ANNA IELO-TAL • FOR CITY COUNCILLOR
Practical leadership, responsive community service, and a clear vision for Knoxdale-Merivale.
MEET ANNA
I’ve lived in Knoxdale-Merivale for over 20 years. I am a public servant. I’ve raised my family here, volunteered in the community, and have watched Ward 9 grow and change.
I’m running because I believe local government works best when it focuses on practical results: accountability, sustainable local development, and city services that actually work for the people who pay for them.
The next election is October 26, 2026. That’s closer than it seems, and Ward 9 deserves a councillor who wants more for our ward than higher property taxes.
– Anna
Moving Forward
We've seen what happens when the city chases trends over strengthening the fundamentals. Three things come up at every door in Ward 9. They are where I will spend my time on council.
Back to Basics Budget
We need to find the money to update our aging infrastructure without an exorbitant tax increase.
The detailWard 9 is falling behind
Our current infrastructure in Ward 9 is failing, and residents deserve better.
The detailPredictable, not perfect
Transit doesn’t have to be perfect, but we need to trust that it will be predictable.
The detailWhere I Stand
Responsible stewardship of tax dollars means finding the money to update our aging infrastructure without an exorbitant tax increase.
Every dollar spent at City Hall is your money. Before we ask residents for more of it, we finish the job of spending what we already collect on the things they actually use.
Roads, water, drainage, snow clearing, parks. Core services get funded before discretionary spending, not after it.
Budgets residents can read without a finance degree, with a plain-language accounting of what changed and why.
Ward 9 households are already stretched. The answer to an infrastructure backlog is better prioritization, not an open-ended levy.
Where I Stand
Our current infrastructure in Ward 9 is failing, and residents deserve better. Aging pipes, cracked roads, and creeks that can’t handle a heavy rain are not separate problems — they are the same deferred maintenance bill arriving at once.
Severe weather is unpredictable. What happens to Ward 9 when it arrives is entirely predictable — so let’s get ahead of it.
A published, ward-wide condition ranking so residents can see where their street sits and when it is scheduled.
Repeated patching on the same stretch costs more than doing the job right the first time.
Sidewalks, crossings, and lighting are part of the road system, not an add-on.
Ottawa’s west end — specifically the Ward 9 area around Graham Creek, spanning neighbourhoods from Trend-Arlington to Qualicum — is vulnerable to severe weather, primarily because of aging infrastructure and a lack of regular budget investment in maintenance.
The area has been hit three times in quick succession:
The Canada Day floods sent Graham Creek over its banks all the way to the Ottawa River. Severe weather itself is unpredictable — but we can predict the outcome when it happens, and get ahead of it.
It is time to get serious, stop being distracted, and commit our budgets to the regular, proactive maintenance you deserve.
The Action Plan for Ward 9
A strong, collaborative partnership between the City of Ottawa and the Province of Ontario to target and upgrade aging infrastructure.
Refocus municipal budgets toward regular, routine maintenance and dredging of local waterways and channels.
Ensure Graham Creek and local drainage networks are modern, cleared, and structurally reinforced to absorb heavy rainfall.
Transit doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be predictable. Knoxdale-Merivale is not downtown, and it has never been treated like it. Parents here drive their teenagers everywhere because the bus can’t be counted on.
Getting to work on time, a teenager who can get to a job on their own, a parent who isn’t the family taxi: that’s what working transit buys.
Para Transpo is a lifeline for independent living. Clients report that booking is a chore, pickup windows are wide, and a late ride isn’t an inconvenience: it’s a missed appointment, a missed shift, an hour in the cold.
I’ll push for on-time performance to be reported route by route, and for Ward 9’s worst-performing routes to be first in line for service hours.
The 282 commuter route used to bring us directly to Tunney’s Pasture, saving us time and transfers.
The app says four minutes. Nothing comes. Right now there is no way to tell if the bus is running late or cancelled.
The bylaw aims to protect people's ability to safely access hospitals, schools and childcare centres, places of worship, and residential care homes amid concerns about disruptive protests, harassment, and rising hate crimes. It prohibits activities that could obstruct access to, or intimidate users of, these important places by imposing a 50-metre buffer around the entrances.
Between 76% and 88% of residents support it, yet our current councillor, Sean Devine, voted against it — both at committee and at full council. I stand with the overwhelming majority to protect safe access for everyone.
What You Can Count On
I want residents to feel that they can reach me, be heard, and get a response. Accessible town halls, direct constituent support, and a councillor who actually answers when you call.
Safer streets: smarter traffic management and dependable city services that keep our neighbourhoods connected and safe.
Protecting and improving parks and third places: the rec centres, libraries, and hangouts where teens and neighbours actually connect.
Community input before major decisions. Big projects like sprung structures shouldn’t land as a surprise — consultation comes early, honestly, and before plans are locked in.
Get involved
From door-knocking to community outreach, every voice makes a difference. Join the team today.
Show your support! Let us know where to drop off a sign and we’ll bring it to you in September.
Please make cheques payable to
Campaign to Elect Anna Ielo-Tal
Drop me a line at anna4council@gmail.com and a volunteer can pick it up
Get in Touch
Every neighbourhood has different priorities. Whether it’s roads, taxes, parks, or something else entirely, if you live in Ward 9, I want to hear from you.
Authorized by the financial agent for Anna Ielo-Tal • Privacy Policy
