Where is it?
Bordered by the Ottawa River to the north and Highway 417 and Carling Avenue to the south, Kitchissippi (Ward 15) is located west of downtown Ottawa, between the O-Train Line One and Sherbourne Road.
The ward encompasses Ottawa’s Wellington West, Westboro, Civic Hospital Area, Mechanicsville and Hintonburg neighbourhoods.
Who’s running?
Oonagh Fitzgerald and Daniel Stringer are challenging two-term incumbent Jeff Leiper for a seat on city council.
Electors may cast their votes Oct. 24 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., or earlier on Special Advance Vote Days. For information about voter eligibility, how and where to vote, residents can visit the City of Ottawa’s voter information webpage or the Ontario Municipal Election Voters’ Guide.
Demographics at a glance:
About 47,300 people reside in Kitchissippi, in about 23,000 households, according to the City of Ottawa’s population trend estimates.
The ward’s most recent reported median income was $44,923, according to the 2011 census.
One local landmark:
Kitchissippi Ward includes The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. The hospital is home to the region’s only adult-care trauma centre. The Ottawa Heart Institute is also located on the campus.
Plans for redevelopment are expected to see construction of the hospital’s New Campus location begin in 2024, relocating the hospital across Carling Avenue and to the east near Dow’s Lake. The relocation will push the hospital across the boundary into River Ward (Ward 16).
One key issue:
Affordable housing is a priority for Kitchissippi residents, with one of the highest increases in housing costs in the city. Expansion of city infrastructure such as the LRT and a trend toward gentrification in the area are causing increased housing costs for area residents.
The average increase in residential housing assessments in Ottawa is 3.5 per cent. Kitchissippi has the highest increase in the city at 7.35 per cent. This number not only signals a significant tax increase for current homeowners but a substantial increase in housing costs.
![A statue of a beaver stares at Pindigen Park in Ottawa. Located near LeBreton Flats, the park is meant to highlight Indigenous culture and heritage. [Photo © Christianna Alexiou]](https://capitalcurrent.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RAW_FEATURE_BEAVER_LANG.jpg)
