Transit tops Ottawa voter priorities in new Nanos poll
A Nanos Research survey of 762 Ottawa residents, conducted Oct. 4-8, found 55 per cent ranked transit as the city service most in need of improvement ahead of the Oct. 26 election.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on ctvnews.ca.
Transit is the top city service that Ottawa voters say needs the most improvement ahead of the Oct. 26 municipal election, according to a Nanos Research poll conducted for CTV News Ottawa.
Nanos Research surveyed 762 randomly selected Ottawa residents between Oct. 4 and Oct. 8. When asked to rank the top two city services most in need of improvement, 55 per cent chose transit. Roads and sidewalks ranked second at 27 per cent, followed by snow clearing at 5 per cent and waste collection at 3 per cent.
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
"Majority of Ottawa residents cite transit as the top priority for improvement. Top solutions include better LRT service and more reliable buses," Nanos Research Chief Data Scientist Nik Nanos told CTV News Ottawa.
Transit concern is highest downtown
The poll breaks down responses by area of Ottawa. Transit was ranked as the top service needing improvement by 63 per cent of downtown respondents, 60 per cent of west Ottawa respondents, 52 per cent of east Ottawa respondents, and 47 per cent of rural Ottawa respondents.
What voters want done
The poll also asked residents to name the top two things the City and OC Transpo should focus on to improve transportation. Thirty-four per cent said better light-rail service. Thirty-three per cent said more reliable buses. Twenty-one per cent ranked better roads as the main transportation focus, while 8 per cent said safer walking and cycling routes.
CTV News Ottawa reports that OC Transpo was forced to reduce O-Train Line 1 service earlier in 2026 after a problem was found with the wheel-bearing parts on the light-rail vehicles, and that hundreds of bus trips were cancelled in winter and spring due to a bus shortage and an aging fleet. The City expected 65,000 additional trips per week into downtown Ottawa this fall as federal workers returned to the office and students came back to school.
What this means for Oct. 26
Voters choosing between the 14 candidates for mayor of Ottawa can compare their positions on transit before casting a ballot. Candidate profiles, including each candidate's stated platform and source links, are at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates#mayor. Advance voting day is Friday, Oct. 16, with voting places open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The main election day is Monday, Oct. 26.
Questions this story answers
What did the Nanos poll find about Ottawa voter priorities?
Nanos Research surveyed 762 randomly selected Ottawa residents between Oct. 4 and Oct. 8 for CTV News Ottawa. Respondents were asked to rank the top two city services most in need of improvement. Fifty-five per cent ranked transit as the top service needing improvement, ahead of roads and sidewalks at 27 per cent and snow clearing at 5 per cent. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
How does transit concern vary across different parts of Ottawa?
The Nanos Research poll found transit concern was highest in downtown Ottawa at 63 per cent. In west Ottawa, 60 per cent of respondents ranked transit as the service most in need of improvement. In east Ottawa the figure was 52 per cent, while in rural Ottawa it was 47 per cent. All four areas still ranked transit first ahead of other city services.
What transit improvements do Ottawa voters want most?
The Nanos poll asked respondents to rank the top two items that should be the focus to improve transportation in Ottawa. Thirty-four per cent said better light-rail transit service should be the priority. Thirty-three per cent said more reliable buses. Twenty-one per cent ranked better roads as the main focus for improving transportation, and 8 per cent said safer walking and cycling routes should be the focus.
Why has transit become such a big issue for Ottawa voters?
According to CTV News Ottawa, OC Transpo was forced to reduce service on O-Train Line 1 in 2026 after a problem was found with the wheel-bearing parts on the light-rail vehicles. Hundreds of bus trips were also cancelled in winter and spring due to a shortage of buses and an aging fleet. At the same time, the City expected 65,000 additional trips into downtown Ottawa each week this fall, as federal workers returned to the office at least four days a week and post-secondary students came back to school.
What other city services did Ottawa voters say need improvement?
After transit at 55 per cent, the Nanos poll found 27 per cent of respondents ranked roads and sidewalks as the city service most in need of improvement. Five per cent ranked snow clearing, and 3 per cent ranked waste collection. Parks and recreation were ranked by 2 per cent. Some neighbourhood-specific priorities also appeared: 5 per cent in Ottawa's west end ranked infrastructure as needing improvement, and 5 per cent in downtown Ottawa said services for people who are homeless need improvement.
Who conducted this poll and how was it done?
Nanos Research conducted the survey exclusively for CTV News Ottawa between Oct. 4 and Oct. 8, 2026. It included 762 randomly selected Ottawa residents, with interviews completed by telephone and online. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. CTV News Ottawa Chief Data Scientist Nik Nanos is quoted in the article.
When can Ottawa voters go to the polls?
Ottawa's main election day is Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. The advance voting day is Friday, Oct. 16, with voting places open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. To see voting places and registration information, visit the City of Ottawa's election website. Candidate profiles are at voche.me.
Where can I find out where the Ottawa mayoral candidates stand on transit?
Profiles of all candidates running for mayor of Ottawa are listed at voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/candidates. Each profile includes platform information, sources, and links to what the candidate has said publicly. Voting day is Oct. 26, 2026.
Sources
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