---
title: "Ten OCDSB trustee candidates call for stricter lead limits in school water"
description: "Candidates running for seats on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board have co-signed a statement asking Ontario to adopt a federal guideline on lead in drinking water."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ocdsb-water-safety-candidates-2026-10-26"
last_updated: "2026-10-26T23:49:08.226Z"
---

Ten candidates running for seats on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board co-signed a statement on October 25, 2026 calling on Ontario to adopt a stricter federal standard for lead in drinking water at schools, the Ottawa Citizen reported.

The Ottawa Citizen, in an article by Abyssinia Abebe, reported that the group is asking Ontario to adopt Health Canada's guideline on lead in tap water, which they say would make drinking water in OCDSB schools safer for students and staff. The outlet reported that parents and trustee candidates have raised concerns about the amount of lead in tap water in various OCDSB schools.

The OCDSB is the largest English-language public school board in Ottawa, with trustees elected from 12 zones across the city. Trustee seats are on the ballot today alongside mayoral, city councillor, and other school board races. The candidates who signed the statement come from Zones 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, representing nine of the board's 12 zones. Zone 9 is the only zone with two signatories on the statement.

The Ottawa Citizen reported their names: [John MacRae](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/john-macrae) (Zone 1), [Daniel Pershick](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/daniel-pershick) (Zone 3), [Emily Quaile](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/emily-quaile) (Zone 4), [Natasha Lynn Mott](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/natasha-lynn-mott) (Zone 5), [Chris Durrant](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/chris-durrant) (Zone 6), [Hilary Clauson](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/hilary-clauson) and [Scott Dutrisac](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/scott-dutrisac) (Zone 9), [Keelin Pringnitz](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/keelin-pringnitz) (Zone 10), [Brendan Ray](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/brendan-ray) (Zone 11), and [Cathy Varrette](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/cathy-varrette) (Zone 12). Zone 9 has two signatories.

The statement was co-signed on October 25, 2026, the day before the municipal election. The Ottawa Citizen reported that the article was written by Abyssinia Abebe, a breaking news and general assignment reporter. The full article is behind a subscription paywall; the candidate names and the subject of the statement were available in the article's public metadata.

Today is election day. Ottawa voters choose OCDSB trustees, along with a mayor, 24 city councillors, and trustees for three other school boards. Polls are open until 8 p.m. Find candidates for your OCDSB zone at [/on/ottawa-2026/candidates](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates).

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