Ottawa councillor announces he will not be running for re-election

Coun. Glen Gower announced this weekend he will not seek re-election in Stittsville in this fall's election. (Glen Gower/website)

Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower will not be running for re-election in October’s municipal election.

The two-term councillor made the announcement in his weekly video update on Saturday.

“I have decided that I am not going to run in the election this fall. When I first ran eight years ago, it was something I said - I would only serve two terms,” Gower said.

“I still think that change and renewal is good. We always need new voices and new experience around the Council table.”

Gower is currently the chair of Ottawa’s transit committee and vice-chair of the planning and housing committee.

He was first elected in the 2018 election and was re-elected in 2022 with 59 per cent of the vote.

Gower says he does not have another job lined up when the term ends in November.

“I’d love to find something in the public or non-profit sector and, hopefully, algin with the work I’ve been doing at City Hall over the past two terms around transportation, around housing, around community building, around health care.”

There will be at least two new councillors at the Council table for the 2026-30 term. Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper has announced he will be running for mayor, leaving his Council seat vacant.

The 2026 municipal election is set for Monday, Oct. 26, and the 2026-30 term of Council begins on Nov. 15, 2026.

Candidates can register for mayor and begin their campaigns on Friday, May 1. The deadline to submit a nomination is Aug. 21.

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