Ottawa's Stittsville community turned out in force on Thursday, September 17, as all nine candidates running for Ward 6 city councillor took the stage for an all-candidates debate hosted by the Stittsville Village Association (SVA).
A packed house at Stittsville United Church
The debate ran from 7:00 to 9:15 p.m. at Stittsville United Church, 6255 Fernbank Road, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. In-person registration was capped at 200 participants and filled up ahead of the event, so the SVA also offered a Zoom link for residents who wanted to watch remotely or catch a recording afterward.
SVA President Deanna Paolucci moderated the evening, keeping candidates to a structured format: opening statements ran from 7:00 to 7:15 p.m., followed by a lengthy question-and-answer session from 7:16 to 8:45 p.m., and closing statements from 8:46 to 9:00 p.m.
How the questions were chosen
Rather than leaving the floor entirely open, the SVA built in two reserved questions posed by its own members at the start of the Q&A, with the remaining questions from the public selected by random draw. That format gave both the association's priorities and everyday residents' concerns a guaranteed spot in the conversation, while keeping the discussion from being dominated by any one interest group.
Who's running
Nine candidates are vying to represent Ward 6 - Stittsville on Ottawa city council: Chelsea Walton, Mani Sharma, Sheetal Narwal, Tanya Hein, Theresa Qadri, Kevin Hua, Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful, Paul Meek, and Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien.
The crowded field is a direct result of outgoing councillor Glen Gower's decision not to seek re-election.
What it means for Stittsville voters
With no incumbent on the ballot, Thursday's debate was likely many Stittsville residents' first real chance to compare all nine candidates side by side in one room. The full house and the need for an overflow Zoom option suggest strong local interest in who takes over from Gower at city hall.
For residents who couldn't attend or watch live, the SVA's recording remains available through the Zoom access it provided, giving voters more time to weigh the candidates' answers before heading to the polls.
What's next
Voting day for the 2026 Ottawa Municipal Election is Monday, October 26.
Sources: Stittsville Central
