THUNDER BAY – Coun. Peng You is moving forward with his push to shrink the size of Thunder Bay’s city council.
The councillor has announced his intention to seek a ballot question for the 2022 municipal election, which would ask residents if they’re in favour of reducing the body from 13 to 9, including the mayor, and with all elected at-large, ditching the ward system.
You presented a similar motion in June, but was advised by city clerk Krista Power that council would first need to rescind a vote from last year to review council’s size and composition in 2023.
That’s the earliest date Power advised council her office could complete a full report with adequate community consultation to inform the decision.
You will file notice to rescind that decision at Monday's council meeting, with city council set to debate the question on Oct. 25. The notice period is required to rescind a previous decision under council's procedural bylaws.
“It is my belief that… consultation would not provide council with sufficient information to make a determination of the will of the electorate,” he wrote in a memo accompanying his motion. “On the other hand, I believe my plebiscite question will provide us with some definitive answers about the issue, one that has been the subject of considerable debate in the community for decades.”
You said if his motion to rescind passes later this month, he’ll bring another motion in November to add the following question to the 2022 ballot:
“Are you in favour of a smaller City Council, consisting of eight members of council elected at-large and one mayor elected at-large?”
He has argued reducing council's size would make it more efficient and less costly.
The result of the ballot question would be binding only if voter turnout hits 50 per cent or more, though Power has advised council that’s likely to occur in 2022 based on past trends.
Turnout just topped that mark in Thunder Bay’s 2018 municipal election, at around 50.68 per cent.
If passed, the change would be implemented for the 2026 election.
Coun. Kristen Oliver, who supports reducing council’s size and was the first to bring up the issue last year, has previously said You’s proposed question would bind the city to an overly specific solution without any evidence it’s the best one.
She had initially pushed for a report allowing a decision in time for the 2022 election, but along with all but three councillors, accepted administration's rationale that the COVID-19 pandemic, a heavy workload, and the need for significant public consultation required the delay.
Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated city council would debate Coun. Peng You's motion to rescind on Monday, Oct. 4. In fact, the motion to rescind will be debated on Oct. 25 after the required notice period. TBNewswatch apologizes for the error.
