Nepean

Nepean is a rapidly growing suburban riding in Ottawa’s south end, centred on the community of Barrhaven, which grew from roughly 40,000 residents in 2001 to over 100,000 by the 2021 census. Lisa MacLeod had held the seat since winning a by-election in 2006 and was re-elected comfortably in every subsequent general election. As a cabinet minister in the Ford government, she brought provincial profile to the riding, though her tenure in cabinet had not been without controversy. The 2022 race proved to be her closest contest yet.

Candidates

Lisa MacLeod (Progressive Conservative) — MacLeod was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and studied political science at St. Francis Xavier University before moving to Ottawa in 1998. She worked as an assistant to Ottawa City Councillor Jan Harder and as a riding assistant to federal MP Pierre Poilievre. First elected in a 2006 by-election to replace John Baird, she served as Minister of Children, Community and Social Services from 2018 to 2019 and Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries from 2019 to 2022. Her legislative achievements include Rowan’s Law, Canada’s first concussion legislation.

Tyler Watt (Liberal) — Watt is a registered nurse born and raised in Nepean who studied biology at Trent University before completing his nursing degree in Kingston. He worked as a full-time registered nurse at a hospital in Nepean and on his days off administered COVID-19 vaccines with the City of Ottawa. He was 30 years old at the time of the election.

Brian Double (NDP) — Double is a federal public servant with 20 years of experience whose career has included inspecting ocean vessels for pests, negotiating international trade agreements, managing a social media team during a federal election, and enabling economic development benefiting Indigenous communities.

Kaitlyn Tremblay (Green Party), Kathleen Corriveau (New Blue Party), and Bryan Emmerson (Ontario Party) also ran.

Local Issues

Barrhaven’s explosive population growth put enormous strain on local infrastructure during the 2018–2022 term. Traffic congestion was a persistent complaint, with residents describing road conditions as a daily frustration. The long-sought Highway 416 interchange at Barnsdale Road advanced when the province signed a legal agreement with the City of Ottawa in March 2022 to proceed with an environmental assessment, a project that had been in the works for over a decade.

School capacity was another pressing concern in the fast-growing community. Funding for three new elementary schools in Barrhaven was announced during the term. Additionally, the 2018 tornadoes that struck the Ottawa region highlighted the need for emergency preparedness in suburban communities, with relief efforts concentrated in Larkin House.

Healthcare figured prominently in the campaign, with Tyler Watt’s candidacy as a frontline nurse crystallizing concerns about staffing shortages and pandemic burnout in the provincial health system. The planned Barrhaven Town Centre also received provincial funding, pointing toward the community’s desire for local amenities that would reduce residents’ dependence on commuting elsewhere in Ottawa.