Three candidates are running for councillor in Ward 7 – Bay in the 2026 municipal election. Incumbent Theresa Kavanagh is seeking a third term as councillor in the ward in Ottawa’s west end. In 2022, Kavanagh won the riding with 82.79 per cent of the vote. The two other candidates in Bay ward are Butch Moore and Spencer Radford. Bay Ward Bay ward is located north of Highway 417 and spans the Ottawa River, and includes the areas of Britannia, Bayshore, Shirley’s Bay. McKellar Park, Lincoln Heights, Glabar Park, Whitehaven – Queensview Terrace North, and Crystal Beach. Meet the candidates CTV News Ottawa invited all registered candidates to answer a questionnaire and submit a video introducing themselves to voters. Theresa Kavanagh Age: 67 Political experience: 2010-2018 - Zone 4 Ottawa Carleton District School Board Trustee. 2018-present - Bay Ward City Councillor Professional experience: Early career - children’s math tutor and host of a children’s radio show for three years on CKCU (Carleton University). House of Commons working for the NDP Caucus until elected to City Council in 2018. How long have you lived in Ottawa? I have lived in Ottawa over 40 years, 32 of which I have lived in Bay Ward. Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: Britannia Park at the end of the pier for the most spectacular sunsets ever. What was the last book you read? Défense de Tuer, a French translation of a Louise Penny murder mystery. What is the top song in your playlist? Dancing Queen by ABBA. It has special meaning for me. It was my mother’s favourite song. How often do you use OC Transpo? I mostly ride my bike in the good weather and tend to take the bus to the office in winter. Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? I support either freezing or decreasing the fares for riders. Would you support increasing the police budget? There has been a noticeable improvement in presence in our neighbourhoods over the last four years. One of the top concerns that residents have raised here in Bay Ward is the increase in speeding on our roads, particularly since the removal of the speed cameras by the province last year. We need to look at ways to address both speeding and other traffic concerns on our neighbourhood streets beyond increasing the police budget Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? Recent changes by the federal and provincial governments directing municipalities to reduce development charges will mean less revenue to build critical infrastructure. The federal and provincial governments will need to come through with financial support to replace the revenue municipalities will lose from their directive. A special levy would be a last resort given that municipal property taxes are inherently inequitable. Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: Infrastructure is the biggest issue in Bay Ward. Most of the housing in this community was built in the 1960s and needs critical infrastructure investment, with both the federal and provincial governments contributing, to upgrade or replace stormwater systems, sewers and water mains. The situation is exacerbated by changes by the federal and provincial governments directing municipalities to reduce development charges. This decreases the revenue needed to build critical infrastructure. Fixing road and sidewalk infrastructure is also important in Bay Ward. There are many neighbourhoods in our community that lack even sidewalks. As councillor, I made it a priority that children should be able to walk safely to school. I worked to ensure that in front of every school in the ward there are sidewalks leading from neighbouring streets. But more needs to be done to ensure our transportation infrastructure makes it safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to get around. Transit remains an ongoing concern for residents in Bay Ward. Stage 2 LRT construction has disrupted residents and businesses for many years, but it is nearing completion in the ward. However, the frequency and reliability of buses along major routes in Bay Ward continues to be a problem. I have been able to secure funding commitments to improve the reliability of Route 11, a key bus route in the ward. But we need more reliability across the transit system overall. The federal government’s return to office mandate will stress the system even more. Butch Moore No email address available Spencer Radford Age: 28 Political experience: I am a first-time candidate and have not previously held elected office. I served as President of the Kiwanis Club of Kanata-Stittsville and founded and ran the Stittsville Youth Centre, experiences that taught me a great deal about leadership, community service and working with people from different backgrounds. Professional experience: I have diplomas in Police Foundations and Social Service Work. My professional background has included security, social services, youth programming and school transportation. How long have you lived in Ottawa? I have lived in Ottawa for over 20 years Favourite Ottawa location/landmark: Landmark Cinemas Kanata. I’m a big movie lover and I love to go there to relax and eat popcorn, yum. What was the last book you read? Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind What is the top song in your playlist? Karma by AJR How often do you use OC Transpo? Daily. I hadn’t used it in over 10 years prior, but I can’t talk about transit without experience. Would you work to increase or decrease transit fares as part of a plan to improve OC Transpo? I’d work to decrease fares and increase the amount of time on transfers. Nobody should have to pay twice to get somewhere because transit was unreliable Would you support increasing the police budget? I would not support increasing the police budget without a thorough review of where the money is currently going and working to find inefficiencies. Do you support an infrastructure levy to improve road and sewer infrastructure? Absolutely not. The city should have planned for this a long time ago, and I’ve had residents tell me they informed the city on projects that there was a flood risk, but they didn’t feel their issue was heard properly. Residents who’ve had their homes flooded have faced enough costs right now. They don’t need to pay an additional levy. Describe in 250 words or less what the biggest issues are in your ward in this election: The biggest issue in Bay Ward is communication. Residents have raised concerns about flooding, roads, transit, housing and other local issues for years, but many still feel unheard or do not know what is being done. When people repeatedly bring forward concerns and hear little back, they lose trust in City Hall. Eventually, some stop reporting problems, stop participating and even stop voting because they feel their voice does not matter. Residents have a right to know what is happening in their community, what their councillor is doing about an issue, what response the city has provided and what happens next. Even when a problem cannot be fixed immediately, people deserve an honest answer and regular updates. That lack of communication becomes even more serious when dealing with major issues like flooding and aging infrastructure. Residents need to know what work is planned, when it’s coming and how decisions are being made. The same applies to transit, redevelopment and housing as Bay Ward continues to change. A councillor cannot personally fix every problem, but they can make sure residents are heard, kept informed and treated as partners in improving their community. Rebuilding that relationship between residents and City Hall would be one of my biggest priorities.
