THUNDER BAY – If Thunder Bay’s city council is chomping at the bit to change the way it’s elected, it gave no indication of that Monday night.
A report from city clerk Krista Power on the possibility of adding a ballot question to the 2022 municipal election on reducing the size of council, among other potential changes, passed by without discussion at the most recent council meeting.
Coun. Peng You had requested the report in June, after council reluctantly voted last year to delay a review of its size and composition to 2023. Several councillors have suggested the city explore changes like reducing council's size or ditching the city's mixed ward and at-large system.
Adding a ballot question would give voters a chance to weigh in with a yes or no answer. You's motion did not specifically say what a potential ballot question would ask citizens.
Ballot questions are only binding if voter turnout reaches 50 per cent or more, Power's report advised. Otherwise, city council could choose whether or not to act on the result.
Turnout just topped that mark in Thunder Bay’s 2018 municipal election, at around 50.68 per cent. Power projected in her report that turnout would increase further in 2022, making it likely a ballot question would be binding.
In the case of a binding “no” vote, city council would be prohibited to make any changes to council composition until the next election four years later, her report indicates.
At least one public meeting must be held to consider public input before the election, but it's best practice to hold much more in-depth consultation and education, Power found.
The city has previously added ballot questions to elections in 1998, when citizens endorsed the contribution of tax dollars to build the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and 2003, when they were asked to weigh in on a bylaw limiting smoking.
In a vote last year, city council directed Power’s office to conduct a comprehensive review of city council’s size and composition, reporting back by 2023. That would mean changes couldn't be implemented until at least the 2026 election.
The clerk’s review would include a public consultation process, citizen committee, and data analysis for review of ward boundaries. It could have also considered issues like the breakdown of ward versus at-large representation and whether councillors should be employed part-time or full-time.
Councillors had initially directed the clerk to report back on the possibility of implementing changes in time for 2022.
However, most councillors accepted a recommendation to wait, with Power saying timelines would be tight to complete adequate consultation, given the strain the COVID-19 pandemic was placing on her office.
Council would need to rescind that motion calling for a 2023 report, in order to put a question on the ballot in 2022, Power advised.
Adding a special ballot question is estimated to cost around $40,000, Power’s report indicated.
