The City of Peterborough 2022 Municipal Election has finished. After months of campaigning these candidates now know the ultimate answer. The election saw a turnout of 40.15% compared to 48.31% in 2018. The 2018 election saw the most diverse council in Peterborough’s history with the election of Stephen Wright, Kim Zippel, and Kemi Akapo as councillors and Diane Therrien as Mayor. 2022 saw another cohort of diverse candidates, but how did the council turnout?

Here are the results (as of 9AM Tuesday 25th October 2022):

Former MPP Jeff Leal will be taking his seat soon in the Mayor’s office winning with a 49.33% of votes,  edging out Councillor Henry Clarke (31.63%) and Councillor Stephen Wright (14.99%). This means the existing council members will not be returning to City Hall this November. Wild card candidates Brian Lumsden and Victor Kruez received 2.78% and 1.26% respectively.

In Otonabee Ward (Ward 1) incumbent Councillor Lesley Parnell was re-elected with 40.82%, a significant margin over her ward-mate, new council member Kevin Duguay. Councillor Kim Zippel did not run for re-election.

Monaghan Ward (Ward 2) saw incumbent council member Don Vassiliadis come a close second with 24.08% and new councillor Matt Crowley captured 28% of votes. Henry Clarke did not run for re-election to his ward seat but rather entered the mayoral race.

Town Ward (Ward 3) saw longtime incumbent Dean Pappas lose his seat to local artist and activist Alex Bierk (30.79%) and former teacher Joy Lachica (27.33%). Pappas was the only councillor up for re-election to lose his seat. Lachica is now one of only two women sitting on city council.

Incumbent councillors Keith Riel and Gary Baldwin of Ashburnham Ward (Ward 4) were re-elected with 40.07% and 35.71% respectively. Program Director for One Roof Community Centre and former Green Party candidate Andrew MacGregor gave a strong challenge with 24.23% of votes. 

Finally, Northcrest Ward (Ward 5) incumbent Andrew Beamer was re-elected with 38.28% and 2014-2018 council member Dave Haacke returns to his seat with 22.32% of votes. Stephen Wright did not run for re-election in this ward, instead competing with former council-mate Henry Clarke for mayor.

So overall, we have a new mayor, five new council members, and five returning councillors. This creates a significantly less diverse council with just two women and no people of colour sitting for the next four years. If you want to get involved on city council issues make sure you hold your councillors to account, sit on committees, attend council meetings as a delegation, and keep up to date with local news!