Here's everything you need to know for today's Thunder Bay municipal election
CBC
It's Ontario's municipal election day, and voters across Thunder Bay will be among those heading to the polls to cast their ballots for a new mayor, city councillors and school board trustees.
There have been some advance voting options, with residents able to cast ballots in person, online, or even from their car.
Thunder Bay's municipal clerk and returning officer said yesterday was a banner day for voting turnout, with more than 4,000 people casting their ballot online.
"So certainly Thunder Bay was preparing for today," said Krista Power, Thunder Bay's city clerk, adding that about 22 per cent of eligible voters had already done so before Monday morning.
Thunder Bay is known for having high voter turnout in its municipal elections. In 2018, 51 per cent of voters cast their ballot, 11 per cent higher than the provincial turnout of 40 per cent. Power says she hopes to see another high turnout this time around.
"We do also appreciate that folks may be more challenged in this election with lots of new folks on the candidate ballot," she said. "So, hoping that people have taken the time to learn about their candidates to feel comfortable, to come out and choose someone who best represents them."
For those heading to the polls today, here's what you need to know.
Voters will elect a few different positions in local government. Here's the rundown:
Depending on which school board you support, there are also trustees to be elected. This includes:
There are a few options for getting to know the candidates available from the City of Thunder Bay.
Candidate-submitted profiles are available on the city's website, and the Thunder Bay Public Library has posted videos from its candidate nights on its YouTube channel.
You can also check out our interviews with the five mayoral candidates, where they lay out their positions on the major issues facing the city.
The city has distributed these letters to voters. They include an identification number and PIN for those looking to cast their votes online, and also act as a pass for a free ride to and from a polling station on election day.
If you received a letter with errors on it, bring it, along with identification, to the City Clerk's Office at City Hall during normal operating hours, which will be between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.