Coun. Carol Anne Meehan not seeking re-election

There will be yet another new face around Ottawa city council this fall.

Gloucester South Nepean Coun. Carol Anne Meehan has announced she will not be seeking re-election.

Meehan had initially registered to run for re-election in the newly created ward of Barrhaven East, but said in a statement Monday she had changed her mind.

“With my youngest off to university this fall, I am now at a stage in my life that it’s possible to consider tackling different pursuits and checking items on my bucket list,” she wrote.

Meehan, who was elected in 2018, said four years of political life is both long and short and that the pandemic restrictions took their toll.

“Still, I will look back on my time at City Council with pride at what I accomplished, and that I had the strength and conviction to be the strongest, vocal advocate that I could be for the residents of Ward 22,” she said. “I will continue to work on your behalf until the end of the term.”

With Meehan’s announcement, it means there will be at least eight new councillors and a new mayor around the table following the election on Oct. 24.

Couns. Jean Cloutier, Diane Deans, Keith Egli, Jan Harder, Mathieu Fleury, and Scott Moffat have also announced they are not seeking re-election, and neither is Mayor Jim Watson. Coun. Catherine McKenney is running for mayor. Couns. Eli El-Chantiry and Rick Chiarelli have yet to register for re-election.

Candidates have until Aug. 19 to register to run for mayor, city councillor or school board trustee.