THUNDER BAY — When city voters go to the polls on Oct. 26, 2026, they may be choosing a city council under a system that's radically different from the existing structure.
The city's Council Composition Review Committee is suggesting two options, neither of which even remotely resembles the existing hybrid system of seven ward councillors and five at-large councillors.
Under one proposal, council would be reduced from 13 members to 11, including the mayor.
But the more significant change would see the seven wards reduced to four large wards with roughly equal populations, and two councillors elected in each ward.
All four wards would stretch from the waterfront in the east all the way to the city's western boundary.
There would also be two at-large councillors.
The second option would do away with wards completely, leaving voters to elect 10 councillors at-large.
Former councillor Rebecca Johnson, who chairs the committee, sees advantages to having four wards that all stretch across broad swaths of the city.
"It's innovative. They're balanced by population, by income, by the very sectors, whether it's the waterfront, commercial, industrial, inner city, a bit of the rural . . . They're balanced, and that was probably the best selling component. We also really like the clear definition of where the boundaries would be."
The proposed boundaries for the new wards were drawn by city administration at the committee's request.
Johnson believes there would also be advantages for rural residents.
"Every councillor will have a piece of the rural area, so they will hopefully have a better understanding of the roads, for example. Some people don't understand septic tanks. So everybody will be more knowledgeable instead of just a couple of councillors."
Another significant change would see the wards identified by numbers (1 through 4) rather than by names.
"We don't even know of another municipality that uses names," Johnson said. "They use numbers. That takes away from, what will I call it, the parochialism of a ward name . . . We don't have to define what part of the city it is."
Public consultations on the committee's report will begin with the launch of a survey next month, with input to be considered before a final recommendation goes to city council in February 2025.
The survey will include a question seeking feedback on whether residents would prefer an all-ward system only, eliminating the at-large component completely.
Johnson said she's waiting to hear what voters have to say in the coming weeks, and hopes more community members become engaged in the process.
