Transit and flooding lead Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale debate
Incumbent Sean Devine and challengers Anna Ielo-Tal and Cole Fraser Jones debated transit reliability, flooding response and policing at the Nepean Sportsplex on October 15.
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Three candidates for Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale debated transit reliability, summer flooding and neighbourhood safety before about 200 residents at the Nepean Sportsplex on October 15, the Algonquin Times reported. The Knoxdale-Merivale Community Association hosted the event.
Incumbent Sean Devine, challenger Anna Ielo-Tal and challenger Cole Fraser Jones took part. An earlier televised debate between Devine and Ielo-Tal had led to public accusations between the two, but the October 15 debate remained focused on policy, the Algonquin Times said.
Transit was the central topic
Ielo-Tal called the city's bus service "a mess" and said she would push to bring back express buses and make the system more reliable. "When the bus says it's going to come, it actually has to come," she said, according to the Algonquin Times.
Fraser Jones said LRT construction had not been well planned and proposed that the next mayor appoint a special cabinet secretary for transit to ensure political accountability on future transit decisions. Devine said the priority was making the LRT extension, which is preparing to open, successful.
Summer flooding raised concerns
Ielo-Tal said residents had told her the city "could have done a lot more" during several summer flooding events but did not detail a specific infrastructure plan, the Algonquin Times reported. Devine said the city needed to do a better job protecting against extreme weather and criticized mayoral candidates for not making weather preparedness a priority.
Policing split the candidates
All three said neighbourhood safety was a concern. Devine told the debate he had voted against police budget increases in three of four budgets during his first term, saying the issue was how funds were allocated rather than the total amount. He said he supported the fourth year's budget after seeing improvements, the Algonquin Times reported. Fraser Jones said he would also not support police budget increases. Ielo-Tal said she would work with police on crime prevention measures including more lighting in parks.
Voting day is October 26. Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale has three candidates. Their profiles, including those of Sean Devine, Anna Ielo-Tal and Cole Fraser Jones, are at /on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-9-knoxdale-merivale.
Questions this story answers
What happened at the Ward 9 debate?
According to the Algonquin Times, three candidates for the Knoxdale-Merivale ward councillor seat debated before about 200 residents at the Nepean Sportsplex on October 15. The debate was hosted by the Knoxdale-Merivale Community Association. The three candidates were incumbent Sean Devine, Anna Ielo-Tal and Cole Fraser Jones. Transit reliability, summer flooding and neighbourhood safety were the main topics discussed.
What did the candidates say about transit?
The Algonquin Times reports that Anna Ielo-Tal called the transit system 'a mess' and said she would push to bring back express buses and make the system more reliable. Cole Fraser Jones said LRT construction had not been well planned and proposed that the next mayor appoint a cabinet secretary for transit to ensure political accountability. Incumbent Sean Devine focused on making sure the LRT extension, which is preparing to open after the election, is a success.
What did candidates say about flooding?
Following several flooding events during the summer, the Algonquin Times reports that Anna Ielo-Tal said the city 'could have done a lot more' but did not detail a specific infrastructure plan. Sean Devine said the city needed to do a better job protecting itself against extreme weather events and criticized mayoral candidates for not making weather preparedness a priority. Cole Fraser Jones also raised concerns about flooding and infrastructure maintenance.
What did candidates say about policing and safety?
All three candidates told the Algonquin Times they were concerned about community safety and policing in the ward. Sean Devine said the problem was how policing funds were allocated, not the total amount. He noted he voted against police budget increases in three of four budgets during his first term, but supported the fourth year's budget because of improvements he wanted to see. Cole Fraser Jones said he would not support police budget increases. Anna Ielo-Tal said she would work to start a neighbourhood watch and add lighting in parks.
Was the debate civil given earlier tensions between candidates?
According to the Algonquin Times, a previous televised debate had seen friction between Sean Devine and Anna Ielo-Tal carry over onto social media, with Devine accusing Ielo-Tal of misrepresenting his positions and Ielo-Tal accusing Devine of bullying. The October 15 debate at the Nepean Sportsplex did not repeat that tension and remained focused on policy topics, the Algonquin Times reported.
Who attended the debate?
The Algonquin Times reports that about 200 residents attended the October 15 debate at the Nepean Sportsplex. The Knoxdale-Merivale Community Association hosted the event. One resident who attended, Pauline Budd, told the Algonquin Times the debate confirmed her support for Devine. Another resident, Dave Hay, said he was still considering who to vote for.
When is voting day and where can I vote?
Voting day for the Ottawa municipal election is October 26, 2026. You can find your voting place through the City of Ottawa's voter information tool. Advance voting day was October 16. Three candidates are running in Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale. Their profiles are at /on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-9-knoxdale-merivale.
Where can I read more about these candidates?
You can find candidate profiles for Ward 9 at /on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-9-knoxdale-merivale. Profiles include Sean Devine at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/sean-devine, Anna Ielo-Tal at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/anna-ielo-tal, and Cole Fraser Jones at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/cole-fraser-jones.
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