Chirico takes the helm in North Bay, five women elected to council

North Bay city council is heading into its next session with a new mayor and sweeping changes on council.

Peter Chirico is the new mayor and he’ll lead the most gender-balanced council of any large northeastern Ontario community.

Under North Bay's councillor-at-large system, the 10 candidates to receive the most votes are elected to council. In all, 29 people ran for a seat at the council table.

According to the still unofficial results, Maggie Horsfield, Lana Mitchell and Justine Mallah received the most votes, receiving 6,324, 6,251 and 5,863 ballots respectively.

They are among five women who won Monday night in the city, along with Sara Inch (5,462 votes) and incumbent Tanya Vrebosch (4,880).

Rounding out council are incumbents Chris Mayne (5,792), Mark King (5,789) and Mac Bain (4,529), and newcomers Jaime Lowery (4,815) and Gary Gardiner (4,553).

Incumbent Dave Mendicino was defeated, receiving 3,923 votes and finishing 13th.

Chirico was declared mayor-elect just before 9:30 p.m. He was in a tight race with Johanne Brousseau, winning with 48.6 per cent of the vote to Brousseau's 44.4 per cent.

He told CTV News voters he talked with are unhappy with the arena project, including the location.

"Most people at the doors said they weren't in favour of it," said Chirico, who succeeds Al McDonald.

"The other was openness and transparency and that's what we're going to restore to this building."

Brousseau said she had no regrets.

"The people chose and I respect the democratic process," she told CTV News.

"I have no regrets and when I'm in the nursing home, and I reflect there won't be any what ifs and I should have done that."