Looking at city councillor and those running in the upcoming municipal election, Terri-Lynne Carter saw that someone was missing.
"I didn't see myself represented at city council meetings. I'm a young successful woman and I just didn't see myself there," she said.
"I think city council should be very diverse and be representative of the people it serves."
It's the reason Carter decided to take the bull by the horns and put her name in for an at-large seat.
"And take a stand. No one is going to do it for me," she said."
Over the past four years she's been on the city's food and drug strategy committees and involved with its poverty reduction efforts along with the Thunder Bay Housing and Homelessness Coalition and Poverty Free Thunder Bay. She also works in community development with the United Way.
With a degree in science already, Carter is also currently working towards her honours degree in political science.
"I've been very engaged in the political process," she said.
Through all of her efforts and work, the city's affordable housing problem is the one issue that constantly comes up. The city needs to do more. Crime and violence are also a concern, adding that the community has a lot of work to do.
"Regular people can't find apartments within their budget so if you're low income it's even harder," she said.
Carter is for a new event centre in principle and has been busy reading through the Phase Three report. But the city needs to take its time.
"It's a big decision. It's a lot of money and we need to really look at it carefully before we just jump in," she said.
Carter said she's received a lot of support to run from people all over the city, which is why she chose to run at-large rather than in a ward.
