---
title: "Kitchissippi Ward candidates split on paid parking, transit reliability"
description: "Three of four candidates running for the open Ward 15 seat spoke to the Kitchissippi Times about paid parking on Richmond Road and Wellington Street, ghost buses, and how to handle intensification."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/kitchissippi-ward15-issues-2026-10-19"
last_updated: "2026-10-19T17:53:43.544Z"
---

Four candidates running for the open Ward 15 Kitchissippi seat told the Kitchissippi Times on October 19 that they disagree on paid parking but all want more reliable transit before the ward keeps growing.

Jeff Leiper, who has represented Kitchissippi for more than a decade, is leaving to run for mayor. The Kitchissippi Times reported this means the ward will have a new councillor for the first time in more than a decade. Four candidates are running: former municipal affairs journalist Joanne Chianello, former Hintonburg Community Association president Brian Innes, entrepreneur Subhir Uppal, and Xavier Commerford. A fifth candidate, Michelle Groulx, withdrew before the nomination deadline.

Paid parking on Richmond Road and Wellington Street West drew the sharpest disagreement. Subhir Uppal told the outlet the program was carried out without proper consultation with businesses, employees, and residents, and he wants it stopped while alternatives are reviewed. He left the door open to paid parking returning once the western LRT extension is operating. Joanne Chianello said paid parking will not go away but wants uniform hours along the same commercial corridors and 15 minutes of free parking for quick stops at businesses. Brian Innes called for a full review of the program.

On transit, the candidates focused more on reliability than fares. Innes told the Kitchissippi Times his priority would be addressing ghost buses, trips that appear on the schedule but never arrive. He proposed posting weekly data on cancelled or missing trips and using real-time ridership information to direct service where it is most needed.

Chianello said residents who want to use transit cannot build their daily schedules around connections they cannot trust. A resident told her she bought a car because an unreliable connection made her late picking up her daughter. "If transit doesn't work, we have a big intensification plan; we need transit," Chianello said.

Ward 15 voters can review all four candidates, including [Joanne Chianello](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/joanne-chianello), [Subhir Uppal](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/subhir-uppal), [Brian Innes](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/brian-innes), and [Xavier Commerford](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/xavier-commerford), at [/on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-15-kitchissippi](/on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-15-kitchissippi). Ottawa votes on October 26, 2026.

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