Ottawa votes on Monday, October 26, 2026, and we wanted to hear from the people on the ballot in their own words. So we sent the same six questions to every certified candidate in the city, with one promise: we publish what you send back, unedited.
Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful is running for councillor in Stittsville Ward. Here are the answers, exactly as they arrived.
Why are you running?
Stittsville has been my home for many years. My husband, William, and I are raising our three sons here, so this campaign is personal to me. It is about the streets our children walk on, the services families count on and the kind of community we are building together.
I am running because Stittsville is growing quickly, and growth must make life better for the people already here as well as those arriving. I want to bring a practical, respectful and independent voice to City Hall: one that listens early, communicates clearly and follows through.
What is the single biggest issue facing the people you want to represent, and what would you do about it?
Stittsville’s growth is outpacing the infrastructure that supports it. Residents feel that most directly in traffic, particularly on north-south routes, and in transit that is not reliable enough for daily life.
I will take an infrastructure-first approach. That means pressing for clear progress on major connections such as Robert Grant Avenue to Palladium Drive and the Stittsville Main Street extension, while advocating for more reliable bus service and safer pedestrian connections. New development must come with the roads, transit, drainage and community services it requires.
Name one specific thing you would work on in your first year in office.
In my first year, I will seek a plain-language public status report on Stittsville’s major road and infrastructure projects: what is funded, what approvals or property are still needed, what is delaying progress and what happens next.
Residents should not have to search through technical City documents or rely on personal contacts to understand what is happening in their own community. I will share regular updates and explain delays directly.
What is something the City gets wrong today that you would change?
Too often, public consultation happens after the important choices have largely been made. Residents deserve to be involved early enough for their experience and concerns to shape a project, not simply react to it.
I would push for consultation before, during and after major local decisions, with clear information in plain language. The City should then show residents how their input influenced the outcome — or explain honestly why it did not.
What should residents know about you that would not appear on a campaign flyer?
I came to Canada from the Democratic Republic of Congo when I was fourteen, and French is my first language. I know what it means to arrive in a new community and look for an open door.
That experience led me to found Leading Ladies Canada, a nonprofit that creates opportunities and brings people together. I also have a Master of Public Administration and a background in finance. Both have taught me that good intentions are not enough: priorities need a plan, a budget and public follow-through.
Anything else you would like voters to know?
When I say I want to bring a practical, respectful and independent voice to City Hall, I do not mean that I think one councillor has all the answers or can solve every issue alone. I mean being present, listening early, asking the hard questions, explaining decisions clearly and reporting back on what has been achieved.
I will work constructively with anyone who wants to move Stittsville forward. But my responsibility will always be to Ward 6 residents, and I will work to earn their trust through practical follow-through and accountability.
Who else is running in Stittsville
Stittsville is Ward 6: A suburban ward centred on Stittsville, plus a small slice of former Kanata around the Canadian Tire Centre, and the Blackstone subdivision. Open seat, the incumbent is not running again. 9 people are on the ballot here. Alongside Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful: Tanya Hein, Kevin Hua, Paul Meek, Sheetal Narwal, Devin Michael Fitzgerald O’Brien, Theresa Qadri, Mani Sharma and Chelsea Walton.
They have all had the same six questions. We publish each set of answers as it comes in.
When you can vote
Ottawa votes on Monday, October 26, 2026, with advance voting before then. The City's certified candidate list is the authority on who is on your ballot.
About this piece
These are Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful's own words, published as sent. We have not fact-checked the claims in them, and running them is not an endorsement. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.
Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful's ottown page: https://www.ottown.ca/elections/stittsville/marie-ange-yindaki-ahinful
