THUNDER BAY – A pair of candidates vying for the Northwood Ward were the first to officially file their nominations in Thunder Bay’s 2022 municipal election.
Bill Dell and Dominic Pasqualino, each first-time candidates aiming to succeed Coun. Shelby Ch’ng as the Northwood rep, were the first among four candidates to file their paperwork at city hall Monday as the nomination period officially opened.
Other declared candidates now include Chris Krumpholz in Northwood and Lori Paras in the McKellar Ward, who had previously announced her intention to run.
Both ran unsuccessfully for at-large positions in 2018.
Like most current councillors, Ch'ng has so far remained silent on her own plans. In an email Monday, the two-term councillor said "everything is on the table" and it's still early to announce intentions.
Candidates have until Aug. 19 to file, with nominations often tending to be clustered in the opening and closing days. The nominations won’t be officially valid until certified by the city clerk in the days after the deadline.
Mayor Bill Mauro confirmed earlier this year he intends to seek a second term.
Residents can track who has filed to run in the municipal election at the city's election website, which will be updated daily.
No candidates had yet filed to run as trustees on the city's four school school boards as of Monday.
Leanne Lavoie, the city’s election coordinator, said the five appointments booked for nomination filings so far is roughly on par with 2018, when a total of 61 candidates ended up vying for mayor and city council positions.
“There have been a few people who have signed up so far, [and] lots of phone calls, so I’m expecting a lot more people to start signing up soon," she said.
She encourages anyone thinking of running in the election to access the city’s election website for candidates or call her office at (807) 627-3859.
Dell, the Northwood candidate, who is a former manager at the Valhalla Inn, called filing his nomination “an easy process.”
Candidates for council must include 25 signatures from eligible voters and pay a registration fee of $100 (councillor) or $200 (mayor).
Dell was unsure whether he’ll be joined by a large number of other candidates like in 2018, but he hopes so.
“The more issues we can bring forward during the campaign and have some more ideas for the citizens of Thunder Bay, and let them decide who’s going to carry forward for the next four years, [the better],” he said.
Pasqualino, the long-time labour leader at Thunder Bay’s Alstom plant, who said he will soon be retiring, said others might strategize about when to announce their runs, but that wasn't his style.
"Once I’d made up my mind I thought it’s best to get it out there so people know that I’m interested," he said. "And I think if you’re going to make a decision, dive in the water completely, don’t just put your foot into it."
Online voting in the election will begin on Oct. 5. Election day is Oct. 24. Electors vote for a mayor, ward councillor, and up to five at-large councillors, as well as trustees on one of four local school boards.
Voters are encouraged to confirm online they are on the municipal voters list, which is separate from that for provincial and federal elections.
The next term of council will start on Nov. 15, 2022 and run until Nov. 14, 2026.
The budget for the upcoming election is estimated at $650,000, up from $566,600 in 2018. The city has said increased costs for COVID-19 sanitation, postage, and staff wages help explain the jump.
