--- title: "Sam Bhalesar: candidate for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, Ottawa 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/sam-bhalesar" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:05:41.221Z" meta: description: "Sam Bhalesar is on the City of Ottawa’s list of certified candidates for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, with a nomination dated August 10, 2026. CBC N..." "og:description": "Sam Bhalesar is on the City of Ottawa’s list of certified candidates for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, with a nomination dated August 10, 2026. CBC N..." "og:title": "Sam Bhalesar: candidate for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, Ottawa 2026" "twitter:description": "Sam Bhalesar is on the City of Ottawa’s list of certified candidates for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, with a nomination dated August 10, 2026. CBC N..." "twitter:title": "Sam Bhalesar: candidate for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, Ottawa 2026" --- ** Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South · Ottawa 2026 # Sam Bhalesar Candidate for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, federal public servant and 2022 provincial election candidate. Sam Bhalesar is on the City of Ottawa’s list of certified candidates for Councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, with a nomination dated August 10, 2026. CBC News described her in 2022 as the Liberal candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean in the Ontario election, and in 2026 as a former party secretary for the Liberal Party of Canada and an adviser with the federal government. In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she lists a 2022 provincial candidacy, two terms as National Party secretary, and board roles with hospitals, a housing foundation and youth hockey groups. Her campaign says it is about listening, bringing people together and finding solutions. In the CBC News questionnaire she gives 0 percent as the highest 2027 tax increase she would support and says the police budget should be increased. She is running against the sitting Councillor, Allan Hubley, and against Erin Coffin and Megan Strazds-Esenbergs. Explore priorities Campaign links Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page Candidate space2026 ![Sam Bhalesar, from Sam Bhalesar campaign (sambhalesar.ca).](https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/images/candidates/sam-bhalesar-640.webp) *Sam BhalesarCouncillorv.* [Image: Sam Bhalesar campaign (sambhalesar.ca)](https://sambhalesar.ca/) 01 / Introduction ## About Sam Bhalesar The City’s list of certified candidates shows Sam Bhalesar’s nomination for Ward 23 Kanata South dated August 10, 2026, and her registration in the City’s Contribution Rebate Program dated August 20, 2026. The City’s list gives a website and no social media account. CBC News wrote on May 7, 2022 that Sam Bhalesar was the Liberal candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean in the Ontario election, and that she then worked as a senior adviser on projects related to Canadian energy projects, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the G7 and G20. CBC News writes in 2026 that she is a former party secretary for the Liberal Party of Canada and an adviser with the federal government. In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she lists as political experience a 2022 provincial candidacy, two terms as National Party secretary, vice president and acting president of the National Women’s Commission, and Eastern co-chair to Bonnie Crombie, whom she calls the provincial leader, and she gives 38 years of experience. She lists professional experience as senior policy analyst, senior communications adviser, Indigenous reconciliation, negotiations, budget analysis and stakeholder engagement. She names board service with the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, the Kanata Minor Hockey Association and Hockey Helps the Homeless, and says she founded the Canadian South Asian Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She says she has lived in Ottawa for 23 years, and in the CBC News questionnaire she gives 10 years in the ward. voche.me did not check these statements with the bodies named. Her campaign site says she has spent more than 18 years in public service, much of it with the Government of Canada, and that she identified more than $1 million in savings and avoided costs there. It says she founded Harmony Home Care and the Ottawa Heat Hockey Club, and that the club has more than 190 players, 55 coaches and 11 managers. These are her campaign’s statements. The Canada Gazette of August 22, 2026 carries a notice, dated July 30, 2026, that the Public Service Commission gave permission to Saminder Bhalesar of Public Services and Procurement Canada to be a candidate for Councillor, Ward 23 Kanata South. The City lists the candidate as Sam Bhalesar, so voche.me notes that the Gazette gives the longer first name. Her campaign site posts short video updates. On September 13, 2026 she said she had a parking lot at Walter Baker Park fixed and wants it paved with asphalt later, and on September 21 she said she worked with City officials to increase by-law support in one neighbourhood while a longer-term solution is explored after the election. These are her own statements, and voche.me did not check them with the City. Her home page also shows a poster, Ward 23: The Voting Record, that lists six votes by Allan Hubley and her own approach to each. The poster is her campaign’s material about another candidate. voche.me checked two of its items in the Council minutes it read, the 2026 police budget and the Rental Renovation Licence By-law, and the minutes record the same votes as the poster. The poster says he voted no to the 2026 property tax increase on December 10, 2025, and the minutes voche.me read for that day list him against five motions, none of them on a tax rate, and for the motion that adopted the 2026 budgets. In the CBC News questionnaire she says she would support a maximum tax increase of 0 percent in 2027 after a thorough review of City spending, says major projects such as Lansdowne should be paused while the City focuses on roads, transit, infrastructure and safety, chooses a transit levy (an extra charge to pay for transit) to cover OC Transpo deficits, and says the police budget should be increased, with schools and police working together on prevention. She names the expansion of Hope Side Road and Terry Fox Drive as an example of road work that must be carried out. The sources read hold no complaint against her. Read the sources 02 / The issues ## Priorities & positions Campaign-source summary Summarized from the campaign’s published profile. These are stated positions, not an assessment of results or a complete platform. 01 ### Transit and traffic Her poster lists better, more reliable transit and less congestion as her first priority and says she would support transit fare freezes and better service.
Read the full position In the CBC News questionnaire she says reliability must come first, that suburban service in places like Kanata needs practical options, and that she would study what works before making major changes. She chooses a transit levy (an extra charge to pay for transit) to cover OC Transpo deficits. She says the expansion of Hope Side Road and Terry Fox Drive must be carried out to reduce congestion.
[Sam Bhalesar campaign · Ward 23: The Voting Record (poster image) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/assets/ward-23-voting-record-poster-2026-09-10.jpg) 02 ### Taxes and careful spending In the CBC News questionnaire she gives 0 percent as the highest property tax increase she would support in 2027 and says City spending needs a thorough review first.
Read the full position She says major projects such as Lansdowne should be paused while the City focuses on roads, transit, infrastructure and safety. Her poster says she would vote no to all property tax increases until it is clear where the money is spent and efficiencies have been found.
[CBC News · Candidate questionnaire: Sam Bhalesar, Ward 23 Kanata South ](https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/28713135/sam-bhalesar-ward-23-kanata-south.pdf) 03 ### Housing and renters Her poster lists more affordable homes and stronger renter protections as a priority.
Read the full position Her poster says she would support stronger renter protections, more affordable housing and safe, quality homes.
[Sam Bhalesar campaign · Ward 23: The Voting Record (poster image) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/assets/ward-23-voting-record-poster-2026-09-10.jpg) 04 ### Safety and police funding In the CBC News questionnaire she says the police budget should be increased so officers can keep communities and children safe, including through work with schools on prevention and awareness about human trafficking.
Read the full position She says health and community services should handle mental health issues, with police involved when there is a safety or criminal concern.
[CBC News · Candidate questionnaire: Sam Bhalesar, Ward 23 Kanata South ](https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/28713135/sam-bhalesar-ward-23-kanata-south.pdf) 05 ### Youth sports and recreation Her poster lists more facilities, more youth programs and healthy, active kids as a priority.
Read the full position In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she describes herself as a sports mom and the founder of a youth sports organization and names access to recreation and youth programs among the ward’s biggest issues.
[Sam Bhalesar campaign · Ward 23: The Voting Record (poster image) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/assets/ward-23-voting-record-poster-2026-09-10.jpg) 06 ### Environment Her poster lists cleaner neighbourhoods, greener solutions and a sustainable future as a priority.
Read the full position In the CBC News questionnaire she answers yes to prioritizing investments that make infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather, while looking carefully at costs.
[Sam Bhalesar campaign · Ward 23: The Voting Record (poster image) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/assets/ward-23-voting-record-poster-2026-09-10.jpg) Research status ## What voche.me has checked Evidence reviewed on October 7, 2026: the City’s list of certified candidates for Ward 23 (an Internet Archive copy) and its open data file of nominations, her campaign website (home, About Sam, Updates, two update posts and the voting record poster), CBC News of August 25, 2026 with its questionnaire, CBC News of May 7, 2022, CTV News Ottawa of September 2026, the Council minutes of December 10, 2025 and July 15, 2026 for the votes the poster describes, and the Canada Gazette notice of August 22, 2026. Gaps. No social media account was found. Her statements about her years in public service, the savings she identified, the companies and clubs she founded, her board roles and her party roles were not checked with the bodies named. The Gazette notice gives the name Saminder Bhalesar, and the City lists Sam Bhalesar. voche.me matched them on the surname, the ward and the election, and did not confirm that Sam is the short form of that name. CBC News calls her a former party secretary for the Liberal Party of Canada, and she lists National Party secretary in her own answer. voche.me did not check which party or office she means. Three of the poster’s six items, the two fare freeze votes and the 2014 climate plan vote, were not checked. The voche.me questionnaire has not been sent. 03 / Background ## Experience & community 2022 ### Candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean, Ontario election CBC News wrote on May 7, 2022 that Sam Bhalesar was the Liberal candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean. In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she lists a 2022 provincial candidacy. voche.me did not read the election result. [CBC News · Ontario Votes 2022: Ottawa West-Nepean, May 7, 2022 (updated June 2, 2022)](https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.6440313) Two terms, as she describes it ### National Party secretary CBC News writes that she is a former party secretary for the Liberal Party of Canada. In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she lists two terms as National Party secretary and other party roles. voche.me has not checked these roles with the party. [CTV News Ottawa · Meet the candidates for councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, September 2026](https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/meet-the-candidates-for-councillor-in-ward-23-kanata-south/) More than 18 years, as her campaign says ### Public service, Government of Canada Her campaign site says she has more than 18 years in public service, much of it with the Government of Canada. The Canada Gazette of August 22, 2026 records permission for a Saminder Bhalesar of Public Services and Procurement Canada to be a candidate for Councillor in Ward 23. voche.me has not checked her years of service with the government. [Sam Bhalesar campaign · About Sam](https://sambhalesar.ca/about/) As she describes it ### Founder, Canadian South Asian Women’s Chamber of Commerce Her campaign site and the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire both say she founded the Canadian South Asian Women’s Chamber of Commerce. voche.me has not checked this with the organization. [Sam Bhalesar campaign · About Sam](https://sambhalesar.ca/about/) As she describes it ### Board and volunteer roles in health care, housing and youth hockey In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire she names board service with the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, the Kanata Minor Hockey Association and Hockey Helps the Homeless. voche.me has not checked these roles with the organizations named. [CTV News Ottawa · Meet the candidates for councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, September 2026](https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/meet-the-candidates-for-councillor-in-ward-23-kanata-south/) 04 / Questions & answers ## Questions for the candidate Proposed questions for a future interview. They have not been sent to the candidate, and no answers have been supplied. No questions and answers have been supplied. ### Have your own question? Ask Sam Bhalesar directly. We send it to the campaign, and publish the reply here if we get one. 05 / About this page ## Questions about this page Facts voche.me can state about Sam Bhalesar's page itself, answered directly rather than left blank.
Is this an official page for Sam Bhalesar? No. This page is researched by voche.me from public sources, listed below, and is separate from Sam Bhalesar's own campaign.
Does Sam Bhalesar currently hold public office? Not according to this profile. voche.me has not listed a current public office for Sam Bhalesar.
How many sources does this Sam Bhalesar profile cite? This profile lists 14 sourced references, each with the date voche.me checked it, in the Sources section below.
Why do some questions on Sam Bhalesar's page show no answer? The "Questions & answers" section on this page lists questions voche.me would put to Sam Bhalesar in a future interview. They have not been sent yet, so the page says plainly that no answer has been supplied instead of leaving the section blank.
When is the election Sam Bhalesar is running in? The 2026 Ottawa municipal election, including the Councillor race, is decided on October 26, 2026.
06 / Candidate contributions ## Space for campaign updates ### No campaign updates yet Announcements, event details and messages can be added here, with their source and publication date. No campaign submission has been added. ## Sources & transparency - [City of Ottawa · certified candidates, Councillor ](https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/elections/candidates/certified-and-acclaimed-candidates)Checked October 7, 2026 - [City of Ottawa · certified candidates, Ward 23 Kanata South (list last updated September 22, 2026; Internet Archive copy) ](https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/elections/candidates/certified-and-acclaimed-candidates/certified-and-acclaimed-candidates-city-councillor/certified-candidates-ward-23-kanata-south)Checked October 7, 2026 - [City of Ottawa open data · 2026 Municipal Elections, nominated candidates ](https://open.ottawa.ca/datasets/5b79177ae7524c9fa68f79e852527604)Checked October 7, 2026 - [CBC News · Kanata South: Here’s who’s running to be your Ottawa city councillor, August 25, 2026 (updated October 1) ](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/kanata-south-ward-election-city-ottawa-2026-9.7314364)Checked October 7, 2026 - [CTV News Ottawa · Meet the candidates for councillor in Ward 23 Kanata South, September 2026 ](https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/meet-the-candidates-for-councillor-in-ward-23-kanata-south/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [CBC News · Candidate questionnaire: Sam Bhalesar, Ward 23 Kanata South ](https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/28713135/sam-bhalesar-ward-23-kanata-south.pdf)Checked October 7, 2026 - [CBC News · Ontario Votes 2022: Ottawa West-Nepean, May 7, 2022 (updated June 2, 2022) ](https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.6440313)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · Sam Bhalesar, Ward 23 Kanata South (home page) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · About Sam ](https://sambhalesar.ca/about/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · Updates ](https://sambhalesar.ca/updates/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · Listening to Residents and Taking Action, September 21, 2026 ](https://sambhalesar.ca/updates/listening-to-residents-and-taking-action/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · Walter Baker Park Parking Lot Update, September 13, 2026 ](https://sambhalesar.ca/updates/walter-baker-park-parking-lot/)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Sam Bhalesar campaign · Ward 23: The Voting Record (poster image) ](https://sambhalesar.ca/assets/ward-23-voting-record-poster-2026-09-10.jpg)Checked October 7, 2026 - [Canada Gazette, Part I · Public Service Commission, Permission granted (Bhalesar, Saminder), issue of August 22, 2026 ](https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2026/2026-08-22/html/commis-eng.html)Checked October 7, 2026 Missing information does not imply a candidate’s position. [Read our editorial standards.](https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/about) Campaign contact ## Campaign links & contact. Find the candidate’s website, social accounts and contact information. [Sam Bhalesar campaign website](https://sambhalesar.ca/) ## View more candidates. [All candidate spaces ](https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/candidates) [Councillor**Ahmed Alsabaawi**](https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/ahmed-alsabaawi) [Councillor**Ahmed Rashid**](https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/ahmed-rashid) Candidate Q&A ## Ask Sam Bhalesar a question. Give your name, email and question. We send it to the campaign, and publish their answer here if we get one. ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/on/ottawa-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.