#munipoli Matters - ISSUE 41 - The future of Thunder Bay's Mayor
Welcome to another issue of #munipoli Matters, where we discuss all about municipal elections and the often unreported area of local government across Canada and beyond.
A major announcement by a former Liberal MPP who became a mayor of a ‘large’ Ontario city….followed by a bunch of other news.
Northern Ontario mayor ends 25 year political career
In a surprising announcement, Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro revealed that he would not be running for a second term. Mauro, 66, became Mayor in 2018. He had previously served on Thunder Bay City Council from 1997 to 2003.
"I am nearing 25 years of political work on behalf of the City of Thunder Bay and the provincial riding of Thunder Bay-Atikokan. It has been an incredibly gratifying work experience and I take great pride in the breadth of work, investment, and accomplishments,” Mauro said.
From 2003 to 2018, Mauro was the Liberal MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, serving as Minister of Municipal Affairs, Natural Resources and Northern Development and Mines. Elected to the riding with 58% of the vote in 2003, Mauro squeaked out a win by 50 votes in 2007 but carried the riding more easily in subsequent elections in 2011 and 2014.
Mauro cited several accomplishments during his term, such as getting Thunder Bay prepared for handling the COVID outbreak, fiscally responsible budgeting with the monetary constraints and a new zoning by-law. “We should never hear it said again that the business community is upset or that Thunder Bay is closed for business."
There are now three registered candidates for Mayor: Gary Mack, Robert Szczepanski and At-large Councillor Peng You, last seen in a losing effort to win the Thunder Bay-Superior North riding for the Tories on June 2.
But it is an open race, so expect more (maybe from the current council) to be eyeing the ‘big chair’.
A smaller city council?
One interesting proposal Mauro brought up on his way out is to reduce the size of city council. The Mayor said having 13 councillors is perhaps too large, and going to a 8 member model plus the mayor would be more suitable.
"With nine, potentially full-time, and with a global picture of what the city should look like – not just the ward perspective – it would be in the best interests of the city," Mayor Mauro suggested.
Currently, Thunder Bay City Council consists of seven ward councillors and five ‘at-large’ councillors who are elected to represent the entire city, while ward members represent a specific area.
Mauros’ call to move to an eight member model with “a global picture of what the city should look like” sounds like a suggestion to have all eight councillors elected on the ‘at-large’ basis. That usually works for councillors for towns, townships and some small cities. With just about 100,000 residents, it depends on how it would work for Thunder Bay should the population increase.
Oshawa, currently at 166,000, tried an all at-large council for about eight years, electing eight regional councillors and three city councillors, all at large. But Oshawa is a more developed community than Thunder Bay.
Imagine, as a candidate, you’re trying to canvass the entire city and the logistics of structuring a campaign around that. Imagine, as a voter, those doorsteps filled to the brim with campaign literature from everybody!
Democracy is great, but not when the system designed for it becomes confusing and cumbersome for the average person.
In other news
Barrie, ON: Ward 10 Councillor Barry Ward has jumped in the mayor’s race. Ward joins former councillor and MP Alex Nuttall, former Simcoe County warden Gerry Marshall and Rob Haverson in the running to replace current Mayor Jeff Lehman.
Brampton, ON: Former NDP candidate Navjit Kaur is now running for City Council in Brampton’s Wards 2 and 6.
Kaur, a Respiratory Therapist, previously ran for the federal NDP in Brampton West during the 2019 election, then for the provincial NDP during the June 2 election in the same riding.
“Wards 2 and 6 need a councillor who fights for the services that Bramptonians rely on. Someone that raises the concerns of families at city hall and is open and transparent with the people of this city,” Kaur said in her statement.
“It’s getting harder to raise and provide for your family in Brampton. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Countless Bramptonians and the sentiment I hear is that they are all hurting and they feel unheard.”
Montreal, QC: with a voter turnout from the 2021 municipal election of only 38.3%, the City of Montreal is looking to see how it can motivate more people to vote in local civic elections.
A public presentation session will take place at city hall Aug. 30, from 7 pm to 10 pm. The meeting will be accessible in person, via webcast and on Montreal’s YouTube channel.
Montrealers can submit questions online, by telephone or ask them in person at the meeting. Details on how to proceed can be found here.
Okanagan Falls, BC: Voters in the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District may have voted down having a new municipality form out of the communities of Sorrento and Blind Bay, but another municipality in BC may be emerging soon. The Okanagan Similkameen Regional District is set to review the results of the lengthy public engagement process at its July 21 regular meeting.
The study recommended a municipality consisting of the Okanagan Falls area and the neighbourhoods known as Sun Valley, Rolling Hills, McLean Creek and certain properties just west of the community and east on Highway 97.
Once the board of the OSRD reviews the recommendations, they will decide whether to move to the next phase, which would be incorporation as a new town. The provincial government of BC may also need to do their own study and a public referendum.
Tecumseh, ON: With former Ward 1 Councillor Andrew Dowie’s election to the provincial legislature on the June 2 election, the Town of Tecumseh is looking to appoint a councillor to serve the remainder of Dowie’s term until the October municipal elections.
People who are interested in the position are invited to an info session on July 19th at 5:30 pm inside Tecumseh Council chambers (917 Lesperance Road, Tecumseh). The term for this position will run from July 26th to November 14th, 2022.
Qualifications for this council position are being 18 years of age and above, a Canadian citizen, being a Tecumseh resident, an owner or tenant of land in the town or the spouse of such an owner or tenant and not prohibited from voting under or disqualified from holding municipal office under the Municipal Act.
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