Three Northern Ontario mayors confirm they won’t be seeking re-election
Three northern Ontario mayors – in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Mattawa -- have confirmed they aren't seeking re-election in 2022.
North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said he is sticking to the comments he made after the 2018 election.
“I am not running,” McDonald said Monday. “I’ve made that commitment to my wife, who is very supportive, and it’s time for me to go and do some other things.”
McDonald, mayor since 2010, said dealing with criticism can be tough to deal with. That includes the public backlash on the fallout of Invest North Bay, calls for greater transparency over the removal and payout of the city’s CAO, as well as plans regarding the proposed new twin pad hockey arena.
“It’s really important for councils and mayors to listen to the conversation,” said McDonald. “If we listened to the naysayers, we wouldn’t have a new hospital, we wouldn’t have the waterfront or Steve Omischl Park.”
Mattawa Mayor Dean Backer has been on town council for 31 years, 22 as mayor. Backer said it’s time to pass the torch to someone else to take the town into the future. He’s most proud of fighting and securing a new town hospital.
“At the old hospital, they were living out of portables for so many years since 1969 to the early 1970s and getting a new hospital in 2008 was (huge),” he said.
Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano has already confirmed his name will not be on the ballot, while Timmins Mayor George Pirie is running in the upcoming provincial election for the Conservatives.
Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger is hoping to win next year’s municipal election. He said he is the best choice for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The outlook for Sudbury is great," Bigger said. "The future for Sudbury at this particular time and all that we have done to prepare ourselves for economic recovery.”
Voters go to the polls Oct. 24, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing A bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.