This Monday, tens of thousands of residents in Niagara will cast their votes for mayors and councillors in their local towns and cities, as well as choose trustees for school boards. Many voters are taking time off during lunch hours or asking their bosses for a break to fulfill their civic duty.
In various municipalities, incumbents often have the advantage thanks to name recognition, which might help them keep their positions. However, in some of the other 12 areas, the political scene could shift as newcomers challenge established figures and new faces take over vacated mayoral roles.
If past elections are any indication, only a small portion of eligible voters will determine the outcomes. Voter turnout has been low for years; during the last election in 2022, only 27.5 percent of eligible voters participated in Niagara Falls, while St. Catharines saw about 26 percent turnout and Welland even lower at 25 percent, according to data from city officials and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
There are indications that more people might be interested this time: St. Catharines city clerk Kristen Sullivan mentioned to CBC that they expect advance polling numbers to exceed those from 2022 when 5,401 early ballots were cast.
Kurt Mann, a resident of St. Catharines, is one of those who consistently makes it a point to vote in municipal elections.
“I do care about it,” he said. “I think you can usually see the most direct change through your municipal elections, voting for city councillors and your mayor.”
However, Mann questions whether lower voter turnout compared to provincial and federal elections is linked to the absence of party politics at the municipal level.
Direct change possible through municipal elections
“Municipal elections sometimes get lost in the shuffle,” he said. “It’s maybe not as dramatic as provincial or federal elections.”
“Maybe people can’t be bothered to look into the candidates when they’re more familiar with the parties” at higher levels.
Some areas will have a wider selection of candidates than others. In West Lincoln, Cheryl Ganaan is assured another term as mayor since no one else ran against her.
Conversely, Welland Mayor Frank Campion’s decision not to seek re-election has led to Niagara’s most competitive mayoral race yet with eight candidates vying for position; this includes an incumbent city councillor and a regional councillor. Welland is among four municipalities where current mayors opted out of running again.
This election signals a major change at regional council-it’s been 56 years since such a shakeup occurred. For the first time since Ontario established regional government over Niagara in 1970, residents won’t have an option to vote for Region-only councillors because they’ll cease to exist after this election.
Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack announced back in April that regional council seats would be reduced from 32 down to just 12 mayors along with a regional chair appointed by the province following this election.
With the removal of 19 Region-only councillors means that mayors-who have always had representation on regional council-will now carry much more responsibility overseeing a government responsible for about half of total property tax bills.
While towns and cities manage local roads plus most sewer and water systems along with fire departments and planning parks; on the other hand, Regional responsibilities include essential infrastructure like sewage treatment plants valued at hundreds of millions along with main roads serving Niagara’s ambulance services plus support services like homelessness aid social assistance and public health initiatives.
Infrastructure topped list of priorities for residents
Niagara voters who took part in an survey highlighted several key issues concerning them.
Unsurprisingly given July’s devastating storms that caused sewage-tainted flooding damaging thousands basements across northern Niagara; infrastructure ranked highest among concerns shared by many residents.
Following infrastructure issues; cost-of-living challenges property taxes town/city budgets homelessness encampments housing affordability accountability followed closely behind on people’s minds too.
“ It’s gotten tougher here,” said Rodrigo Bocardo who lives near downtown St. Catharines noting increasing drug use alongside visible homelessness leaving him feeling less safe. p >Flooding remains “onthe forefront” accordingto Kristen Mc Nutt, a building inspector stating she’s seen more permits being issuedfor waterproofingbasements thaneverbefore.
On Monday, both Catholicandpublicschoolboards scheduledprofessional development days so studentswon’t be attending classes. Lastfall, theprovince urgedschoolboards considercoordinating PDdayswithelectionday when numerous schoolsin Niagara actas pollingstations.
Pollswillbeopenfrom10a. m. to8 p. m. on Monday.
Votersmustshowanacceptableformofidentificationreflectingtheirnameaddress. Acceptableformsinclude Ontario Driver’s Licences, Ontario Health (photocard), or Ontario Photo Cardaccordingto Cityof St. Catharines. P>
Thecityadvisesthatbringingavoteridentificationcardishelpfulbutvoterswillstillneedtoprovide IDregardless.
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