say, here’s what I can do. Here’s what I can bring. Here’s how I think together. We can work to make our community even more amazing than it already is.” The race is unfolding in a ward where voter participation is a defining feature of local politics. Kitchissippi had a voter turnout of 52.98 per cent in the 2022 municipal election, the highest in the city. Candidate Xavier Commerford said residents have demonstrated a strong interest in municipal issues throughout the campaign, from transit and affordability to the condition of public infrastructure and access to recreation. He said early concerns that turnout might be lower this election appear to have given way to optimism about participation. “I’ve heard their vision for the city, and most of all, it’s been heartwarming seeing how engaged people are, how much people care about the ward, care about fixing the big issues in our city, like public transit, like affordability,” he said. Despite the change in representation, many of the issues raised during the campaign are familiar to residents across Kitchissippi. Candidates say transit reliability, traffic congestion, safer streets, intensification and the maintenance of city infrastructure have featured prominently in conversations at the doorstep. For candidate Brian Innes, recreation is another major concern. He said residents are worried about the loss of local facilities, including the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre, and the broader shortage of convenient recreation options. “I’m hearing about the need for local recreation. I’m hearing about the need for reliable transit and the need to have traffic that moves on our streets. Those are the things that people care about that need attention in this election,” Innes said. Candidate Subhir Uppal has also emphasized investment in local infrastructure, including roads, sidewalks and recreation space. He said residents want greater accountability for how their tax dollars are spent and how much funding returns to their communities. “They’re looking for energy and they’re looking for passion. And that’s something I tried to show out through this entire campaign. It’s been a part of my message. It’s about getting things done for the community,” he said. Voters have high expectations for a new councillor. “This is a big time of change in our city, and we need the right people,” resident Nikal Chade said. Resident Briar Howes hopes transit will improve. “Transit is a big one. I think there are so many people like me who want to take transit and we’re trying. And transit just needs to do better,” Howes said Kareem Elattar added: “There’s a lot of promises. But one thing I’ve noticed that hasn’t been said thoroughly is the ‘how’ as opposed to ‘what.’” “I’d like to see some of our politicians and the people who work for the city to give us the benefit of that we would understand these details as opposed to just promising us with buzzwords.” Voters head to the polls on Oct. 26.
