Ottawa·Riding Info

Ontario Votes 2018: Ottawa–Vanier

Ottawa–Vanier is one of the city's most diverse ridings, both ethnically and economically. It includes one of the richest neighbourhoods, Rockcliffe, as well as Vanier, an area with one of the highest percentages of low-income residents.

Riding has been consistently Liberal since 1971

Incumbent Natalie Des Rosiers (centre) is hoping to keep Ottawa–Vanier Liberal after winning the riding in a 2016 byelection. LGBT activist Lyra Evans (left) is running for the NDP, while business owner Fadi Nemr (right) hopes to take Ottawa–Vanier for the PCs. (Submitted)

Ottawa–Vanier is one of the city's most diverse ridings, both ethnically and economically. It includes one of the richest neighbourhoods, Rockcliffe, as well as Vanier, an area with one of the highest percentages of low-income residents.

Last year's riding boundary changes only slightly affected Ottawa–Vanier, which grew five per cent by taking a small portion of the old Ottawa–Orléans riding.

Who's running?

The Liberal incumbent in Ottawa–Vanier is Nathalie Des Rosiers, who won the riding in a 2016 byelection following the retirement of Madeleine Meilleur. Earlier this year, Des Rosiers, the former dean of the University of Ottawa's law school, became minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. 

The riding has a long history as a Liberal stronghold, with the last PC representation ending in 1971. When Meilleur held the riding she regularly took more than half the votes cast, with PC candidates coming a distant second. 

This election, Fadi Nemr, a small business owner and Lebanese immigrant, hopes to buck the trend and take Ottawa–Vanier for the Progressive Conservatives. Lyra Evans, a formerly homeless 25-year-old and the province's first openly transgender candidate to represent a major party, is the NDP candidate. 

Sheilagh McLean, a federal government retiree and yoga teacher, is running for the Green Party, Keegan Bennett is running for the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party, David McGruer is running for the Freedom Party of Ontario and Ken Lewis is running for the Ontario Libertarian Party.