---
title: "Two candidates for OCDSB Zone 4 trustee disagree on how to handle board's financial problems"
description: "Emily Quaile and Benoit Massé are running for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in the zone covering Kitchissippi and Bay wards, with the board still under a provincial supervisor appointed in June 2025."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ocdsb-zone4-kitchissippi-bay-trustees-2026-10-19"
last_updated: "2026-10-19T17:53:43.422Z"
---

Two candidates running for Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee in Zone 4 told the Kitchissippi Times they are stepping into a job that looks different from what it was four years ago. The board has been under a provincial supervisor since June 2025.

Education Minister Paul Calandra removed the board's elected trustees from their decision-making authority that month and appointed Robert Plamondon as supervisor, the Kitchissippi Times reported. The reason: a financial investigation found the OCDSB had reported in-year deficits every year since 2021-22 and exhausted its reserves. The board's accumulated deficit stood at $5.9 million at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Emily Quaile and Benoit Massé are running for the Zone 4 seat, which covers Kitchissippi and Bay wards. Quaile described the race to the Kitchissippi Times as applying for two different jobs: one while the supervisor remains and another if local governance is restored. She said she decided to run partly because of that uncertainty, and said one of her top priorities is pushing for an end to provincial supervision.

Quaile, who has a background in political economy and more than 20 years working in the service industry, told the outlet she has heard from parents struggling to get proper support for students with individual education plans. She argued that the board's problems are rooted in provincial underfunding, a problem she said needs to be named clearly rather than worked around.

Massé came to the race from his experience on a school council, which he told the Kitchissippi Times helped him understand the issues affecting students. His priorities are restoring financial sustainability, student safety, addressing bullying and harassment, and improving communication between trustees, parents, and educators. He said the next group of trustees must stay closely focused on the budget to prevent the board from sliding back into its earlier financial position.

The board's finances have improved. The OCDSB's 2026-27 budget projects a $3.5-million operating deficit after the identification of $15 million in savings, the Kitchissippi Times reported.

Ottawa school trustee elections take place on October 26, 2026, the same day as the mayor and city council votes. Kitchissippi and Bay ward voters can read about [Emily Quaile](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/emily-quaile) and [Benoit Massé](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/benoit-masse) on voche.me.

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