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Ottawa's Kitchissippi ward final debate: all four candidates name transit top priority
On Oct 14, the four Kitchissippi (Ward 15) council candidates held their final two-hour debate at Invest Ottawa headquarters. With Jeff Leiper running for mayor, the seat is open; asked for their top first-year priority, all four answered: public transit. Election day is Oct 26.
Why it matters
Three-term councillor Jeff Leiper is running for mayor, leaving an open seat in Kitchissippi (Ward 15), just west of downtown Ottawa. The four candidates — former journalist Joanne Chianello, community activist Xavier Commerford, former community association president Brian Innes, and real estate manager and AI startup entrepreneur Subhir Uppal — faced off on Oct 14 in a two-hour final debate at Invest Ottawa headquarters, with voters attending in person and online. Asked for their top priority in their first year if elected, all four answered: public transit.
Their transit prescriptions
Commerford blasted the city's "New Ways to Bus" overhaul, saying it created a "transit death spiral" — fewer riders, less revenue, more cuts — and pledged to reverse it. Chianello pushed affordability: permanently free youth fares and affordable seniors' fares. Uppal proposed distance-based fares, similar to systems in London and Singapore. Innes focused on reliability, targeting a 90% on-time performance rate within six months and committing to transportation committee reviews to clear obstacles.
Housing and safety
Housing and public safety were also key topics. Innes advocated expanding community policing for more proactive patrols; Uppal argued better housing conditions would ease safety concerns, citing the ANCHOR mental health crisis program.
The race
Ottawa's municipal election is on Oct 26 — eight days away.
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