UPDATE: On Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, Justice Julie Bergeron ruled that no default had happened, so Good’s candidacy is still valid: https://www. cbc. ca/news/canada/ottawa/cornwall-ontario-mayor-2026-complaint-9.7367055
The ballots for this month’s municipal election in Cornwall, Ont., are already printed, but whether voters can actually choose one of the four mayoral candidates is now up in the air.
Earlier this week, the City of Cornwall revealed that someone recently filed a complaint that could jeopardize the election chances of Sarah Good, a one-term councillor who’s aiming to become mayor of the city with around 47,000 residents southeast of Ottawa.
On Aug. 21 – the final day for candidates to submit their nomination papers and just after Good submitted hers – an individual complained to the city about Good not including an auditor’s report when she filed her campaign finances for her successful 2022 bid for one of Cornwall’s 10 council seats.
According to Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act, if a candidate doesn’t provide a necessary document, they become ineligible to run for municipal office until the next election – which would be in 2030 in this case.
The key issue now is whether Good was required to submit an auditor’s report.
After consulting with Good and getting advice from both internal and external lawyers, the city has asked a local Superior Court judge for guidance on whether any penalties outlined in the act should apply to her.
If the court decides that a “default” did occur and that “the statutory consequences apply,” then the city “will act,” it informed .
Cornwall city hall in November 2023. (Guy Quenneville/CBC)
Good insists she didn’t include an audit based on advice she received from the former city clerk back in 2023 and expressed shock and disappointment when informed about the complaint last month by city officials.
“I don’t want to be disqualified from a race based on information that I relied on from the expert on the matter who accepted my filing,” Good stated during an interview Thursday.
She also referred to the complaint – coming more than three years after those events – as a calculated attempt to “derail” her campaign for mayor in 2026.
Out of all candidates who ran for council in 2022, she received the highest number of votes.
“I feel that it was done maliciously,” Good said regarding both the complaint and its timing. “I’m not saying that to tarnish anyone’s reputation.”
“I genuinely believe that anyone who had been made aware that there may be an issue with a financial statement from a previous election, especially within an active council, ought to reasonably know that information should be brought forward immediately – not withheld to prevent a candidate from running in an election.”
The City Avoids ‘Favouritism’
asked which party lodged the complaint. The city declined to disclose this information.
“In line with our standard practice, we do not comment on sources of complaints,” was how they responded via email questions.
Good’s financial filing from 2022 was reviewed and approved by the city clerk back in 2023 without any concerns raised until Aug. 21 this year when she became an official candidate according to reports from City Hall.
Like Good, Robert Williams, professor emeritus at University of Waterloo specializing in municipal politics thinks there’s something off about when this complaint surfaced.
“How did it sit around for four years without anyone realizing or believing it was somehow against Municipal Elections Act? Why now?” Williams questioned.
“I mean I know why now. Presumably it’s.. someone with interest trying to find something negative against a candidate.”
This situation is “not anything I’ve ever heard before,” he added.
Good attends a public event at Cornwall’s Lamoureux Park. (Sarah Good/Facebook)
The city states it filed what’s known as a reference question with local Superior Court based on legal consultations they received.
“We concluded any decision on this matter could appear as favouritism against our obligation towards impartiality,” explained how they decided seeking court advice would help clarify matters.
“Once we receive guidance from court concerning this issue we will implement it and take any necessary administrative steps under act.”
This past Tuesday marked when they officially filed reference question at court while notifying both Good and complainant while making it public knowledge too.
According to the University of Alberta’s Centre for Constitutional Studies,a reference question involves governments asking courts’ opinions concerning significant legal matters. pp>
A court doesn’t decide upon such questions; instead these inquiries lead into ‘advisory opinions’ guiding governments determining laws’ meanings.”The centre adds courts’ responses aren’t binding.
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‘I’d Be Absolutely Heartbroken’
h2 >
This past spring marked when good announced intentions towards running for mayor while competing against incumbent Justin Towndale seeking another term having previously held two terms as councillor alongside two other candidates Art Levert along Nicole Spahich vying too. p >
In response , good experienced what she termed “an attack online leading into defamation.”
This summer , serious reflection took place whether pressing onward remained viable ultimately concluding people holding political positions endure substantial challenges. p >
Then came August bringing forth complaints.
“I’d be absolutely heartbroken,” she noted reflecting over potential invalidation prospects adding though bearing no grudges against city’s electoral team “this entire claim aims primarily intended disrupting me”.
Regardless , pessimism isn’t parting company here ; representing herself presently at Cornwall Courthouse during Friday afternoon hearing following concerning city’s inquiry since funds weren’t available covering attorney fees right now. pp >
