Ottawa

Building trust between police and Muslim communities requires ongoing engagement, transparency and a shared commitment to public safety. Muslim residents should feel confident that their concerns will be heard and taken seriously.

I will continue supporting direct engagement between the Ottawa Police Service, Muslim community leaders and organizations. I will continue to lead the Mayor’s Faith Leaders Council and the Muslim Advisory Council, both of which I formed in the current term of council. I will meet with them regularly to hear community concerns, strengthen relationships and work together on shared priorities. I want to ensure that community voices help shape local safety priorities.

Mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim organizations are essential parts of Ottawa’s community life. They provide places of worship, education, support and connection, and the people who use them must be able to do so safely.

I will continue visiting mosques and Muslim organizations, working with faith leaders, the Ottawa Police Service, fire services and paramedics to strengthen communication, address safety concerns and help institutions connect with appropriate emergency preparedness resources.

We must work together to address hatred in all its forms, including Islamophobia. I will work with the Ottawa Police Service to double the resources in its Hate Crime Unit. I will continue listening to Muslim organizations about the specific safety challenges they face and working with the appropriate partners on practical solutions.

Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate have no place in Ottawa. Everyone should be able to practise their faith, attend school and participate in community life without fear of threats or discrimination. I have denounced Islamophobic events when they have occurred in the community and met with affected residents.

I have brought faith leaders from different religious backgrounds together through the Mayor’s Faith Leaders Council and hosted a day-long City of Kindness symposium in February 2026, bringing together community representatives, including leaders from the Muslim community, academics and Ottawa Police Service to discuss how we stop hate and discrimination. I will continue building on these relationships to listen to Muslim communities, strengthen collaboration and support practical action against Islamophobia and other forms of hatred.

The Mayor’s Faith Leaders Council, which I created during the current term of council, provides a forum for dialogue among Ottawa’s religious communities, while the Muslim Advisory Council that I established and meet with regularly allows me to hear directly from Muslim community members about their concerns and priorities. I would continue working with both groups, alongside direct consultations with Muslim organizations, on issues including public safety, housing, recreation, planning and access to municipal services.

I would also encourage City staff to involve affected communities early in the decision-making process and explain how their feedback informs the outcome. Listening is important, but residents also need to see that their concerns are considered and acted on where appropriate.

Mosques and other Muslim organizations in Ottawa do great work supporting community members, including youth, those struggling with food insecurity, and new arrivals. I’ve been fortunate to witness the great work supporting newcomers, helping families access food and other essentials, creating opportunities for young people and connecting residents with services. The City should continue to recognize this contribution and work together to address gaps in support.

I will continue working with community organizations to improve coordination with municipal services, identify community needs and connect organizations with relevant City programs, funding opportunities and partnerships. I will also look for ways to make municipal application and permitting processes easier to navigate so organizations can focus more of their time and resources on serving residents.

Many settlement, health and social support services involve provincial and federal responsibilities. The City will work with those governments and community partners to improve coordination and advocate for the resources Ottawa’s residents need.

Religious institutions can have distinct needs related to prayer schedules, Friday congregational prayers, religious holidays, community gatherings, educational programming, accessibility and parking. Planning processes should take these practical realities into account.

I support clear and predictable planning rules, meaningful consultation and a willingness to understand how different institutions operate. City planning staff should engage with religious organizations early, explain applicable requirements and identify workable solutions that respect both the needs of the institution and those of the surrounding neighbourhood.

I would also support reviewing situations where existing zoning or approval processes create unnecessary barriers to establishing or expanding places of worship.

Any changes must be developed fairly and consistently, with consideration for traffic, accessibility, parking, building safety and neighbourhood impacts. The goal should be to ensure religious institutions can serve their communities without facing unnecessary obstacles.

Ottawa’s neighbourhoods have different needs, and I would want to hear directly from residents and community organizations in the ward before identifying its single greatest challenge.

Across the city, affordability, housing, public safety and reliable infrastructure remain important concerns. My platform addresses these issues through a 2–2.5% property tax increase limit for the first two years, a commitment to approve at least 75,000 additional homes by 2030, 10,000 affordable, supportive and transitional housing units by 2030, and 350 additional frontline emergency personnel. It also includes a $10-billion infrastructure plan and investments in transit, roads and sidewalks.

I would work with residents, community organizations and the ward’s councillor to identify where the greatest needs are and ensure City services and investments respond to them.