New Sault Ste. Marie council sworn in
Sault Ste. Marie’s new mayor and four new councillors, along with the rest of city council, took their respective oaths of office Tuesday night.
A full gallery greeted the 11-member council as they filed into the chamber for the first time.
Indigenous song and drumming preceded the new council as they took their seats for the inaugural meeting. Mayor Matthew Shoemaker was the first to speak, outlining the issues facing the city, such as the opioid crisis, housing and infrastructure.
“Everybody is looking forward to moving the community forward and putting forward their ideas for improving the city and hopefully we’ll be able to work collaboratively to get there over the next four years,” said Shoemaker.
There were four new faces at the council table.
Sonny Spina, a two-time federal Conservative candidate in Sault Ste. Marie, said he is ready to get to work.
“This first meeting was great for us to meet the public and really introduce ourselves as a city council to the public,” said Spina. “I’m excited that next week, right away, we get down to work, we start talking budget and we get down to really what needs to be done for the city.”
Angela Caputo, a local business owner, said despite the learning curve, she’s “ready to rock.”
“I love learning, I love facing new challenges, and I think I’ve always done so with a brave face and a certain degree of excitement,” said Caputo.
“It’s been a really great day,” said retired teacher Ron Zagordo.
“I was looking forward to this first meeting and it was wonderful meeting everybody and it looks like we’ve got a really great team here to work together with.”
Stephan Kinach, a dentist and third-generation Saultite, said he’s ready for the next four years.
“I understand that it’s going to be a lot of responsibility, and I look forward to it and I’m hoping to do a good job and to represent my area and my constituents well,” he said.
Rounding out the council table are Sandra Hollingsworth, Lisa Vezeau-Allen, Luke Dufour, Marchy Bruni, Corey Gardi and Matthew Scott.
The new council will have its first regular meeting Nov. 21.
Read more about how municipal governments work in Ontario here.
Find out how population density affects municipal budgets here.
CTV News spoke with some outgoing and former politicians in northeastern Ontario. Here is what they learned from their time in office.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.