Six candidates are on the ballot to be the next councillor in Rideau-Vanier. Incumbent Stephanie Plante is seeking a second term in office as councillor in the ward. Plante won the 2022 election with 37 per cent of the vote. The five other candidates in Rideau-Vanier include former Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Trustee and executive director of Planned Parenthood Ottawa Lyra Evan, Julie Fiala Chartrand, Brian Paquette, Michael Karl Sewanaku and Eric Smith. Rideau-Vanier Rideau-Vanier includes the ByWard Market, Rideau Centre and the University of Ottawa, along with the neighbourhoods of Lowertown, Sandy Hill and Vanier. Meet the candidates CTV News Ottawa invited all registered candidates to answer a questionnaire and submit a video introducing themselves to voters. Lyra Evans Age: 33 Political experience: Twice elected English Public school board trustee here in Rideau Vanier, 2018 and 2022, including Chair of the Board. Eight years representing constituents in an elected context. 15 years of advocacy for marginalized communities, including the homeless, affordable housing, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Professional experience: I started my first career helping homeless teens before pivoting to a degree in environmental chemistry, where I went on to do work analyzing microplastics in the arctic, while I was a Trustee. Following that I was the interim executive director of Planned Parenthood Ottawa to help a local charity solve their financial quagmire. How long have you lived in Ottawa? I grew up in Carp, so I have lived in Ottawa my whole life. Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: Strathcona Park, or by the locks behind Parliament before they put it under perpetual construction. What was the last book you read? This Changes Everything, capitalism vs the climate by Klein. What is the top song in your playlist? How often do you use OC Transpo? Whenever it is too rainy, snowy, or slushy to bike, usually about 3-4 months a year. Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? Decrease fares, but change the ratio of fares to direct funding to ensure no further cuts to routes or frequency. Would you support increasing the police budget? No, but that decision is largely out of the hands of municipalities given the changes the province has implemented to the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA) regarding police boards and their ability to go to provincial arbitration regarding their estimates. Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? Yes, the decision by previous councils to keep property taxes lower than inflation has resulted in a system that is beginning to fall behind on necessary repairs. If this routine maintenance does not get done, there will be significant costs associated with major infrastructure failures in the future. Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: Addressing affordability, notably for food and housing, as they have increased in price much faster than inflation. The city should try and address this proactively, by following Toronto in the creation of a municipally owned grocery store to push down food prices, and to address housing costs by building more city owned affordable housing units. Increasing reliable transit, by creating a reserve of buses and drivers to cover for breakdowns and call-outs and changing the expected balance of funds to fairs, so shortfalls don’t result in more routes being cut. Mental health and addictions supports for the homeless. The city needs a proactive plan to address homelessness, as the current plan is not working, and the community is feeling the impact of the failure. Julie Fiala Chartrand No response from candidate Brian Paquette Age: 54 Political experience: None Professional experience: 30-year coach, entrepreneur, leadership trainer, youth councilor, public speaker How long have you lived in Ottawa? 54 Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: ByWard Market What was the last book you read? It Starts With Why What is the top song in your playlist? Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen How often do you use OC Transpo? Intermittently. I walk as much as possible Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? I would want to see a decrease, specifically for the elderly, youth and those on social assistance. Would you support increasing the police budget? I am open to increasing the police budget should it provide the following; 1-increased police visibility 2-faster response time 3-More investment in community safety 4- more tools to address serious crime and prevention measures 5- reduction in overtime and staffing Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? Yes Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: Addressing the community safety, wellbeing, housing issues, health and welfare to create a thriving Rideau/Vanier. I will work with and for the community with transparency, inclusion and empathy for all. Stéphanie Plante Age: 47 Political experience: President of the Parents Council at Francojeunesse for two years, Chair of two community associations and city councillor for Rideau-Vanier since 2022 Professional experience: Worked in the public service and at the University of Ottawa before entering politics. How long have you lived in Ottawa? Since 2004 Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: Beechwood Cemetery What was the last book you read? Et la joie de vivre, Gisèle Pelicot What is the top song in your playlist? WRK by JID How often do you use OC Transpo? Several times a week, as does my family Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? Decrease Would you support increasing the police budget? Depends. They received a substantive increase in 2025 budget. I would need to see the metrics and what the increase is for specifically. Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? Yes Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: The biggest issue in W12 is the intersection between mental health and homelessness as well as the effects of intensification. I get a lot of emails about transit reliability which is why I pushed for bus-only lanes during peak times and we desperately need funding from upper levels of government for health care and housing. Michael Karl Sewanaku Age: Political experience: I have not previously held elected office. I do not believe public service should be limited to career politicians, if prior political experience were a prerequisite, elections would simply become exercises in returning incumbents. What matters most is having clear principles, listening to residents, working constructively with others and following through on commitments. I may be new to politics, but I am not new to hard work, accountability or getting things done. Professional experience: I bring experience from medicine and law, where I have learned to examine evidence, navigate complex systems, solve problems and work with people who do not always agree. I also bring lived experience from growing up in Ottawa and living in Ottawa Community Housing, as well as an understanding of how decisions made at City Hall affect people’s everyday lives. How long have you lived in Ottawa? Over 30 years Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: Dog parks What was the last book you read? Most of my reading has been legal decisions, medical literature and city reports, including the Auditor General’s Audit of Bus Service Planning and Scheduling. What is the top song in your playlist? My top song is usually one I have not heard yet. I often click on unfamiliar tracks on YouTube Music, country, rock, hip-hop or dance. The genre does not matter; if it sounds good to me, I’ll listen. How often do you use OC Transpo? Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? I would need to review OC Transpo’s full budget before committing to a system wide fare increase or decrease. My priorities would be operating efficiently, keeping transit affordable, especially for low-income riders, and improving reliability. After all, a $1 bus ride is not truly affordable if the bus cannot reliably get you to work and you lose an hour or more of pay. Would you support increasing the police budget? I don’t know enough. I will say this though; I am very grateful for the OPS. Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? I’ll support one provided the levy is based on a clear plan, is affordable and every dollar is transparently dedicated to infrastructure. Climate change will increase pressure on roads and sewers, so we must upgrade vulnerable systems and should invest in practical measures such as rain gardens that absorb stormwater and reduce flooding. I think investing in planned prevention will cost taxpayers less than repeated emergency repairs. Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: The biggest issues I see in Rideau–Vanier are housing, affordability, reliable transit, safety and basic city services. These issues are interconnected and affect each neighbourhood differently. Housing must come first. Residents need homes they can afford, while people experiencing homelessness need permanent housing with appropriate supports, not an endless cycle through shelters and emergency services. We must also preserve existing affordable rentals, enforce property standards and ensure shelters and supportive services are distributed fairly across Ottawa. Affordability extends beyond rent. It includes transit fares, taxes, fees and the cost of unreliable services. A low OC Transpo fare is not truly affordable if a late train causes someone to miss work, an appointment or a class. Improving OC Transpo’s reliability must be a priority. Residents, workers, businesses, visitors and people experiencing homelessness all deserve clean and safe public spaces. That requires crisis response, outreach, public washrooms, sanitation and better needle cleanup, alongside focused enforcement against violence, harassment and predatory drug dealing. Finally, residents deserve accountability from City Hall. I would provide regular updates, explain my votes and spending decisions, consult residents and measure whether City programs are actually delivering results. My goal is a Ward 12 where people can afford to live, travel reliably and feel safe. Eric Smith No email address available
