Longtime business advocate Michelle Groulx is stepping forward to run for city council in Kitchissippi ward, becoming one of the first candidates to enter the race after Coun. Jeff Leiper announced he would not seek re-election and is instead running for mayor.
Groulx, who currently serves as chief advocate with the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA), said the timing felt right after years of working to support local neighbourhoods and main street businesses across Ottawa — especially in Kitchissippi.
“I wanted to do it because it’s kind of like the right time and it’s the right opportunity,” Groulx said. “With Jeff announcing that he’s not going to be running, I thought, I love this community and I have been championing it and obviously the business community for so long, this might be my time.”
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Groulx was a familiar presence in the ward during her time as executive director of the Westboro Village Business Improvement Area from 2018 to 2020, working with local merchants, residents and community groups to strengthen one of Ottawa’s busiest main streets.
She later moved into a citywide advocacy role as executive director of OCOBIA from 2021 to 2024, where she represented 18 BIAs and more than 7,200 businesses. After a brief stint as president of MBC Group, Groulx returned to the organization last June as its chief advocate.
She said those experiences have shaped how she approaches leadership.
“I think that I bring experienced and collaborative leadership. I bring people together. I love working with people,” she said. “I talk to people every day. And I listen and I listen more. And then I kind of get things done and move things forward.”
Although her advocacy work now spans the city, Groulx says Kitchissippi has long been central to her life.
“I’ve been in west Ottawa my entire life,” she said, noting family ties to the former Grace Hospital and spending her younger years at the now-closed Whispers Pub.
“This place holds a lot of things that are near and dear to me in a very special way.”
The Westboro Beach resident said the ward’s walkability, natural areas and neighbourhood character are among the things she hopes to protect as the area continues to grow.
“What I love about Kitchissippi is that I walk everywhere,” Groulx said. “I love the access to the river and all different types of neighbourhoods. But I also love the heritage buildings that we have here. I love the businesses.”
At the same time, she said she recognizes change is inevitable.
“I accept change, but I like to see things kind of stay the same,” she said. “I love nature first and foremost in our city. And Kitchissippi has a lot of it in our parks and I don’t want it to change.”
Having spent years working directly with merchants in Westboro and across Ottawa’s BIAs, Groulx said supporting local businesses will be a key part of her campaign. She noted that intensification and new housing can help strengthen commercial streets, but only if independent businesses remain part of the mix.
“What helps businesses stay, first and foremost, is people,” she said. “You can’t sell anything if there aren’t people around. So having more homes and people living here will help the businesses that are authentically Westboro, Wellington West, Hintonburg and throughout the entire area.”
At the same time, she said affordability pressures remain a concern.
“Keeping them here is making sure that their prices and their leases don’t go up crazy because we are such a popular part of town,” she said. “You want to make sure that our commercial properties maintain a level that does not exclude our authentic local indie businesses, because we do need that mix. That’s what makes us so cool.”
Groulx said she plans to keep working with OCOBIA as a part-time contractor. More details about her platform are expected after her campaign registration is finalized in May.
This will be the first time since 2014 that Kitchissippi will have new representation after the incumbent Leiper won three consecutive elections. Former journalist Joanne Chianello has also indicated she plans to run.
