Photo: Fdesjardins · CC BY 3.0One councillor per 47,520 residents: Ottawa is more thinly represented than 99% of Ontario municipalities
Vars is part of Ottawa, which elected Mark Sutcliffe as mayor in October 2022. Ontario held new municipal elections on 26 October 2026; until the province publishes them, the open record stops at the council elected in 2022. Vars is in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, whose current MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) no open source we can use records yet. Vars sends one MP to Ottawa from Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Giovanna Mingarelli (Liberal Party of Canada).
What stands out in how Vars is governed
Many residents per seat
The middle municipality in Ontario has a seat for every 1,540 residents; Ottawa council has far more people behind each. Council size ↓
Turnout above the norm
Across Ontario, median turnout in 2022 was 35%, and Ottawa council beat it. How Vars voted ↓
High spending per resident
Ottawa council spent more per resident in 2024 than 65% of Ontario’s single-tier municipalities. Council money ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Vars is governed by Ottawa, with Ontario and Ottawa.
The city council decides local matters.
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
As a single-tier city, Ottawa has no upper-tier council above it.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Vars, from the most recent elections.
- 1Ottawa councilelected October 2022Mark Sutcliffe
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioGlengarry—Prescott—Russell
- 3House of CommonsPrescott—Russell—Cumberland
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Ottawa council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Mark Sutcliffe
- Catherine Kitts
- Cathy Curry
- Rawlson King
- Riley Brockington
- George Darouze
- Laura Dudas
- Glen Gower
- Allan Hubley
- Theresa Kavanagh
- Jeff Leiper
- Matthew Luloff
- Shawn Menard
- Tim Tierney
- David Hill
- Clarke Kelly
- Laine Johnson
- Sean Devine
- Jessica Bradley
- Stéphanie Plante
- Ariel Troster
- Marty Carr
- David Brown
- Steve Desroches
- Wilson Lo
25 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Sutcliffe | Mayor | 161,677 | 51% | No |
| Catherine Kitts | Councillor | 9,466 | 77% | Yes |
| Cathy Curry | Councillor | 8,827 | 77% | Yes |
| Rawlson King | Councillor | 8,491 | 80% | Yes |
| Riley Brockington | Councillor | 9,595 | 73% | Yes |
| George Darouze | Councillor | 4,353 | 41% | Yes |
| Laura Dudas | Councillor | 11,821 | 71% | Yes |
| Glen Gower | Councillor | 7,758 | 59% | Yes |
| Allan Hubley | Councillor | 5,334 | 34% | Yes |
| Theresa Kavanagh | Councillor | 12,398 | 83% | Yes |
| Jeff Leiper | Councillor | 11,045 | 72% | Yes |
| Matthew Luloff | Councillor | 11,918 | 74% | Yes |
| Shawn Menard | Councillor | 11,358 | 79% | Yes |
| Tim Tierney | Councillor | 7,617 | 82% | Yes |
| David Hill | Councillor | 6,230 | 44% | No |
| Clarke Kelly | Councillor | 2,549 | 27% | No |
| Laine Johnson | Councillor | 8,899 | 53% | No |
| Sean Devine | Councillor | 4,812 | 39% | No |
| Jessica Bradley | Councillor | 4,927 | 42% | No |
| Stéphanie Plante | Councillor | 4,621 | 37% | No |
| Ariel Troster | Councillor | 8,663 | 61% | No |
| Marty Carr | Councillor | 6,088 | 47% | No |
| David Brown | Councillor | 6,898 | 67% | No |
| Steve Desroches | Councillor | 5,684 | 68% | No |
| Wilson Lo | Councillor | 4,403 | 37% | No |
Mark Sutcliffe won 51% of the votes cast for mayor. The mayor is chosen at large; everyone else on Ottawa council answers to a ward.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Vars voted more than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
44% of those on the list cast a ballot for Ottawa council on 24 October 2022, more than in a typical municipality.
How Vars voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Vars votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Ottawa council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
The latest vote shown is 2021: the 2025 counts carry Elections Canada’s non-commercial terms. The next council election in Ottawa falls on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. The Legislative Assembly of Ontario was last elected on 27 February 2025, and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Vars votes in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
MPP: see the legislature’s list
ola.org ↗By law (the Representation Act, 2015), southern Ontario’s provincial ridings follow the 2013 federal boundaries, so each place is located from those. The riding is Glengarry—Prescott—Russell: it sends one MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and Vars votes in it.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Giovanna Mingarelli represents Prescott—Russell—Cumberland in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Prescott—Russell—Cumberland · Liberal Party of Canada
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
With Giovanna Mingarelli, the Liberal Party of Canada counts 71 of the 122 MPs elected in Ontario.
The MP’s record
Giovanna Mingarelli is new to Parliament, first elected in the April 2025 vote. On today’s boundaries, the 2021 vote in Prescott—Russell—Cumberland would have gone to the Liberal Party of Canada with 47%, and Giovanna Mingarelli kept it for them in 2025.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
In 2021, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell re-elected Francis Drouin of the Liberal Party of Canada
Under the 2013 boundaries of the 2019 and 2021 elections, Vars sat in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell; the 2025 election put it in Prescott—Russell—Cumberland.
8,383 votes separated Francis Drouin (Liberal Party of Canada) from Susan McArthur (Conservative Party of Canada) in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell in 2021, when the winner took 46%. In 2019, Francis Drouin had won the same riding with 48%. Turnout in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell reached 70% in 2021, against 63% nationally.
All 7 candidates in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Drouin | Liberal Party of Canada | 30,362 | 46.1% |
| Susan McArthur | Conservative Party of Canada | 21,979 | 33.4% |
| Konstantine Malakos | New Democratic Party | 7,022 | 10.7% |
| Brennan Austring | People's Party of Canada | 4,458 | 6.8% |
| Daniel Lapierre | Green Party of Canada | 1,350 | 2.1% |
| Marc Bisaillon | Free Party Canada | 422 | 0.6% |
| The Joker | Independent | 314 | 0.5% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Ottawa council spends more per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s single-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
More goes to roads and transit than to anything else: $1,219 a resident, 28% of all spending. It employs the equivalent of 15,793 full-time positions, or 14.4 for each thousand people. Ottawa council spent $4,324 per resident in 2024, against a median of $3,796 among Ontario’s single-tier municipalities. Ottawa council carried $4.2 billion of long-term debt, $3,809 per resident against a typical $971. Taxes on property make up 42% of what comes in, more than the province-wide 37%.
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roads and transit | $1.3 billion | $1,219 | 28% |
| Police, fire and protection | $751.3M | $684 | 16% |
| Social services and child care | $715.4M | $652 | 15% |
| Water, sewers and waste | $544.5M | $496 | 11% |
| Social housing | $497.1M | $453 | 10% |
| Recreation and culture | $423.6M | $386 | 9% |
| Public health and paramedics | $239.3M | $218 | 5% |
| General government | $125.6M | $114 | 3% |
| Planning and development | $111.8M | $102 | 2% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Ottawa council beside its neighbours
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
Nearby councils are drawn here for scale; the headline already says where Ottawa council stands.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Vars is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Council size. Residents per seat divide the 2021 Census population by every council seat, the head of council’s included.
- Council money. Per resident means the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals over the population it reports. Since a county or region spends in its lower tiers too, those are compared only with each other.
- Not on this page. No party tally for the council, which the open lists don’t record, and no band councils.
- Who holds each seat. MPs come from Wikidata’s records of the 45th Parliament, which can lag a resignation or a by-election by some days.
- Which riding. The 2021 Census homes of a place’s residents fix its ridings, and one is shown once it holds 5% of them.
- Election results. Ridings changed in 2023: the 2019 and 2021 results are on the old map, and the 2021 vote on today’s map is Elections Canada’s own estimate from polling divisions.
Questions about how Vars is run
Who is the MP for Vars?
Giovanna Mingarelli of the Liberal Party of Canada is the MP for Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, which includes Vars.
Which party won Vars in the 2021 federal election?
The Liberal Party of Canada, with Francis Drouin in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell; since 2025 Giovanna Mingarelli represents Prescott—Russell—Cumberland.
Who is the MPP for Vars?
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell is the riding; its sitting MPP is on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s own list of members for Vars and its neighbours.
Who heads the council in Ottawa?
In October 2022, Mark Sutcliffe won the post of mayor for Ottawa council’s 2022–26 term.
How much does Ottawa council spend?
In 2024, Ottawa council spent $4.7 billion in all, for some 1,097,760 residents, of which $1.3 billion went on roads and transit, the biggest line.
How is Ottawa council elected?
By ward for councillors and at large for the mayor, on Ottawa council.
What was the turnout in Vars?
It was 43.8% for Ottawa council in 2022, with Ontario’s municipalities at a median of 35.5%.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).