Ontario’s municipal election campaigns are about to take clearer shape as the deadline for candidates to enter races across the province arrives today.
Prospective candidates have until 2 p.m. to file their nominations for the Oct. 26 municipal elections, after which voters will have a much better picture of who will be competing to lead their cities and represent them on local councils.
Campaigning is already underway in several major municipalities, including Toronto and Mississauga, where mayoral candidates have begun presenting their priorities to voters.
The final days before the nomination deadline have brought several notable entries. Former Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith is among the higher-profile candidates joining the municipal contest, seeking a Toronto council seat representing Beaches-East York.
At the same time, political observers have expressed concern about municipalities where council or mayoral races have attracted only one candidate — or, in some cases, no candidates — as the filing deadline approaches.
York University public policy professor Zachary Spicer says competitive mayoral contests can play an important role in encouraging residents to vote. Municipal elections traditionally experience lower voter turnout than provincial and federal elections, making closely contested local races particularly important in generating public interest.
The opposite can happen when a popular incumbent faces little serious competition. A predictable mayoral contest can reduce enthusiasm for the election more broadly and potentially discourage participation in council races as well.
Several Ontario cities are expected to attract particular attention this fall.
Mississauga has experienced increasingly competitive mayoral politics following decades in which the late Hazel McCallion dominated the city’s political landscape. Hamilton is also expected to produce an closely watched campaign, with incumbent Mayor Andrea Horwath, the former Ontario NDP leader, facing significant political challenges.
Guelph will have new leadership after three-term Mayor Cam Guthrie decided to leave the city’s top political position, opening the door to a fresh contest.
Toronto is shaping up for another major political battle. Mayor Olivia Chow faces challengers that include former federal Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander and current Toronto councillor Brad Bradford.
The Toronto campaign is unfolding as residents express concerns about the pace of decision-making at city hall and the municipality’s willingness to consider new approaches.
An Ipsos online survey of approximately 800 Toronto adults, conducted for the Toronto Region Board of Trade between July 20 and Aug. 4, found that 59 per cent of respondents believed the city was not making decisions quickly enough, while 57 per cent felt Toronto lacked sufficient willingness to try new solutions.
Infrastructure is another significant concern, with 55 per cent of respondents saying the city is not investing enough in it.
Cost of living, housing affordability and traffic congestion emerged as the three leading economic concerns among those surveyed, followed by improvements to public transit.
Because the survey was conducted online, it cannot be assigned a traditional margin of error, according to the Canadian Research Insights Council.
With nominations closing today, attention will now shift from who is entering the races to what candidates are promising. Over the coming weeks, Ontario voters will hear competing visions on housing, affordability, infrastructure, transportation and municipal services before heading to the polls on Oct. 26.