Ottawa West--Nepean

Ottawa West--Nepean is a mixed suburban and urban riding hugging the Ottawa River between the downtown core and Kanata, with Highway 417 and the railway corridor marking its southern boundary. The district takes in established neighbourhoods such as Britannia, Westboro's western fringe, Carlingwood, Lincoln Heights, Bayshore, Crystal Beach, Centrepointe, and Parkwood Hills. It is a riding of considerable diversity, with a large public-service workforce, significant immigrant communities, and a range of housing from wartime bungalows to modern condominium towers along the transit corridor.

Candidates

Anita Vandenbeld (Liberal)* has represented Ottawa West--Nepean since 2015. Before entering federal politics, she built a career working internationally on democracy promotion and women's political participation in countries across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. In Parliament, she served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development.

Ryan Telford (Conservative) is a national security expert with 25 years in the federal public service, holding positions in five government departments with responsibilities spanning defence, federal policing, and strategic intelligence. A single father to a teenage daughter, his campaign focused on affordability, housing for seniors, and reducing the cost of living.

Josh Bizjak (NDP) is a veteran progressive organizer with over 20 years of experience in NDP politics. He worked on Jack Layton's campaigns from 2004 through the 2011 Orange Wave, served as founding Director of Development at the Broadbent Institute, and later became Executive Director of the Douglas-Coldwell-Layton Foundation. His campaign centred on labour issues, housing, and public services.

Prashanta Dhakal (Green Party) stood as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

Glen Armstrong (People's Party) represented the People's Party in the contest.

About the Riding

Ottawa West--Nepean's economic life revolves around the federal government, with a substantial share of residents employed in public administration, defence, and related professional services. The riding also contains the Queensway Carleton Hospital, a significant local employer and healthcare anchor, and sits near Algonquin College. Along the Ottawa River, communities like Britannia and Crystal Beach offer a quieter, more suburban feel, while the transit-oriented corridor along the Queensway has seen growing density and condominium development.

In 2025, the riding's political landscape was shaped by affordability pressures and public service concerns. Return-to-office mandates for federal employees directly affected thousands of residents, while housing costs--both for buyers and renters--climbed sharply. Transit reliability, particularly along the Confederation Line LRT, was a persistent frustration. The riding has historically swung between Liberals and Progressive Conservatives, but Vandenbeld's 2025 margin of victory was notably larger than in previous elections, reflecting the broader Liberal surge in the Ottawa region during the campaign.