The 2018 Ottawa municipal election was a municipal election that was held on October 22, 2018, to elect the mayor of Ottawa, Ottawa City Council and the Ottawa-Carleton Public and Catholic School Boards. The election was held on the same day as elections in every other municipality in Ontario.
The electoral system used is first-past-the-post. Successful candidates do not need to have majority support of the voters in their district. Seven of the 23 successful ward councillors were elected with less than majority of votes in their districts.
Mayoral candidates Hamid Alakozai Nominated May 10. Former CF reservist member. Considered running for president of Afghanistan in 2011. Past advisor to the attorney general of Afghanistan.
Ahmed Bouragba Nominated July 26. Bilingual teacher and former elected Council member for the Ontario College of Teachers. Bouragba is a social justice advocate and civil liberties activist. Ran for Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario trustee in 2014. Citation: Y.B. v. Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario, 2017 HRTO 1240 (CanLII)
Bernard Couchman Nominated May 1. Immigrant from Guyana; operates a marketing company. He ran for mayor in 2014, finishing in last place (8th) with 1,255 votes (0.51%).
Clive Doucet Nominated July 27. City councillor for Capital Ward from 2001 to 2010. He represented Capital Ward on the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Council from 1997 to 2000. Ran for mayor in 2010.
Joey Drouin Nominated July 27. Businessman. Running on a platform of combining Ottawa and Gatineau.
Ryan Lythall Nominated July 9. Disabilities advocate.
Craig MacAulay Nominated July 11. Ran for city council in 2010 and 2014 in College Ward.
Bruce McConville Nominated July 26. Garage operator from Vanier. Ran for city council in 2003 and 2006 in Rideau-Vanier Ward. McConville was born August 30, 1962, in Eastview, Ontario (now Vanier). He dropped out of high school and would later start his garage in 1981.
Michael Pastien Nominated May 16. Self described "futurist". Ran for city council in 2014 in Bay Ward and for public school trustee in 2010.
Moises Schachtler Nominated July 4. A former student of the University of Ottawa.
James T. Sheahan Nominated July 25. North Gower resident.
Jim Watson Mayor Jim Watson had declared his intention to run for re-election in early 2017. He filed his nomination forms on May 1.
Polls Polling Date(s) Firm Jim Watson Clive Doucet Bruce McConville Other Undecided Source Aug 20–Sept 6 Probit 37 13 1 <1 49 Twitter
Mayoral results Mayoral candidate Vote % Jim Watson (X) 188,960 71.03 Clive Doucet 59,156 22.24 Bruce McConville 4,360 1.64 Craig MacAulay 2,272 0.85 Ahmed Bouragba 1,912 0.72 Joey Drouin 1,893 0.71 Hamid Alakozai 1,867 0.70 James T. Sheahan 1,354 0.51 Michael Pastien 1,177 0.44 Ryan Lythall 1,115 0.42 Moises Schachtler 994 0.37 Bernard Couchman 964 0.36
Results by ward WardAlakozaiBouragbaCouchmanDoucetDrouinLythallMacAulayMcConvillePastienSchachtlerSheahanWatsonOrléans 64 79 512278 133 43 123 259 51 39 79 11203Innes 76 61 35 2155 106 52 71 196 50 36 30 9261Barrhaven 121 128 35 2176 72 58 123 123 112 44 66 11044Kanata North 64 86 33 193554 31 87 107 128 40 51 7606West Carleton-March 23 18 26 1544 37 31 75 110 24 17 55 5429Stittsville 36 25 39 1868 50 47 85 129 25 31 74 7215Bay 143 123 62 2559 83 61 126 158 39 55 55 7946College 98 64 61 2873 63 98 175 189 57 56 85 10068Knoxdale-Merivale 50 36 33 1922 55 43 91 90 29 53 58 7047Gloucester-Southgate 112 270 36 1754 69 52 74 110 38 30 53 6665Beacon Hill-Cyrville 69 50 50 1666 71 25 51 215 42 34 34 5799Rideau-Vanier76 95 743915 139 44 84 719 49 52 37 4869Rideau-Rockcliffe72 53 49 3123 98 28 55 430 38 39 39 5120Somerset 76 65 26 321285 52 53 85 16 54 27 5424Kitchissippi 54 43 32 4469 80 39 68 108 28 40 41 8719River 113 120 48 2392 73 38 72 140 29 47 43 7682Capital 71 60 31 4656 82 45 66 109 25 45 46 6890Alta Vista 88 75 23 2729 81 50 86 147 34 52 43 7898Cumberland 87 85 41 1538 120 32 73 164 49 35 49 8916Osgoode 21 24 30 1394 64 45 130 155 31 37 84 6149Rideau-Goulbourn 22 24 25 1646 50 39 130 145 22 20 108 6547Gloucester-South Nepean 113 170 39190164 45 116 124 151 29 72 10043Kanata South 99 48 36 2454 665513216160 48 73 9678 Special/Advance (No Ward) 119 110 49 2997 98 62 126 187 50 61 52 11742
City Council
Orléans Ward Incumbent councillor Bob Monette had indicated he would be running for re-election but dropped out on June 13.
Nominated candidates Bob Monette - incumbent councillor Rick Bédard Toby Bossert Mireille Brownhill - Community association executive, not-for-profit coordinator, community volunteer. Guy Desroches Diego Elizondo Dina Epale Doug Feltmate - Former president of the Ottawa-Orléans Provincial Liberal Association. Withdrew, but will be on the ballot. Jarrod Goldsmith - Canadian small business community builder. Holds a master's degree in Anthropology from the University of Alberta. Musician and entrepreneur; founder of Sax Appeal and eSAX (The Entrepreneur Social Advantage Experience), Miranda Gray Geoffrey Nicholas Griplas Catherine Kitts - former editor of the Orléans Star newspaper, advocating to see more women elected to Ottawa City Council. Graduate of Carleton University's renowned School of Journalism. Shannon Kramer Matthew Luloff - Canadian Forces veteran, served in Afghanistan, formerly worked for several Members of Parliament and most recently for the Minister of National Defence. Holds a degree in Public Affairs and Policy Management. Mental Health advocate. Member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Qamar Masood Louise Soyez withdrew, but will be on the ballot Kevin Tetreault Don Yetman
Results: Council candidate Vote % Matthew Luloff 3,622 23.76 Catherine Kitts 3,358 22.02 Rick Bédard 2,799 18.36 Mireille Brownhill 1,900 12.46 Kevin Tetreault 685 4.49 Diego Elizondo 399 2.62 Qamar Masood 393 2.58 Jarrod Goldsmith 357 2.34 Dina Epale 336 2.20 Shannon Kramer 333 2.18 Guy Desroches 328 2.15 Miranda Gray 238 1.56 Don Yetman 212 1.39 Doug Feltmate 102 0.67 Toby Bossert 73 0.48 Geoffrey Nicholas Griplas 65 0.43 Louise Soyez 47 0.31
Innes Ward Incumbent councillor Jody Mitic announced he would not be running for re-election.
Nominated candidates: Laura Dudas - ran in 2014. Former journalist. President of the Blackburn Community Association and member of the Orleans Chamber of Commerce. Donna Leith-Gudbranson - campaign manager and assistant to former councillor Rainer Bloess. President of the Chapel Hill South Community Association and the school council at École élémentaire publique Le Prélude. Tammy Lynch - assistant to previous councillor, Jody Mitic (director of community relations) François Trépanier - Consultant. Served for 28 years in the Canadian Forces. Ran in 2014.
Results: Council candidate Vote % Laura Dudas 5,32541.37 Donna Leith-Gudbranson 3,645 28.32 François Trépanier 2,391 18.58 Tammy Lynch 1,510 11.73
Barrhaven Ward Nominated candidates Franklin Epape - teacher at La Cité collégiale and president of the board of Cooperation Integration Canada Jan Harder - incumbent councillor. Ahmad Malgarai Atiq Qureshi - works in income tax consulting Hadi Wess - former president of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa
Results: Council candidate Vote % Jan Harder (X) 11,489 74.27 Hadi Wess 2,427 15.69 Franklin Epape 908 5.87 Atiq Qureshi 535 3.46 Ahmad Malgarai 110 0.71
Kanata North Ward Incumbent councillor Marianne Wilkinson had announced she would not be running for re-election.
Nominated candidates: Philip Bloedow David Gourlay - former president of the Ottawa Champions baseball team. Matt Muirhead - teacher, 2014 candidate Lorne Neufeldt Jenna Sudds - Former executive director of the Kanata North business improvement association. Endorsed by Wilkinson.
Results: Council candidate Vote % Jenna Sudds 5,298 46.68 Matt Muirhead 3,634 32.02 David Gourlay 2,335 20.57 Lorne Neufeldt 56 0.49 Philip Bloedow 27 0.24
West Carleton-March Ward Nominated candidates: Eli El-Chantiry - incumbent city councillor James Parsons - Ran in this ward in 2010 and 2014. Judi Varga-Toth - small business owner and executive director
Results: Council candidate Vote % Eli El-Chantiry (X) 5,099 65.90 Judi Varga-Toth 2,132 27.56 James Parsons 506 6.54
Stittsville Ward Nominated candidates: Glen Gower - director of marketing and communications and founder of a local community blog. Shad Qadri - incumbent city councillor
Results: Council candidate Vote % Glen Gower 5,877 57.86 Shad Qadri (X) 4,280 42.14
Bay Ward Incumbent councillor Mark Taylor did not run for re-election.
Nominated candidates: Erica Dath - background in "finance and public service" Don Dransfield - management consultant. Husband of incumbent Ottawa West—Nepean MP Anita Vandenbeld. Ran for the Ontario Liberal Party in Nepean—Carleton in the 2011 Ontario general election. Also ran for city council in 2006. Theresa Kavanagh - incumbent OCDSB trustee, NDP staffer, and wife of former city councillor Alex Cullen Ran for a seat as the NDP candidate in the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 federal election in Ottawa West. Marc Lugert - former chair of the Queensway Terrace Community Association and current vice president of the Ottawa Girls Hockey Association Trevor Robinson - Ran in the 2014 municipal election.
Results: Council candidate Vote % Theresa Kavanagh 6,509 55.17 Don Dransfield 2,104 17.83 Erica Dath 1,793 15.20 Marc Lugert 851 7.21 Trevor Robinson 541 4.59
College Ward Nominated candidates: Rick Chiarelli - incumbent city councillor Emilie Coyle - lawyer; director of the Refugee Sponsorship Program Ryan Kennery - communications strategist; former director of communications for mayor Jim Watson
Results: Council candidate Vote % Rick Chiarelli (X) 7,079 46.79 Emilie Coyle 5,751 38.01 Ryan Kennery 2,299 15.20
Knoxdale-Merivale Ward Nominated candidates: Warren Arshinoff - former member of the Ottawa Youth Cabinet for Ward 9 (2001-2004) James Dean - real-estate agent and board member of Quality Living House Cooperative Keith Egli - incumbent city councillor Luigi Mangone - public servant Peter Anthony Weber - heavy equipment operator. City council Candidate Vote % Keith Egli (X) 6,369 63.12 James Dean 2,002 19.84 Luigi Mangone 1,114 11.04 Warren Arshinoff 342 3.39 Peter Anthony Weber 264 2.62
Gloucester-Southgate Ward Nominated candidates: Diane Deans - incumbent city councillor Alek Golijanin Perry Sabourin - Social Worker Sam Soucy - Executive assistant for Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury. Robert Swaita - Restaurant owner City council Candidate Vote % Diane Deans (X) 6,179 56.08 Robert Swaita 3,435 31.17 Alek Golijanin 875 7.94 Sam Soucy 342 3.10 Perry Sabourin 188 1.71
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Nominated candidates: Michael Schurter - Realtor and parliamentary office manager for Conservative MP Peter Kent. Tim Tierney - incumbent councillor
Results: Council candidate Vote % Tim Tierney (X) 6,730 81.34 Michael Schurter 1,544 18.66
Rideau-Vanier Ward Nominated candidates: Salar Changiz Mathieu Fleury - incumbent councillor. Thierry Harris - former vice president of the Lower Town Community Association. Former producer for CBC/Radio Canada and press officer for the National Film Board. Matt Lowe - Veteran and member of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Results: Council candidate Vote % Mathieu Fleury (X) 7,302 68.08 Thierry Harris 3,050 28.44 Matt Lowe 285 2.66 Salar Changiz 88 0.82
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward Peter Heyck Tobi Nussbaum - incumbent city councillor
Results: Council candidate Vote % Tobi Nussbaum (X) 7,334 80.52 Peter Heyck 1,774 19.48
Somerset Ward Nominated candidates: