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.
Zahy Adam is running for councillor in Barrhaven East Ward. Here are the answers, exactly as they arrived.
Why are you running?
I am running because Barrhaven East deserves practical, hands-on representation from someone who understands the everyday realities of working families. As a medical sterilization technician in local hospitals and an engineer with 35 years of experience, I see how municipal decisions impact real lives—from local services to family budgets. I want to bring accountability, professional oversight, and a true working-class voice to City Hall.
What is the single biggest issue facing the people you want to represent, and what would you do about it?
Rapid population growth without the necessary municipal infrastructure to support it. Growth cannot just mean higher housing density; it must be matched with adequate roads, traffic management, public transit, and community services. I will advocate to ensure Ward 24 receives its fair share of municipal capital investment, using smart, evidence-based planning so our community thrives without overburdening local taxpayers.
Name one specific thing you would work on in your first year in office.
I will work to fix public transit reliability and champion an innovative $1-a-day transit pass. Providing affordable, dependable, and unlimited daily transit across Ottawa will ease the financial strain on working families, reduce traffic congestion on suburban roads, and encourage higher ridership across our transit network.
What is something the City gets wrong today that you would change?
The City too often treats property tax hikes on hardworking residents as the default solution for budget deficits and project cost overruns. I would change this by bringing strict project management oversight to municipal spending, stopping cost overruns on major infrastructure projects before they happen, and pursuing commercial investments to expand the tax base rather than squeezing household budgets.
What should residents know about you that would not appear on a campaign flyer?
Behind my professional engineering background and frontline hospital work, I am someone who fundamentally believes in Quiet, Steadfast Service. Whether meticulously sterilizing surgical equipment to keep hospital patients safe or listening to a neighbor’s traffic concerns, I approach every responsibility with deep care, humility, and an uncompromising commitment to detail.
Anything else you would like voters to know?
I am not a career politician—I am one of you. What concerns working families, seniors, and youth in Ottawa directly concerns me. On October 26th, I ask for your vote so we can build a more affordable, reliable, and well-planned community together in Barrhaven East.
Who else is running in Barrhaven East
Barrhaven East is Ward 24: The eastern half of Barrhaven, population roughly 50,700, centred on Strandherd Drive and Woodroffe Avenue. 5 people are on the ballot here. Alongside Zahy Adam: Wilson Lo (incumbent), Yoosaf Melparamba, Zahy A Adam, Jules Ruhinda and Ahmed Alsabaawi.
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 Zahy Adam'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.
Zahy Adam's ottown page: https://www.ottown.ca/elections/barrhaven-east/zahy-a-adam
