5 Questions with Stittsville Council candidate Theresa Qadri

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 Stittsville (Ward 6) Council candidate Theresa Qadri.

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

Hi, my name is Theresa Qadri. I’m a long term Ottawa resident, the last 20 in Stittsville where I have a proudly served the community in multiple leading and supporting roles such as Stittsville Village Association Board Member, President of service organizations such as Rotary and Lions clubs, etc. I received numerous awards and recognition for community leadership including the Governor General award for volunteerism. Currently while I run for Councillor I’m on leave from my volunteer 15 year role as Chair of the Stittsville Food Bank. The role requires ongoing networking with suppliers, donors across Stittsville and Ottawa, liaison with publicly funded support services, recruitment and training of hundreds of volunteers of all ages over the years and financial management and operational logistics leadership. I’m also a former manager and trainer of one of Canadas largest publicly traded corporations, and very proudly a business owner of multiple Canadian retail franchises. In sum, these experiences have taught me the value of collaboration, negotiation, focus and commitment to deliver results of all types for Stittsville residents.

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?

There are three things I will do as Ward 6 Councillor:

a) OC Transpo’s new executive Rick Leary has a plan that places customers at the centre of planned action and performance measures. As councillor I support this customer central planning long overdue! I will closely monitor results against the new performance indicators ensuring transparent accountability.

b) When I met with OC Transpo at their public information session for Kanata-Stittsville it was clear that there was no info available yet on service reliability for Ward 6 yet there was for all of Ottawa: I will pursue Ward 6 facts on service reliabiiity, placement of bus stops and bus shelters across Stittsville to prioritize – with evidence – where Stittsville service needs to specifically improve. This will be transparent and publicly posted on my social media channels immediately on assuming office.

c) Kanata north has received numerous service routes in September 2026 however,

Stittsville is very often the bedroom community where people who work in Kanata north live: connections and service improvements between Kanata north and Stittsville MUST be a priority as well as connections to Gatineau and Central Ottawa for Stittsville residents at work or in school. I note that the outgoing Ward 6 councillor has served as the City Transit committee Chair yet his own constituents have not received any significant service improvements in 8 years: this means I will have clean up to do to make it easier and safer for residents to get in, out and around, right away!

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?

Building affordable housing in Ottawa takes too long despite the amount of federal, provincial and municipal support. Affordable housing has been defined by CMHC as 30% or less of household income: we know that 42% of Ottawa renters pay well above this. (Source: Engage Ottawa). As a leader in a key the Stittsville food bank I see firsthand how that pressure translates as food need! In Stittsville for example, our average household income is $150k, 66% of people have post secondary education yet our local food bank gives out food to more than 25,000 annually. People are making choices between paying rent and buying/getting food. My knowledge of affordability means I will get involved in the City’s housing file and work with like-minded councillors to introduce a motion to expand the “Housing” strategy to an “Affordability Strategy”. I want to help lead a whole family support view with shelter and wrap around services included.

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’ve provided my answer indicating tentative support to OC transpo leadership pending results, performance, issue resolution and, transparency. I know that ridership is the biggest risk any public transit system faces, and that public transit in never a money making endeavour anywhere in North America. The deficits for OC Transpo will continue but I want to make sure every effort to improve service while containing costs happens. Electrifying the fleet will help and longer term. It’s going to be fiscally painful for a while in LRT. I will ask staff to take a close look at existing contracts to ensure that any further “unexpected” LRT costs are clearly understood, communicated publicly and addressed wherever possible within existing contracting provisions. Slow the hemorrhage!

With respect to policing, we are at an inflection point that holds both risk and opportunities most closely understood by the Police Services Board. I will support OPS fiscal priorities and any modest budget increases as long as it supports innovative community-based policing and includes an array of near-police supports, skills and resources to continue to strengthen mental health resources available to responders, stronger deescalation skills and training and community volunteerism at community levels.

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

I care about the people of Stittsville. If residents have an issue, I want to help address it, find solutions, and get them the answers they need. Listening to the community and serving its residents is my priority. I’m running because my community deserves stronger, resident-focused representation at City council! I am committed to better, safer transportation in, out and around Stittsville; to complete and connected communities; to a vibrant beautiful Msin Street; to affordability in Stittsville and Ottawa. My vision for our next steps will help us catch up on forgotten areas of Stittsville, strengthen our sense of community while we grow. Safety is the biggest issue in Stittsville. To me a safe Stittsville is where any resident feels included, respected and safe using any means of transport to accessibly and affordably work, study or play in a growing, vibrant and picturesque community.