Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s early provincial election has a silver-lining for Ontario’s municipal councils: they no longer have to appoint interim councillors during municipal elections.
Ontario’s fixed election date law meant that elections were held in June during the same year that municipal elections occur in October.
Dozens of municipal councillors run for provincial office, many of them win.
Municipal council vacancies must be filled by appointment or by-election unless they occur within 90 days of the regular municipal election.
(A single ward byelection costs approximately $550,000 in Toronto, it is lower in other municipalities with smaller ward populations.)
In 2022, the provincial election was held on June 2. The official provincial election results were published in the Ontario Gazette. The municipal election was October 24.
There were 125 days between the Gazette date – which formally vacated the seats of municipal council members elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario – and the municipal election.
This meant local councils were required to fill the vacancies. All vacancies were filled by appointment.
There have been calls to amend the Municipal Act, but there is no need now – the problem has been solved.
Thus far, I’ve seen one municipal vacancy story following the provincial election. Ottawa will debate a vacancy next week, the mayor there expects council will vote to conduct a byelection.
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Published: February 28, 2025
Last updated: February 28, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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