ottown sent the same set of questions to every certified candidate in Ottawa's 2026 municipal election, with one promise attached: we publish what you send us. No trimming for tone, no tightening for length, no editing for politics.
Ali Shayvard, running for Mayor of Ottawa, answered by email on October 2, 2026. The answers below appear as they were written.
Ali Shayvard did not send campaign photographs, so there are none here.
Why are you running?
I am running because, in my view, Ottawa has gone in the wrong direction over the last four years. Transit has become less reliable, our roads and infrastructure need serious attention, and residents are paying more while often receiving less. I am not running because I wanted to become a politician. I am running because I believe Ottawa deserves better, and I want to help fix the city I live and work in.
What is the single biggest issue facing the people you want to represent, and what would you do about it?
Affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Ottawa residents. Housing, transportation, taxes and everyday expenses are putting pressure on working families, seniors and young people. I would focus City spending on essential services, improve transit, expand affordable housing options and find efficiencies before asking residents to pay more.
Name one specific thing you would work on in your first year in office.
My first priority for OC Transpo would be reliability. When a bus or train is scheduled to arrive, residents should be able to trust that it will show up. That means realistic schedules, proper maintenance, adequate staffing and accountability when service is not delivered. As part of making transit more affordable, I would also work to reduce the regular adult monthly pass to $90 and keep it there for four years.
What is something the City gets wrong today that you would change?
I believe Ottawa relies too heavily on contractors for work that could be done more consistently and accountably in-house. We see roads and infrastructure repaired only to require more work because of workmanship, materials or a lack of long-term accountability. I want to rebuild the City’s in-house capacity, use proper materials, enforce stronger quality standards and stop taxpayers from repeatedly paying to fix the same problems.
What should residents know about you that would not appear on a campaign flyer?
I am running as a democratic socialist because I believe government should work for ordinary people, not only those with the most money or influence. I am not a career politician. I am a working-class City employee who has spent more than 11 years at OC Transpo, including as an operator and instructor. I have invested my own money in this campaign because independence matters to me. I do not want political decisions influenced by who funded a campaign or who may expect a favour afterward.
Anything else you would like voters to know?
One challenge my campaign has faced is getting equal opportunities for voters to hear from me. I have been excluded from several debates and forums, even though when I have participated in debates, I have received strong engagement and interest from people attending. Debates matter because they allow residents to hear candidates directly, compare ideas and make up their own minds.
We have seen in other elections how important that opportunity can be for candidates who are not already well known. Candidates such as Zohran Mamdani participated in official mayoral debates in New York, giving voters an opportunity to hear their ideas directly. I believe Ottawa voters deserve the same opportunity to hear different voices and perspectives before deciding who should lead their city.
Ultimately, my campaign is about getting Ottawa back to the basics: reliable and affordable transit, properly maintained roads and infrastructure, affordable housing, safer communities, responsible spending and a City government that works for the people.
Who else is running for mayor
14 candidates are certified for mayor. Alongside Ali Shayvard: Mark Sutcliffe (incumbent), Jeff Leiper, Alex Lawson, Neil Saravanamuttoo, Zed Chebib, Peter Westaway, Suraj Harish, Queen Divine Priya Amber Bakshi, Jacob Solomon, Bernard Couchman, Amjad Ali Syed, Josh Rachlis and Geoff Nicholas.
All of them were sent the same questions. Answers are published as they arrive, in the same format.
When you can vote
Ottawa votes on Monday, October 26, 2026. Advance voting runs before then, and the City's certified candidate list is the authority on who is on your ballot.
About this piece
All of our questions were answered.
These are the candidate's own statements. ottown did not fact-check the claims inside them, and publishing an answer is not an endorsement of it. If you are a candidate and something on our election pages is wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
Ali Shayvard's ottown page: https://www.ottown.ca/elections/mayor/ali-shayvard
