Meet the candidates in Ward 22 – Riverside South-Findlay Creek

Riverside South-Findlay Creek

There are four people running for councillor in Riverside South-Findlay Creek, formerly known as Gloucester-South Nepean. Incumbent Carol Anne Meehan is not seeking re-election in the ward in Ottawa's south end.  The newly named ward includes Riverside South, Findlay Creek and Leitrim.

CTV News Ottawa invited all registered candidates to answer a questionnaire and submit a video introducing themselves to voters. (Some candidates submitted the requested 280 characters to describe their platform, while others submitted 280 words – CTVNewsOttawa.ca accepted both).

Zainab Alsalihiy

Political experience: I do not have political experience, and this is my first time running in municipal elections.

Professional experience: 

Prior to the Municipal Elections, I worked for IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) and Elections Canada, administering elections since 2008. One of my greatest accomplishments was being part of a fantastic team providing potential candidates with the ability to submit their nominations online at the Political Entities Service Centre, for the first time in history in 2019.

In addition to my expertise in the electoral field, I have also taken on additional roles with international election missions with The Carter Center to Monrovia, Liberia, and Canadem in Kharkiv, Ukraine.  I was also part of an international group that observed the 2016 United States of America federal elections in Missouri. In addition, I have also observed out-of-country voting for Tunisia and Moldova.

During the historical 2014 Iraq elections, I spearheaded the first International Out of Country election observation mission in partnership with the International High Election Commission of Iraq (IHEC). I planned and implemented the polling day logistics of Short-Term Observers across Canada, and contributed to the mission report.

I am passionate about many causes, including women’s empowerment, mental health, volunteering and youth engagement. I travelled to Bosnia in 2019 with a leadership camp to learn and engage with orphan kids and youth of Sarajevo. We took part in several activities, including peer-to-peer learning opportunities, food distributions, beneficiary home visits, and building refurbishment.

How long have you lived in Ottawa?  We came to Canada in 1989, started in Niagara Falls, and moved to Ottawa in 1995. (27 Years in Ottawa)

What's your favourite Ottawa landmark? You can find me strolling in the afternoon in Westboro, exploring the different restaurants and coffee shops. I absolutely love the Rideau Canal. My children and I enjoy the museums that are abundant in Ottawa! And I have to admit, I love the shopping malls Rideau Mall and Bayshore.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

My priority is to ensure our community and city's health and safety.  The urgency to improve infrastructure in Riverside South / Findlay Creek during its massive development, including improving roads and public transit is far behind. We need to provide a safe and reliable transit service the city can all benefit from, the LRT system requires a fresh new set of eyes to complete this successfully. We need to bring forth strategic infrastructure planning and projections to the growing community in ward 22 and ensure we have enough schools and recreational facilities to accommodate our students/youth.

Public Safety is imperative for our ward, with the rise in speeding, racing, and home/car break-ins, families are not feeling safe. We will need to focus on crime-prevention measures, also ensuring availability of ambulance resources for our community and neighbouring communities.

As city councillor I will be supporting local business through grants to fund new technology and equipment. Small businesses create good local jobs in our city. For every dollar you spend at an independent business, 3 times more money is returned into the local economy. When small businesses are strong, the community and local economy are strengthened.

With the pandemic accelerating a housing shortage, we will be expected to have an affordable-housing plan. We need new measures to reduce the load associated with planning approvals so that more housing can get approved and built while working with all levels of government.

Steve Desroches 

Political experience:I served eight successful years as the City Councillor for the Riverside South and Findlay Creek communities. I have a reputation as a hard-working and sensible City Councillor including a record of progress and tangible results.

Professional experience:  I have over 20 years of professional experience in the federal public service and I am currently helping lead the international trade policy agenda at the Canada Border Services Agency. I am a graduate of Carleton University with an MA in Public Administration and hold an MA in Canadian history from the University of Ottawa. I have been an active volunteer in my neighbourhood with the Riverside South Community Association, Ottawa Public Library Board, St-John Ambulance and the Perley-Rideau Veterans Health Centre Foundation. I am a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

How long have you lived in Ottawa?I have lived in Ottawa since 1988 when I started my studies at the University of Ottawa. My family has lived in the ward since 2002.

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  Vimy Memorial Bridge

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

Riverside South and Findlay Creek continue to grow at a tremendous pace and provide much-needed homes for families and seniors. But the City cannot just enable growth without delivering key services and infrastructure. The City needs to build complete, balanced, and livable neighbourhoods where residents can work, live, and play. This important work includes upgrades to Bank Street. Progress is also needed on a new municipal recreation centre that will serve the seniors and families of the ward. There also needs to be considerable focus on delivering a reliable new OTrain extension to the ward. The transit focus includes re-orienting the transit system to better serve the new post-pandemic commute patterns. Ottawa’s police service also needs to keep pace with the growth to help foster safe communities and a reliable neighbourhood presence. Residents also value efforts to foster clean and green communities such as planting trees and preserving greenspace. The next city council will need to place a considerable focus on affordability for families and seniors. Part of this affordability theme includes increasing the supply of residential units to take pressure off rising housing prices. To support this residential growth, the next city council agenda should be focused on meeting the infrastructure priorities of the urban, suburban, and rural areas – rather than one part of the city over another. For example, transportation investments will be key to serving the new commute patterns as well as reducing congestion which has an economic impact on the city and its business community.  Please visit my website at www.stevedesroches.com or Twitter @SteveDesroches

Salah Elsaadi

Political experience:

Professional experience:

How long have you lived in Ottawa? I’ve been a resident of Ottawa for 33 years. As a community builder, business owner and former chairman of a local business improvement area in Ottawa, I have experience working with three levels of government and I successfully delivered the assigned projects during my terms.

I am passionate and driven to serve our community and I believe I have the vision, leadership and the experience for the job of city council for Riverside South and Findlay Creek.

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  I love MY OTTAWA; however, my favorite location is where decided to live and build my family where I have been living in for the past 18 years.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:   (Editor's note: The first 299 characters of the document follow)

As a father of two children and long-time resident of riverside south, your concerns are my concerns.

My platform focuses on ensuring a healthy and promising future for our residents. As Riverside South and Findlay Creek continue to grow as we welcome new home owners and young families, we need to pass to action to build a new recreational complex.

In 2017, the city identified and purchased a land as the parcel for a new recreational complex to serve RSS and FC. Unfortunately, nothing has progressed during the last four years. If elected, I will work closely with city staff and my council colleagues to get this done during the next term of council.

We also need to maintain a balance between green areas, parks, houses and businesses. our green spaces need to be protected and even expanded. Our local infrastructure also needs to be improved, like the long overdue widening of Bank Street south of Leitrim. Neighborhood safety is also a key priority for me. We need a stronger police presence in our community and I will work with my colleagues to ensure a new South police station is back on the agenda for the next term of council. I want to improve local transit by advocating for more accessible, reliable and affordable local routes. I support the extension of LRT into our communities with stations at Leitrim and Earl Armstrong.

Our infrastructure needs to be improved, like the long-overdue widening of Bank Street south of Leitrim. I will insure to get our fair share of infrastructure, low municipal taxes and stand up for smarter growth and development.

The City of Ottawa will face many difficult decisions during the next term of Council and we need someone who will be serving a strong voice for RSS and FC.

Em McLellan

Political experience:  I was the President of the Parent /Teacher Association at St Jerome school in Riverside South for 11 years.

Professional experience:

How long have you lived in Ottawa? 50 years

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark? Hog's Back Falls

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

I want more fiscal restraint and accountability, no more mega projects to maintain the tax base at 3%. I want to ban donations for candidates running for election.

I want to see the Councillor in my ward. I want to introduce Town Hall Meetings every two months for the people of Ward 22. I want to hear and have a conversation with the people.

I want more policing. I want managed traffic calming in the school zones. I want all crosswalks in the school zones to be painted in the Rainbow colors and to have speed bumps alongside them. I want the speed bumps to be painted in colors like bright pink or lime green or aqua blue. I also want to add sparkles to the speed bumps so that they glow in the dark. I believe if you care about children; then as a community TAKE A STAND and make it happen. I want more accountability at OC Transpo and I want better bus service.

Now this sounds strange but I want to be able to fire myself if I get elected. I want to enter into an agreement with both Community Associations and the people of Ward 22 .The agreement would essentially say that if I am engaged in conduct unbecoming or that I was not fulfilling my duties in a timely manner, then the Community Associations could gather 3,000 signatures and I would leave.