Vanier has long been home to much of Ottawa's francophone population, but between 1992 and 2001, the size of this linguistic group has fallen by almost 50%.

Since 2003, the population of the entire riding has fallen by almost 10% at a time when the rest of the nation's capital increased by approximately 5.2%.

The neighbourhoods with higher proportions of anglophone residents, including Sandy Hill and New Edinburgh also tend to vote Liberal, but with significant support for the Ontario New Democratic Party.

In 2003, it was redefined as the part of the City of Ottawa east and north of a line running south along the Rideau Canal from the interprovincial boundary to Mann Avenue, northeast to Nicholas Street, southeast to Highway No.

Challenging the Liberal incumbent, Lucille Collard is Francophone and minority rights activist Myriam Djilane of the NDP and senior policy adviser Marilissa Gosselin of the Progressive Conservatives.