OTTAWA -- The victim of Sunday's fatal Snowbirds crash in Kamloops, B.C. is being remembered by an Ottawa councillor as a "kind-hearted, smart and driven person."

Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard posted to Twitter late Sunday night to say he had met Jennifer Casey at Carleton University when they were 18-20 years old.

"We spent a lot of time together years ago at Carleton University res," Menard said.

He shared photos of himself and Casey he had found in his possession that date back to their Carleton days, when he, Casey, and another friend ran for the Rideau River Residence Association. 

Menard declined to comment further when contacted by CTV News.

Casey ultimately didn't graduate from Carleton. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College, and a Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University, according to her Royal Canadian Air Force bio.

Prior to joining the Canadian Forces in 2014, Casey worked as a broadcast journalist in Halifax and Belleville.

Capt. Casey had been the public affairs officer for the Snowbirds since 2018. She died when the Tutor jet she was flying in crashed just minutes after takeoff in Kamloops, B.C. on Sunday.

The pilot, Capt. Rich MacDougall, survived with non-life threatening injuries. 

In a tweet Monday, Carleton University President Benoit-Antoine Bacon offered his condolences to Menard and any other Carleton students who may have known Casey.

Nine members of the Snowbirds have died in crashes involving the aerobatics team since 1972.

On Monday, Lt.-Col. Mike French, Commanding Officer of 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron said in a statement the team is devastated by the loss of Capt. Casey.

"She absolutely loved what she did; she was one of the main reasons Op INSPIRATION has been so well received by the public. She had just received a 1 Canadian Air Division Commander’s coin in recognition of her stellar efforts and a nomination was being drafted for a Chief of the Defence Staff commendation," French said.

Operation Inspiration has been suspended indefinitely and the entire Snowbird fleet is on operational pause.