Voting opens today for Wawa's municipal election - a day after voters had the chance to hear from the candidates.
A Meet the Candidates Night was hosted by The Olive Branch Floral Design and Anya Switzer Consulting last night, featuring all eleven candidates in the election, each given an opportunity to give an opening statement and to answer six questions touching on topics including the future and economic development, affordability vs. municipal spending to invest in the community, housing, access to care including for mental health, traffic safety, by-law enforcement, animal control, property standards, dumping, and general community cleanliness, and strengthening public trust.
A repeated theme among the candidates was a need to improve communication - mayoral candidate Ray Vaillant specifically calling "true transparency" a key plank of his platform - with housing and aging municipal infrastructure repeatedly highlighted as major issues that need to be addressed, while all candidates emphasized a need for greater enforcement of by-laws - and reporting of violations - to address property standards and dumping - councillor candidate Ron Ouellette also advocated for the return of free dumping week to help residents who can't afford the cost, while Colton Liddle suggested a more accessible central drop-off area for waste instead with James Stewart saying a local accessible depot in town is something he'd look into and work on - while councillor candidate Brandon Smit acknowledged the town doesn't have capacity for animal control but could work with outside agencies, while Liddle, Smit, Jason North, and Eric Paquette emphasized the need for tickets and fines, though incumbent mayor Melanie Pilon - who is seeking re-election - warned that increasing service level standards have a cost and there are legalities from the province regarding property standards.
Councillor candidate Shah Mohamed repeatedly touched upon the idea of getting a splash pad in town - asking "Chapleau has one, why not us?" - and spoke of opportunities for public-private partnership, while Pilon and incumbent councillors Cathy Cannon and Mitch Hatfield touted the accomplishments of the current council, with Hatfield vowing she's "here for the people" and has "a lot of experience and love for the people of Wawa - pointing to the Municipality's strategic and asset management plans as guides - while Cannon touted her experience and involvement in the community - saying she doesn't feel she's done as a councillor - and Pilon highlighted her experience, connections, and accomplishments as mayor, though Vaillant emphasized a "change in leadership" was needed, promising he'll speak honestly and listen, even vowing to have an open forum discussion after Council meetings.
Voting opens at 9 this morning - like in the past two elections, ballots are cast electronically, via phone or internet.
Municipal CAO/Clerk Maury O'Neill reminds residents should have received a Voter Information Letter to vote.
A list of Voter Help Desk events can be found on the municipal website, at wawa.cc
Voting will be open until 8 pm October 26th, when it will close for municipal elections across the province, including in Chapleau, where electronic voting began yesterday.