What's the biggest municipal election issue in Ward 3 – Barrhaven West?

Quick facts about the Barrhaven West ward

Incumbent: Jan Harder, who is not running for re-election

Candidates running: Taayo Simmonds, Jay Chadha, Sadaf Ebrahim and David Hill

Where is Ward 3?

SURVEY RESULTS

Do you reside within this ward?

Taayo Simmonds: Did not participate

Jay Chadha: Yes

Sadaf Ebrahim: Did not participate

David Hill: Yes

Why do you think you’re the best person to represent your ward?

Taayo Simmonds: Did not participate

Jay Chadha: “I have worked at OC Transpo for the last two decades. I am the only candidate running in Barrhaven West with experience at the city. I have the passion and knowledge to be your elected official. I will put your needs first and bring transparency and accountability back to council”

Sadaf Ebrahim: Did not participate

David Hill: “I want to use my 25 years of experience in the Canadian Armed Forces and as a volunteer in several community organizations to bring common-sense leadership and a dedication to hard work and collaboration to city hall”

What is the most important issue in your ward? Why?

Taayo Simmonds: Did not participate

Jay Chadha: “As I’m canvassing around Barrhaven West, one of the greatest concerns I hear is with public transit. We have one of the most expensive systems in Canada and we are not receiving adequate service. Routes don’t take people where they want to go and commute times by bus are three times longer than what it would take by car. We cannot expect people to use the system if it’s not fast, reliable and affordable. It can take over an hour to go from one side of Barrhaven to the other by bus, and upwards of an hour and 20 minutes from Barrhaven to Kanata. We are seeing many bus trips in Barrhaven cancelled per day, adding to even longer commute times and missed bus connections. The complete system and its routes are in need of an overhaul”

Sadaf Ebrahim: Did not participate

David Hill: “Barrhaven is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, let alone the City of Ottawa. Our community has ballooned to close to 100,000 residents in just a few decades. Unfortunately, the infrastructure to service our growing community has not kept pace. Barrhaven has only one highway access point, and the communities of Half Moon Bay and Stonebridge rely on an outdated and insufficient bridge on Greenbank Road to get elsewhere in the city. The city has plans to realign the bridge but has continued to kick the project down the road, with a target date past 2030. This project is integral to connecting our community, alleviating traffic and bringing commercial and economic opportunities to Ottawa’s south end. We cannot wait any longer! As city councillor, I will fight every day until shovels are in the ground”

What is the most important issue citywide?

Taayo Simmonds: Did not participate

Jay Chadha: “The cost of living is getting incredibly expensive. I think we all realize we are paying more — and for less. At the same time, the City of Ottawa is spending taxpayer dollars we don’t have on projects that we could hold off on. Our debt has tripled to $3.5 billion and interest costs have doubled to $240 million. I believe we must look at taxpayer dollars like we do our own. That means budgeting, planning, and prioritizing”

Sadaf Ebrahim: Did not participate

David Hill: “I believe that the core debate over the next term will be how we position our Ottawa economy post-COVID-19. This means we need to ensure that residents have access to good-paying jobs, and as such, we need to make Ottawa an attractive destination for businesses. City council has a duty to be a partner to business, not a roadblock. The city must directly incentivize growth, simplify tax policies and champion support for small businesses. Our local economy cannot just be the federal public service”

1. How to vote in the 2022 Municipal Election

2. Here are the candidates for the 2022 Ottawa municipal election

This article is available for free — outside of our paywall — because we believe this is a matter of crucial public interest. If you’d like to support us as we continue to provide journalism that matters for all Ottawans, please subscribe: https://ottawacitizen.com/subscribe/