Nine candidates are competing for an open council seat in Stittsville, with incumbent Coun. Glen Gower not seeking re-election. The next councillor will face decisions over road priorities, including Carp Road and Robert Grant Avenue, transit reliability, and the pace of infrastructure investment. The race comes as one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing communities grapples with whether its infrastructure can keep pace. Stittsville’s population increased to about 56,000 residents. The candidates — Chelsea Walton, Mani Sharma, Sheetal Narwal, Tanya Hein, Theresa Qadri, Kevin Hua, Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful, Paul Meek and Devin Michael Fitzgerald O’Brien — are competing to represent a ward where transportation and municipal services are central campaign issues. Candidate Sheetal Narwal says the ward is ready for a new face to represent them. “People are asking for change. Continuity has not worked for Stittsville in the past decades, and it will not. It’s going to give the same results which we have been getting, which is technically just consultation and wait and no delivery and no results.” One point of contention was which road project should take priority: improvements to Carp Road or Robert Grant Avenue. Meanwhile, a planned widening of Carp Road is set to being in spring 2027. Candidate Devin Michael Fitzgerald O’Brien says, “Instead of letting developers like Minto and End Homes build their subdivisions without building infrastructure, what we need is to actually build the infrastructure that everyone in our area needs.” Transit is another concern. Service frequency, reliability and connections to major employment centres will be key to providing practical alternatives to driving. The next councillor will need to advocate for improvements while navigating city budgets, construction timelines and competing demands across Ottawa. Candidate Chelsea Walton, who has Gower’s endorsement, says, “Our transit services are incredibly unreliable. And really, people that are in a position to be able to do something have made the decision to opt out. We need to rebuild some trust with OC Transpo in order to get our ridership numbers back up.” Pressure extends beyond roads and buses. Sidewalks, cycling routes and other public amenities must serve established neighbourhoods and new developments alike. “Those houses are just going (up), going (up). But for infrastructure, nothing has been done. You can see the roads, Main Street. You can see like it needs to be redone,” says candidate Mani Sharma. With such a close race, candidates are trying their best to stand out. Candidate Tanya Hein says it’s her connection to the community. Hein says, “I think my personal history in the community sets me apart a little bit. I’ve been here since 2005, and I’ve been really involved in community advocacy, particularly with planning and development and transportation files.” Another candidate, Kevin Hua, says his age sets him apart. “If I am elected, I will be the first city councilor born in the 21st century. So, I think there is a profound opportunity here for our community to really shake things up at city council,” he says. Candidate Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful wants to represent the francophone community. “I’m the only bilingual one. So that’s good for me to represent the French here in city. So, the francophone people can feel like they have a space here in Stittsville.” The successful candidate will inherit difficult decisions about development, transportation investment and municipal spending, while balancing Stittsville’s priorities against competing demands across the city. The job won’t be easy, but candidate Paul Meek says he is ready. “This is about service. And it’s about a lifestyle. And can you commit the time and energy to address the needs of a very engaged population?” Candidate Theresa Qadri says she too has strong connections in the community. “It really wouldn’t matter to me if there was an incumbent or not, because I feel that I can do things for the community and always have… they need someone with an open-door policy.” With nine candidates in the running, voters will decide who is best positioned to represent the ward and ensure its infrastructure meets residents’ needs.
