Timmins' mayoral race is up to three candidates.
Schumacher's Joe Campbell is running for the top seat in the city. Michelle Boileau and Richard Lafleur are also candidates for the position.
Yesterday, five people added their names to the unofficial list of candidates for the Oct. 24 municipal election. The deadline to register is today (Aug. 19) at 2 p.m.
So far, there are races in every ward, except Ward 1 where the only candidate as of 10 a.m. is incumbent Rock Whissell.
Campbell has served as the Schumacher councillor for the past two terms and had a 40-plus-year career in accounting.
He issued a news release about running for mayor today. His platform includes tackling why Timmins residents pay more in taxes, working to increase affordable housing opportunities, freezing taxes to take off the pressure of inflation, and lobbying upper tiers of government for more funding for treatment facilities to help with the homeless and opioid crises locally.
He says he's running to "give city hall back to the taxpayers".
"It’s time to raise the level of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility. Complete, and accurate, information is critical to give residents the tools required to hold their elected officials accountable. This is particularly important at budget time where a lack of understanding by the taxpayers leads to disengagement," he said in the news release.
Over the last term, Campbell said he paid a "heavy price" for not compromising his principle of being a voice for the people at the council table. He would "embrace the opportunity to be a mayor for all residents, as the face of Timmins changes.
"I will cultivate relationships with all the diverse groups that now make up Timmins. I have no personal agenda except to serve all residents, and wards, equally and fairly. The role of council is that of a governance body and that should never be compromised by any elected official in the performance of their duties. As part of a governance body, sometimes you need to ask the tough questions," he said.
Former mayor Steve Black is looking to return to the table and has filed for the Ward 5 councillor seat, which he has held in the past.
There are also two new candidates in Ward 3 — Carter Lucyk and Sylvin Lacroix. Michelle Mailloux also signed up to be a French separate school board trustee.
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In Timmins, there are nine seats at the table. The mayor is elected at large, with everyone getting to cast a ballot.
One councillor is elected for Ward 1 (Mountjoy), Ward 2 (South Porcupine), Ward 3 (Schumacher) and Ward 4 (Porcupine), and Ward 5 (Timmins) is represented by four councillors. You can look at the ward maps here.
The unofficial list of candidates so far is:
Ward 1: Rock Whissell (incumbent)
Ward 2: Mickey Auger (incumbent), Marcus Niebler, Lorne Feldman
Ward 3: Bill Gvozdanovic, Carter Lucyk, Sylvin Lacroix
Ward 4: John Curley (incumbent), Tim Jamieson, Kenneth Karl Steinbrunner
Ward 5: Cory Robin (incumbent), Neil David Siblall, Ed "Edge" Stecewicz, Veronica Farrell, Andrew Marks (incumbent), Kristin Murray (incumbent), Rick Dubeau, Steve Black
Mayor: Michelle Boileau, Richard Lafleur, Joe Campbell
English public school board trustee: Mark Clemence, Bob Brush, Stephen Meunier
English separate school board trustee: Colleen Landers, Ron MacInnis, Paula Del Guidice, Fred Salvador, Glenn Sheculski
French public school board trustee: Liliane Francis, Nicole Arcand
French separate school board trustee: Langis Dion, Paul St-Jean, Denis Belanger, Michelle Mailloux
TimminsToday will publish the full list of unofficial candidates this afternoon when the nominations close. The certified list of candidates will be available on Monday, Aug. 22.
What do you want to hear from the candidates in this election? Email the top issues on your mind to [email protected].
