Re-elected Ottawa councillor wants Inuit-led housing projects in city

Stéphanie Plante says she plans to continue championing social projects in 2nd term

Stéphanie Plante says she wants to see more Inuit-led housing and culturally appropriate services in Ottawa as she begins a second term as the councillor in Rideau-Vanier, a ward encompassing an area known as “Little Nunavut” because of its urban Inuit community.

Plante won almost 54 per cent of the votes in Monday’s municipal election, defeating five other candidates also in the running, according to unofficial results published by the City of Ottawa.

Plante was first elected in 2022. Her new four-year term begins Nov. 15.

In an interview Tuesday, Plante said homelessness, mental health and addiction were among the most common concerns raised by residents during the campaign.

“We need to better spread our social services around the city,” she said.

“We need to make sure every ward is doing its fair share, and I think we’ve gotten a bit better with that,” Plante added, pointing to the planned new Larga Baffin medical boarding facility project set for 1470 Hunt Club Rd., about five kilometres northeast of the Ottawa airport. The current boarding facility is on Richmond Road.

The six-storey, 220-room boarding home for Nunavummiut was planned as Larga Baffin’s new location, but construction has stalled as it awaits a long-term service contract from the Government of Nunavut.