{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ariel Troster | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1979}} | birth_place = Toronto | death_date = | death_place = | known_for = | office = Ottawa City Councillor for Somerset Ward | term_start = November 15, 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/mark-sutcliffe-laces-up-for-new-political-marathon/|publisher=CTV Ottawa|title=Mark Sutcliffe laces up for new political marathon|date=25 October 2022|access-date=26 October 2022}}</ref> | term_end = | predecessor = Catherine McKenney | successor = | constituency = | spouse = Caitlyn Pascal<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-parents-face-difficult-choice-of-whether-to-send-kids-back-to-school|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|title=Ontario parents face difficult choice of whether to send kids back to school|date=1 August 2022|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref> | occupation = | alma_mater = University of Ottawa <br> Concordia University (B.J.) | years_active = }}
'''Ariel Troster''' (born 1979) is a politician in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She is the city councillor for Somerset Ward on Ottawa City Council.
==Background== Troster was born in Toronto, the daughter of former Toronto Star finance writer Sheryl Smolkin and Joel Troster. She has a bachelor's degrees in journalism and history from Concordia University and a master's degree in women's studies from the University of Ottawa.
Prior to being elected, Troster worked for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Public Service Alliance of Canada, and The Council of Canadians.<ref name="OttawaCitizen2022">{{cite web|last=Hum |first=Peter |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/somerset-ward-results-ariel-troster-triumphs-extends-progressive-streak-in-downtown-ottawa |title=Somerset ward results: Ariel Troster triumphs, extends progressive streak in downtown Ottawa |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=24 October 2022 |access-date=25 October 2022}}</ref> She was a writer and columnist for Xtra Magazine from 2005 to 2009 and sat on the board of various LGBTQ organizations including Egale Canada, the Ten Oaks Project and the Ottawa Dyke March.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ariel Troster. |url=https://xtramagazine.com/contributor/ariel-troster |website=Xtra Magazine |access-date=25 February 2024 |language=en-CA}}</ref> She is Jewish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/doorstep-postings-60/|last=Lieblein|first=Josh|title=Doorstep Postings: Ariel Troster is in it for the long haul—no matter how the 2022 Ottawa election turns out|date=23 October 2022|access-date=25 October 2022}}</ref>
==Political career== Troster was elected in the 2022 Ottawa municipal election. She was endorsed by outgoing councillor and mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney.<ref name="OttawaCitizen2022"/> Troster received the majority of the vote, with her support being strongest in the neighbourhood of Centretown.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=2022-10-28 |title=2022 Elections Official Results |url=https://open.ottawa.ca/documents/2022-elections-official-results/about |publisher=City of Ottawa |access-date=2025-05-07}}</ref> She is the second consecutive LGBT councillor to represent Somerset Ward.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}
Throughout her campaign and subsequent term on city council, Troster has placed emphasis on homelessness,<ref>{{cite news |last=Troster |first=Ariel |date=2023-01-05 |title=Downtown Ottawa needs strong social supports to bounce back |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/troster-downtown-ottawa-needs-strong-social-supports-to-bounce-back |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Troster |first=Ariel |date= |title=We know how to fix homelessness but we need support to do it, Premier Ford |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/troster-we-know-how-to-fix-homelessness-but-we-need-support-to-do-it-premier-ford |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> community safety,<ref>{{cite news |last=Troster |first=Ariel |date=2022-10-03 |title=It's time to rethink community safety |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/somerset-troster-its-time-to-rethink-community-safety |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> and expanding pedestrian infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |last=Troster |first=Ariel |date=2023-01-25 |title=Let's make Wellington Street a place for people |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/troster-lets-make-wellington-street-a-place-for-people |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Troster |first=Ariel |date=2024-06-14 |title=Want pedestrian-friendly streets, Ottawa? Then speak up |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/troster-want-pedestrian-friendly-streets-ottawa-then-speak-up |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref>
In 2023/2024, she opposed the proposal for the City of Ottawa to spend over $400 million to subsidize the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Devine |first1=Sean |last2=Bradley |first2=Jessica |last3=Troster |first3=Ariel |date=2023-11-07 |title=Lansdowne — stop rushing and get it right |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/devine-troster-and-bradley-lansdowne-stop-rushing-and-get-it-right |work=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> Ultimately, city council voted 16-9 in favour of the project, with mayor Mark Sutcliffe voting yes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pringle |first=Josh |date=2023-11-09 |title=Council approves $419 million Lansdowne 2.0 plan |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/council-approves-419-million-lansdowne-20-plan/ |work=CTV News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Raymond |first=Ted |date=2024-04-17 |title=Council approves crucial procedural step for Lansdowne 2.0 plan |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/council-approves-crucial-procedural-step-for-lansdowne-20-plan/ |work=CTV News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> She also opposed cuts to O-Train frequency that were passed by city council in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2024-09-18 |title=Bid to reverse LRT frequency cut loses at council |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bid-to-reverse-lrt-frequency-cut-loses-at-council-1.7327221 |work=CBC News |location=Ottawa |access-date=2024-11-10}}</ref> Troster has also advocated for the city to adopt bylaws to protect tenants from renovictions; as of 2025, her proposal is being studied by city staff.<ref>{{cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=2025-01-15 |title=Committee vote restores hopes for renoviction bylaw in Ottawa |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/committee-vote-restores-hopes-for-renoviction-bylaw-in-ottawa-1.7432119 |work=CBC News |access-date=2025-05-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Crawford |first=Blair |date=2025-01-22 |title=City of Ottawa renoviction bylaw study given go-ahead with a caveat |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa-renoviction-bylaw-study-go-ahead-caveat |work=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=2025-05-07}}</ref>
==Electoral record== {{election table|title=2022 Ottawa municipal election: Somerset Ward}} |- !rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Candidate !colspan="3"|Popular vote !rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Expenditures |- ! Votes ! % ! ±% |- | style="background-color:#ED396D;" | | style="text-align:left;" | '''Ariel Troster''' | style="text-align:right;" | 8,669 | style="text-align:right;" | 61.28 | style="text-align:right;" | – | style="text-align:right;" | $30,781.77 |- | style="background-color:#187B3E;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Stuart MacKay | style="text-align:right;" | 4,706 | style="text-align:right;" | 33.29 | style="text-align:right;" | – | style="text-align:right;" | $12,259.65 |- | style="background-color:#A10B0A;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Brandon Russell | style="text-align:right;" | 768 | style="text-align:right;" | 5.43 | style="text-align:right;" | – | style="text-align:right;" | N/A |- | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" colspan="2" |'''Total valid votes''' | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 14,137 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 95.31 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#c2c2c2;" colspan="2" | |- | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" colspan="2" |'''Total rejected, unmarked and declined votes''' | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 695 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 4.69 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#c2c2c2;" colspan="2" | |- | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" colspan="2" |'''Turnout''' | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 14,832 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 45.24 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | +6.14 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#c2c2c2;" | |- | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" colspan="2" |'''Eligible voters''' | style="text-align:right;background-color:#FFFFFF;" | 32,787 | style="text-align:right;background-color:#c2c2c2;" colspan="3" | |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="6" |<small>Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.)<br />and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.</small> |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="13" |'''Sources:''' {{cite web |url=https://app06.ottawa.ca/election/2022_en.html |title=2022 Election Results |publisher=City of Ottawa}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Ottawa City Council}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Troster, Ariel}} Category:Living people Category:Ottawa city councillors Category:Women municipal councillors in Ontario Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:LGBTQ municipal councillors in Canada Category:University of Ottawa alumni Category:Concordia University alumni Category:1979 births Category:Jewish Canadian politicians Category:Jewish women politicians Category:LGBTQ Jews Category:21st-century Canadian municipal councillors Category:Politicians from Toronto