Ontario municipal elections see modest gains in competition

A new analysis suggests Ontario's upcoming municipal elections are slightly more competitive than in recent years, with fewer uncontested races and more firsttime candidates. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario said nearly one in four mayors, reeves and other council leaders have been acclaimed, which is down from the last two election cycles. Across the province, 400 candidates ran unopposed, also lower than in recent elections. The report also found that 68 per cent of candidates have never held municipal office before, a small increase from 2022. The share of female candidates rose by one point to 32 per cent. AMO said the numbers are encouraging, but it still wants more effort to strengthen local democracy. Ontario has 444 municipal governments, but only 414 will hold elections next month.