5 Questions with Somerset Councillor Ariel Troster Seeking Re-Election

The following are 5 questions that we sent out to every Ottawa City Council candidate in hopes of getting to know them better. We publish the responses exactly as we receive them, in the order that they were sent to us. Here are the responses from Ariel Troster, the incumbent councillor for Somerset (Ward 14).

1. Who are you? Where are you from? What relevant experience do you have for the job?

My name is Ariel Troster and I have been the city councillor for Somerset Ward since 2022. Over the last four years I have been one of the leading voices on Ottawa City Council fighting for more affordable housing, solutions to chronic homelessness, safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and visible public safety initiatives. Some of my major accomplishments include advocating for and winning a bylaw to tackle unjust renovictions, bringing the ANCHOR program to Centretown and Chinatown, extending the CORE hotspot policing program into Somerset Ward, getting a new Gladstone/Gilmour bike lane approved, and launching the Street Seats pop-up patio program on Cambridge and in three locations off of Bank Street. Before running for office, I was a communications and policy advisor in the non-profit sector and my most recent job was at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

2. The city spends nearly $1B/y on OC Transpo, though many constituents remain dissatisfied with the state of Ottawa’s public transportation. What would you do as a councillor to improve the city’s transportation system?

The city needs to focus on the reliability and frequency of public transit. I voted against cuts to OC Transpo during my four years on Council and supported a motion (that unfortunately failed) to restore the five-minute frequency during off-peak hours on the LRT. I am currently working with city staff on infrastructure changes (including bus bays) to improve the frequency of the number 11 bus on Somerset. I also voted in favour of the Bank Street bus lane pilot and had a motion passed to consider a similar project on Bank Street in Centretown. If re-elected, I will continue to be a strong advocate for public transit in downtown Ottawa.

3. In a December 2025 poll from Abacus Data, 37% of respondents said that cost of living was the most important issue facing the city; another 19% responded ‘housing affordability.’ What would you do as a councillor to make the city of Ottawa more affordable?

As I mentioned above, I have been a very strong advocate on housing and homelessness issues since I was elected in 2022. If re-elected, I would :

Develop a housing acquisition fund to save affordable rentals
Advocate for stronger enforcement of bylaws against bad landlords who let their properties fall into disrepair
Fight for a Rent Bank to help prevent people from falling into homelessness
Continue pushing for deeper investments in high-needs supportive housing

4. Certain city services like OC Transpo and the OPS have run significant deficits in recent years. Is there anything that you would do as a councillor to try to balance the city’s budget?

I have consistently voted against the Mayor’s budget direction, because I do not believe it is a transparent or realistic exercise to set an arbitrary tax rate in advance without first assessing the city’s needs and asking city staff what resources they would need to provide an adequate level of service and maintain core infrastructure. I am supportive of finding efficiencies, but we have been underfunding core infrastructure for decades and I believe that our city’s budget need to be more realistic, so there are no giant deficit surprises at the end of every year.

5. Why are you running for Council? What do you think is the biggest issue facing your ward today?

The number one issue that I hear about is the disastrous impact that unsheltered homelessness and untreated addiction and mental health issues are having on the quality of life in our downtown communities. I will continue to fight for real, sustainable solutions to solve this crisis, including advocating to other levels of government, as this is not something that the city can solve on its own.

I am running for re-election, so I can continue elevating the voices in our community that are calling for a more affordable, safe, dynamic and compassionate Somerset Ward. I have been an effective and accessible city councillor and want to continue supporting our amazing community.