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As deadline looms for Ontario municipal elections candidates, some seats uncontested
AMO said just over 550 seats were uncontested in 2022, as low pay, heavy demands and provincial changes discourage candidates.
- With nominations for Ontario municipal elections closing Friday, Zachary Spicer, an associate professor of public policy at York University, noted many seats currently list one or no registered candidates just over a day before the deadline.
- Inflexible meeting times and low compensation often limit candidates to those who are retired, independently wealthy, or business owners. Spicer said some councillors receive "as low as a couple hundred dollars a month" in small communities.
- In the 2022 elections, 6,325 candidates competed for 2,842 positions, but over 550 roles were uncontested, a trend AMO President Robin Jones warned limits community perspectives and fewer choices around the council table.
- Provincial legislation implementing "strong chair powers" and supervising eight school boards has altered the political landscape; Opposition critics denounced these moves as anti-democratic, comparing them to the school board takeover.
- Fewer candidates and centralized power create unfavorable outcomes for local governance. Critics argued, "That's not good for democracy, right? I don't think anyone thinks that's good for business.
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As deadline looms for Ontario municipal elections candidates, some seats uncontested
With the window to run in this year's Ontario municipal elections about to close, observers and advocates are paying attention not only to those vying to lead their communities, but also to the number of people who aren't.
·Ottawa, Canada
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As deadline looms for Ontario municipal elections candidates, some seats uncontested – 105.9 The Region
TORONTO — With the window to run in this year’s Ontario municipal elections about to close, observers and advocates are paying attention not only to those vying to lead their communities, but also to the number of people who aren’t. While a lot can still change before nominations close Friday afternoon, the amount of seats that listed one or no registered candidates just over a day before the deadline is worth noting, said Zachary Spicer, an ass…
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Total News Sources22
Leaning Left19Leaning Right0Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution95% Left
Bias Distribution
- 95% of the sources lean Left
95% Left
L 95%
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