Ahmed Rashid

Ahmed Rashid commented: “My answers reflect one principle: fix what we have before we build more.

• My answers reflect one principle: fix what we have before we build more.
• I ranked Stage 3 extensions as medium priority because there is no funding and no timeline.
• I gave Baseline BRT high priority because it is designed and ready.

“My answers reflect one principle: fix what we have before we build more. I ranked Stage 3 extensions as medium priority because there is no funding and no timeline. I gave Baseline BRT high priority because it is designed and ready. But when new money arrives, my first ask is frequency and reliability on the routes people already depend on. Freeze fares. Restore service standards. Secure the upload deal that frees up $85 million a year for buses. Expansion matters, but riders cannot wait another decade for a system that works today.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid names An acceptable Ottawa alignment; Appropriate federal and provincial funding

• An acceptable Ottawa alignment
• Appropriate federal and provincial funding
• An acceptable City of Ottawa financial contribution
• Further technical, financial or public consultation work

“• An acceptable Ottawa alignment • Appropriate federal and provincial funding • An acceptable City of Ottawa financial contribution • Further technical, financial or public consultation work”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid assigns high priority to the Baseline BRT corridor across the Baseline–Heron corridor.

• High priority

“High priority”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid commented: “My priority is getting people onto transit, because that is how you actually relieve traffic.

• My priority is getting people onto transit, because that is how you actually relieve traffic.
• I would freeze fares and put that revenue back into reliability.
• OC Transpo's own staff said a fare freeze would bring back 300,000 rides.

“My priority is getting people onto transit, because that is how you actually relieve traffic. I would freeze fares and put that revenue back into reliability. OC Transpo's own staff said a fare freeze would bring back 300,000 rides. More riders means more revenue and less congestion. I would push transit priority signals at Walkley, Heron, and Alta Vista, expand bus lanes, and extend winter clearing so bike lanes work year round. I will also fight the province's overreach on speed cameras and lobby for our enforcement powers back. Reliable, affordable transit first.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid assigns medium priority to the western Stage 3 LRT extension toward Kanata and Stittsville.

• Medium priority

“Medium priority”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid names “My third priority is transit priority corridors. We cannot expand a system that is not working.

• My third priority is transit priority corridors.
• We cannot expand a system that is not working.
• Riders deal with cancellations, delays, and buses stuck in traffic every day.

“My third priority is transit priority corridors. We cannot expand a system that is not working. Riders deal with cancellations, delays, and buses stuck in traffic every day. Transit priority signals and bus lanes are cheaper and faster to build than rail extensions, and they serve more people right now. OC Transpo's own staff said a fare freeze would bring back 300,000 rides. More riders, more revenue, less congestion. I will fight to freeze fares, push priority signals at Walkley, Heron, and Alta Vista, and extend winter clearing so bike lanes work year round. Fix what we have first. Then build.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid supports the proposed STO Gatineau–Ottawa tram extending from western Gatineau into downtown Ottawa.

• Support

“Support”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would defer, reconsider or not pursue as a first initiative: “Stage 3 LRT extensions to Kanata, Stittsville, and Barrhaven.

• Stage 3 LRT extensions to Kanata, Stittsville, and Barrhaven.
• I am not opposing these projects forever.
• I am saying we cannot afford to pursue them now.

“Stage 3 LRT extensions to Kanata, Stittsville, and Barrhaven. I am not opposing these projects forever. I am saying we cannot afford to pursue them now. Stage 3 is estimated at $6 to $8 billion with no funding agreement and no timeline. The province has not uploaded the LRT. Meanwhile, riders are dealing with cancellations and delays, and our existing roads are crumbling. We cannot expand a system that is not working. Fix what we have first. Freeze fares. Restore reliability. Close the $3.8 billion repair backlog. Then build Stage 3 when the money and the plan are actually there.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would establish flood resilience and stormwater infrastructure as one of Ottawa's top three capital priorities.

• Yes

“Yes”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid ranked “Flood prevention, stormwater and sewer infrastructure” as their #1 infrastructure investment priority.

• Flood prevention, stormwater and sewer infrastructure
• Public transit — buses and Bus Rapid Transit
• Cycling infrastructure

“1. Flood prevention, stormwater and sewer infrastructure 2. Public transit — buses and Bus Rapid Transit 3. Cycling infrastructure 4. Pedestrian infrastructure and sidewalks 5. Renewal of existing roads and bridges 6. Public transit — rail 7. New or expanded roads 8. Truck and goods movement infrastructure”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid ranked “Transit — bus / BRT” as the transportation mode most deserving additional public investment.

• Transit — bus / BRT
• Vehicular / road infrastructure
• Pedestrian

“1. Transit — bus / BRT 2. Vehicular / road infrastructure 3. Pedestrian 4. Cycling 5. Transit — rail 6. Truck / goods movement”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid: additional road-renewal funding should be directed principally to allocation based principally on road condition and risk.

• Allocation based principally on road condition and risk

“Allocation based principally on road condition and risk”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid: Renewal and selected expansion — Ottawa should substantially increase renewal spending while advancing selected expansion

• Renewal and selected expansion — Ottawa should substantially increase renewal spending while advancing selected expansion projects.

“Renewal and selected expansion — Ottawa should substantially increase renewal spending while advancing selected expansion projects.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid supports increasing Ottawa's road resurfacing and road renewal budget during the next term of Council.

• Support

“Support”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would prioritize Larger or upgraded storm sewers in flood-prone areas; Residential flood-protection programs

• Larger or upgraded storm sewers in flood-prone areas
• Residential flood-protection programs, including backwater valves and sump systems
• Accelerated combined sewer separation

“• Larger or upgraded storm sewers in flood-prone areas • Residential flood-protection programs, including backwater valves and sump systems • Accelerated combined sewer separation”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would study a ring road or bypass only jointly with the Province of Ontario and federal government.

• Yes, but only jointly with the Province of Ontario and federal government

“Yes, but only jointly with the Province of Ontario and federal government”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid: Support selectively, after considering costs, safety, land use, environmental effects and alternatives

• Support selectively, after considering costs, safety, land use, environmental effects and alternatives

“Support selectively, after considering costs, safety, land use, environmental effects and alternatives”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid supports, subject to acceptable financial and operating terms, transferring ownership and responsibility for Ottawa Road 174

• Support, subject to acceptable financial and operating terms

“Support, subject to acceptable financial and operating terms”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid selected Advocate for accelerated rehabilitation of aging pavement, bridges and structures

• Advocate for accelerated rehabilitation of aging pavement, bridges and structures
• Coordinate provincial construction schedules to reduce simultaneous traffic disruptions

“• Advocate for accelerated rehabilitation of aging pavement, bridges and structures • Coordinate provincial construction schedules to reduce simultaneous traffic disruptions”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid says the City should require or evaluate A ban on heavy truck traffic through downtown Ottawa

• A ban on heavy truck traffic through downtown Ottawa
• Acceptable environmental and land-use impacts

“• A ban on heavy truck traffic through downtown Ottawa • Acceptable environmental and land-use impacts”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid names “My second priority is road resurfacing and renewal. Our roads are crumbling

• My second priority is road resurfacing and renewal.
• Our roads are crumbling, and the $3.8 billion repair backlog is not abstract.
• It is potholes, cracked pavement, and failing infrastructure that residents see every day.

“My second priority is road resurfacing and renewal. Our roads are crumbling, and the $3.8 billion repair backlog is not abstract. It is potholes, cracked pavement, and failing infrastructure that residents see every day. I would increase the resurfacing budget and direct funding based on road condition and risk, not politics. I would pay for it through progressive revenue tools and the federal-provincial infrastructure fund, not property tax hikes on working families. Fixing what we already have is a core service. It cannot wait any longer. Every resident deserves safe roads. This is not complicated.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid commented: “A ring road is a provincial highway project, not a city one.

• A ring road is a provincial highway project, not a city one.
• Ottawa cannot fund it, and I will not pretend otherwise.
• If a study happens, the province leads and pays.

“A ring road is a provincial highway project, not a city one. Ottawa cannot fund it, and I will not pretend otherwise. If a study happens, the province leads and pays. The city's role is data and local input. I will not support anything that distracts from transit or paves over green space. Any study has to answer hard questions: cost, environmental impact, and whether it genuinely reduces congestion or just encourages sprawl. Get the facts on the table. Then decide. Not the other way around.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid named Accelerated sewer separation and flood resilience infrastructure; Road resurfacing and renewal

• Accelerated sewer separation and flood resilience infrastructure
• Road resurfacing and renewal
• Other BRT and transit priority corridors
• Cycling network investment
• Sidewalk and pedestrian network investment

“• Accelerated sewer separation and flood resilience infrastructure • Road resurfacing and renewal • Other BRT and transit priority corridors • Cycling network investment • Sidewalk and pedestrian network investment”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would defer, reconsider or not pursue as a second initiative: “The ring road or regional bypass study.

• The ring road or regional bypass study.
• Ottawa should not be spending political capital or staff time on a multi-billion dollar highway project the province has not committed to funding.
• The city already removed the ring road from its Transportation Master Plan.

“The ring road or regional bypass study. Ottawa should not be spending political capital or staff time on a multi-billion dollar highway project the province has not committed to funding. The city already removed the ring road from its Transportation Master Plan. The province has said there is "a good case" for it, so let the province lead. If a study moves forward, it should be provincial, with the city providing data and local input. It should not distract from transit, road repair, or flood resilience, and it must not pave over green space. Defer until the province takes the lead.”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid's infrastructure vision: “My vision for Ottawa is a city that fixes what it has before it builds more.

• My vision for Ottawa is a city that fixes what it has before it builds more.
• That means accelerating sewer separation and flood resilience so no family loses their basement to the next storm.
• It means resurfacing our roads and repairing our bridges, funded by condition and risk, not politics.

“My vision for Ottawa is a city that fixes what it has before it builds more. That means accelerating sewer separation and flood resilience so no family loses their basement to the next storm. It means resurfacing our roads and repairing our bridges, funded by condition and risk, not politics. It means making transit reliable and affordable before we commit billions to expansions with no funding and no timeline. I will not pay for this on the backs of working families. I will go after the $8.8 billion federal-provincial infrastructure fund that Ottawa has not yet secured. I will stop waiving development charges for market-rate units while existing residents foot the bill. And I will use progressive tools like the Vacant Unit Tax to shift the burden onto those who can afford it. Infrastructure is not about ribbon cuttings. It is about whether your basement floods, your bus shows up, and your street gets fixed. That is the city I will fight for.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would emphasize Connections to LRT and major transit stations; Maintenance and renewal of existing cycling infrastructure

• Connections to LRT and major transit stations
• Maintenance and renewal of existing cycling infrastructure before expansion

“• Connections to LRT and major transit stations • Maintenance and renewal of existing cycling infrastructure before expansion”

(a few sentences)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid would increase Ottawa's cycling infrastructure investment during the next term.

• Increase investment

“Increase investment”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid supports accelerating separation of remaining combined sewers.

• Support

“Support”

(one sentence)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High

Ahmed Rashid commits to advancing Flood resilience and sewer separation. I will commit to accelerating combined sewer separation and

• Flood resilience and sewer separation.
• I will commit to accelerating combined sewer separation and expanding residential flood protection programs like backwater valves and sump systems.
• We have had the 2022 derecho and the 2026 Canada Day storm caused $439 million in insured damage.

“Flood resilience and sewer separation. I will commit to accelerating combined sewer separation and expanding residential flood protection programs like backwater valves and sump systems. We have had the 2022 derecho and the 2026 Canada Day storm caused $439 million in insured damage. Basements flooded. Families lost savings. And we are still moving too slowly. I will prioritise the most flood-prone neighbourhoods first, secure federal and provincial infrastructure funding, and pay for it through progressive revenue tools, not property tax hikes on working families. Protecting homes is not glamorous. It does not get ribbon cuttings. But it is the most direct way a councillor can protect the people they represent. That is my commitment.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: FCA Ottawa 2026 Candidate Survey on Infrastructure Priorities — Ward 10 · October 9, 2026

Confidence:High