Waterloo region candidates list sparse with registration deadline looming
The deadline for candidate registration is one week away, and still, several ridings in Waterloo region have wards with no candidates named.
Others would see candidates running unopposed.
As of Aug. 12, there are 15 seats where a candidate is set to run unopposed.
Three of those are for mayoral seats.
Candidate registration for the upcoming municipal election opened back on May 2nd and is set to close August 19.
"To be honest, I think it's a really difficult and thankless task in some ways to serve as a local councillor right now,” said Laura Pin, a political science assistant professor at Laurier University.
Outgoing Waterloo mayor Dave Jaworsky says it’s a rewarding career.
“You’re working to make your neighbourhood better, you’re working to make your town better,” he said.
He said he believes the lack of candidates could be a reflection of how the pandemic changed workflow perspectives.
“They found a new work-life balance, and I think people are just enjoying their lives more and I think they really want to do that. So in a sense, it’s a bit of poor timing for the election to be happening now because people are just getting out there in the sun and enjoying their lives,” said Jaworsky.
Former Regional councillor, Jane Mitchell agrees, adding that the pandemic has changed other perspectives too.
She said hostility against politicians right now is a factor some may be considering. She's heard from current local politicians who say they've received death threats.
“Which we didn't get years ago. I mean, yeah people would phone you up and maybe swear or do stuff, but nothing like this,” said Mitchell.
The job comes with a lot of stress, and the pay for the job hasn’t kept up.
Pin said the pay is usually somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000 dollars a year, so many councillors also have to work additional jobs.
Pin said a lack of names could be a sign the public is happy with the sole name already set for the ballot.
“Some people might be watching just to see whose going to run in a race before they throw their hat in the ring, said Pin. “So it’s not over yet.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.