2000 Greater Sudbury municipal election

The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2000 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date.

The election chose the mayor and city councillors who would sit on the new Greater Sudbury City Council from 2000 to 2003, as well as trustees for the four school boards (Rainbow District School Board, Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l'Ontario and Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario) that serve the city.

Issues

The city of Greater Sudbury, in its current form, did not yet exist on the election date, but was legislated to come into effect on January 1, 2001. On the election date, the former government structure of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury and its seven constituent municipalities was still in place. The election, however, was held to choose the new city council.

The municipal amalgamation was controversial and unpopular, especially in the suburban municipalities. Virtually all of the municipal councils had only nominal authority over their own affairs throughout the year, as much of their power was transferred to the appointed transition board — consisting of Jim Ashcroft, Ron MacDonald, George Lund, Jim Griffin, Maurice Lamoureux, Gaetan Doucet and Terry Lee — which was overseeing the amalgamation.[1] For example, Valley East's city council attempted in June to reduce its property taxes due to a budget surplus, but was overruled by the board as the council had lost its authority to adjust taxes during the transition period.[2] The transition board also had sole authority over issues such as staffing decisions,[3] user fees for municipal services,[4] the possible closure of some public library branches, the structure and status of Greater Sudbury Utilities,[5] and the new city's organizational structure, budget and tax assessment rates for 2001.[1] Its operations throughout the year were frequently criticized as secretive and undemocratic,[6] with some critics, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees, alleging that the board was preparing a sweeping privatization plan.[7] Lamoureux, a former mayor of the pre-amalgamation city of Sudbury, also faced some controversy when he resigned from the transition board to register as a candidate for city council.

By election day, the transition board claimed that it had identified $13.8 million in savings as a result of the amalgamation process.[8]

Election and inauguration

With many incumbent councillors from all of the old municipalities running for a vastly reduced number of seats on the new amalgamated city council, many respected longtime councillors went down to defeat.[9] Losses included longtime Sudbury councillors Ricardo de la Riva and Jim Ilnitski, Walden mayor Dick Johnstone, and Nickel Centre councillor Russ Thompson.[9]

The new council was nominally sworn in on December 9, 2000, at the same time as in other Ontario municipalities;[10] however, this was purely ceremonial and the council was unable to conduct any city business until the transition board's political authority was transferred back to them on January 1, 2001.[10]

Mayoral race

The winner of the mayoral race was Jim Gordon, the long-serving mayor of the former city of Sudbury. Gordon did not face serious opposition, and secured over 80 per cent of the vote.

2000 Greater Sudbury municipal election, Mayor of Greater Sudbury
Candidate Total votes % of total votes
Jim Gordon 44,220 81.0
Mary Fournier Pagnutti 3,923 7.2
Rick Doyon 3,668 6.7
Carl St. John 1,955 3.6
Ed Pokonzie 472 0.9
David Popescu 339 0.6

Council races

Ward 1

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
Eldon Gainer 4,245 26.9
Gerry McIntaggart 3,543 22.5
Vicki Kett 2,858 18.1
Dick Johnstone 2,371 15.0
Joe Cimino 1,998 12.7
Jim Chénier 745 4.7
Total valid votes 15,759

Ward 2

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
Lionel Lalonde 5,257 31.7
Ron Bradley 4,126 24.9
Claude Berthiaume 3,388 20.4
Jim Ilnitski 2,618 15.8
Bill Hedderson 1,186 7.2
Total valid votes 16,575

Ward 3

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
Ron Dupuis 2,907 19.8
Louise Portelance 2,617 17.8
André Rivest 2,340 15.9
Joe Niceforo 1,916 13.0
Maurice Lamoureux 1,395 9.5
Marc Landry 1,011 6.9
Roger Trottier 1,000 6.8
Leonard Zivny 913 6.2
Nicky Doyon 585 4.0
Total valid votes 14,684

Ward 4

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
Ted Callaghan 4,213 32.8
Dave Kilgour 4,066 31.7
Russ Thompson 3,022 23.5
Rachel Proulx 1,540 12.0
Total valid votes 12,841

Ward 5

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
Doug Craig 5,599 35.4
Austin Davey 3,386 21.4
Mila Wong 2,958 18.7
Peter McMullen 2,956 18.7
Marvin Julian 896 5.7
Total valid votes 15,795

Ward 6

Two to be elected.

Candidate Votes %
David Courtemanche 4,357 28.6
Mike Petryna 3,329 21.9
Janet Gasparini 2,939 19.3
Ricardo de la Riva 2,494 16.4
Claire Pilon 1,460 9.6
Ernie Savard 636 4.2
Total votes 15,215 100.00

School trustees
2000 Greater Sudbury municipal election, Trustee, Area One
Candidate Total votes % of total votes
Gord Santala 2,349 46.09
(x)Muiriel MacLeod 2,150 42.18
Stephen L. Butcher 598 11.73
Total valid votes 5,097 100.00

References
  1. "Transition selections good ones". Sudbury Star, January 30, 2000.
  2. "Year in Review: Transition board busy in June". Sudbury Star, December 28, 2000.
  3. "Two key managers picked for new city". Sudbury Star, September 20, 2000.
  4. "Transition board to reconsider ice-time fees". Sudbury Star, May 16, 2000.
  5. "Transition board has to decide whether to pull the plug on hydro: Decision comes Tuesday". Sudbury Star, July 22, 2000.
  6. "Union rips transition board". Sudbury Star, April 18, 2000.
  7. "Union calls for public meeting: Transition board, CUPE at odds over plans for new city". Sudbury Star, August 19, 2000.
  8. "Transition board finds $13.8-M in savings". Sudbury Star, November 11, 2000.
  9. "Lots of upsets in ward races: De la Riva, Ilnitski among 8 incumbents who lost last night"]. Sudbury Star, November 14, 2000.
  10. "Council set to take reins of City of Greater Sudbury". Sudbury Star, December 9, 2000.
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