Ward 10 - Gloucester-Southgate

Want to know how Ward 10 City Council candidates compare in terms of taking environmental and climate action? Then read on! 

  • Candidates were asked to answer 10 questions to answer in their own words.

  • The devil is in the details. We HIGHLY recommend reading each candidate's full answers below, organized by question, to get a real understanding of how committed candidates are to a range of environmental issues.

Responded (1/4): Ahmed Rashid

*** Candidates John Redins, Donna Dickson, and Jessica Bradley did not participate in this survey.

 

1. How will you improve service reliability, frequency, and affordability for OC Transpo, so that it offers an attractive city-wide alternative to private car use?

Ahmed Rashid

“I take the bus every day. I know what riders deal with. The fix starts with freezing fares, because OC Transpo's own staff said a freeze would bring back 300,000 rides. More riders means more revenue, and that revenue goes back into frequency and reliability. I will push for transit priority signals at Walkley, Heron, and Alta Vista so buses are not stuck in traffic, expand bus lanes, and hold the system to real service standards. A system people can count on is what gets them out of their cars.”

2. How would you ensure that Ottawa meets its commitments to sustainable transportation such as walking, biking, and rolling?

Ahmed Rashid

“I never learned to ride a bike because my family could not afford one. That is a barrier we do not talk about enough. I will make sure the active transportation budget is fully spent, not raided for other priorities. I will prioritize connections to LRT stations, expand secure bike parking, and extend winter clearing so lanes work year round. A lane you cannot use six months of the year is not infrastructure. I will push for subsidized bikes and free bike education in schools so cost is not the reason someone is left out.”

3. What is your position on expanding Ottawa's urban boundary?

Ahmed Rashid

“I do not support expanding the urban boundary. We have a $3.8 billion repair backlog and infrastructure that cannot keep up with the growth we already approved. Sprawling outward costs more in roads, sewers, and services, and it eats green space. I would rather build up in existing neighbourhoods, especially near LRT stations, where infrastructure already exists. Infill is cheaper, it is faster, and it does not pave over the places that make this city liveable. Let us fix what we have before we build more.”

4. How would you protect Ottawans, especially our most vulnerable residents, from the effects of climate change and extreme weather events (flooding, storms, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, etc.)?

Ahmed Rashid

“Flood resilience is one of my major infrastructure priorities. We had the 2022 derecho and the 2026 Canada Day storm caused $439 million in insured damage. Basements flooded. Families lost savings. I will accelerate combined sewer separation, prioritize the most flood prone neighbourhoods first, and expand residential flood protection like backwater valves and sump systems. I will also push for cooling centres, better emergency communication, and clean air spaces during wildfire smoke. Protecting the most vulnerable residents from extreme weather is a core service, not an add on.”

5. How will you preserve and expand Ottawa's tree canopy?

Ahmed Rashid

“Trees cool our streets, clean our air, and help manage stormwater. I will protect the tree canopy by requiring meaningful replacement when trees are removed for development, strengthening protections for mature trees on private property, and prioritizing planting in neighbourhoods with the least canopy coverage. I will also push for better maintenance so newly planted trees actually survive. Right now too many are planted and then forgotten. A tree that dies in two years is not an investment. Let us plant smarter and protect what we already have.”

6. How would you reduce the amount of Ottawa's waste going to landfill, and what would you do to promote a circular economy?

Ahmed Rashid

“I will expand the three stream waste program across the city, including parks, and push for more repair and reuse options so things do not end up in landfill. I will also support a fix it library model and community tool sharing. These are low cost and high impact. On the circular economy, I will push for city procurement to prioritize reused and recycled materials, and work with local businesses to reduce packaging waste. We cannot recycle our way out of this. We need to waste less in the first place.”

7. How would you ensure that Ottawa meets its emissions reductions commitments in Energy Evolution — i.e., achieving net zero by 2050?

Ahmed Rashid

“I will hold the city to its own targets. That means retrofitting city buildings, electrifying the transit and city fleet, and pushing for deep energy retrofits in affordable housing. I will also push to modernize our grid and invest in battery storage so we capture power we currently lose and use it during peak times. That lowers bills and reduces emissions at the same time. Net zero is not just a climate goal. It is a cost saving goal. I will report progress publicly every year so residents can hold us accountable.”

8. How will you ensure that Ottawa meets its commitments under the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that we signed in 2022?

Ahmed Rashid

“Signing on was the easy part. Living up to it is the work. I will push for a real plan with timelines: no new fossil fuel infrastructure in city decisions, divestment where the city has control, and a clear transition plan for city buildings and fleets. I will also make sure our procurement and investment decisions are consistent with the treaty instead of contradicting it. A commitment without a plan is just a press release. I will push for an annual public report on what we have actually done, not just what we said.”

9. How would you ensure that Ottawa achieves its commitment to the Montreal Biodiversity Agreement (protecting 30% of its aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial spaces)?

Ahmed Rashid

“I will push for a real inventory of Ottawa's aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial spaces so we know what we are protecting and where. Then I will prioritize permanent protection for the most ecologically significant lands, including wetlands, urban forests, and shoreline areas. I will also require biodiversity impact assessments for major developments and push for native species planting in city parks and along pathways. Thirty per cent is a floor, not a ceiling. Protecting nature is also flood protection, heat protection, and clean water. It all connects.”

10. How would you ensure community participation in the City of Ottawa's ecological activities and decisions?

Ahmed Rashid

“I will hold regular open town halls and make sure residents hear about decisions before they are made, not after. I will push for community advisory bodies with real influence, not just consultation for show. I will also make sure city information is accessible in plain language, in multiple languages, and in formats people can actually use. People should not need to be experts or have time to sit through six hour committee meetings to have a say. I will show up in the community, listen first, and report back on what happened.”

Anything Else: Is there anything else about your environmental platform or priorities for Ottawa that you'd like Ecology Ottawa and Ottawa residents to know?

Ahmed Rashid

“My environmental platform is not separate from my affordability platform. They are the same fight. Flood resilience protects homes and savings. Transit that works reduces emissions and lowers costs. Protecting green space keeps the city liveable. I take no money from developers, so I do not owe anyone favours when these decisions come to council. I am running because I want Ward 10 and this city to be affordable, liveable, and sustainable for the people who live here now, not just the ones who can afford to stay.”

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