A preview of local mayoral races: Part three

On May 1, those interested in running for municipal offices in Niagara gained access to register. There will be no openings at the regional level because the Ford government is eliminating those positions. As a result, 19 regional councillor seats will disappear, and these councillors must seek jobs in their communities to continue serving as elected officials. Because of the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, the regional council will have 13 members: 12 mayors and a provincially appointed regional chair. Saving a discussion about ‌democratic legitimacy for later, the reduction in the number of politicians will create interesting races in several municipalities throughout the region. This article, along with two previous ones, attempts to present scenarios that could literally change the faces of the region at the end of 2026. See these links: Mayoral Races Previewed – Part One and Part Two.

Having covered the eastern municipalities of Niagara and the centrally located ones, part three will focus on areas further west, including Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln, and Wainfleet. These jurisdictions have well-entrenched leaders, but change may be on the horizon in a couple of these communities. One thing to keep in mind is the machinations of the provincial government in these matters. The premier and his team have wishes in Niagara, and placing the right people in different places will require sophisticated political engineering. Involvement from the federal level will remain minor, but the ramifications for the Ford government will demand the attention of the political powerbrokers at Queen’s Park.   

GRIMSBY (Population – 28,000)

Grimsby’s location has enabled it to experience significant growth over the past several decades. While it still has ties to an agricultural past, the community has diversified its industry, welcomed development, and moved far beyond being a sleepy small town. Proof of this dynamic growth may be in the interest that the mayor’s job has already attracted. Mayor Jeff Jordan has announced his intention to run for a third term, emphasizing the construction of a new hospital as an achievement and securing a GO station in Grimsby during his next term, should he win. Also declaring for the town’s highest office are Regional Councillor Michelle Seaborn, Ward 3 Councillor Veronica Charrois, and local businessman Simon Doung, chair of the BIA. Seaborn believes her experience at the regional level will be essential to the town’s transition to a different model of municipal governance. Charrois wants to protect the interests of the residents. As for Duong, as owner of Teddy’s Sports Bar and the Junior C hockey club in town, he hopes to “lower the temperature” at council, overseeing meetings as an executive who delegates responsibilities to town staff and lets them do their job. Meanwhile, Seaborn, chair of the planning and economic development committee, and a member of the Region’s public works, corporate services, public health and social services committees, believes this background gives her the needed skills to manage the change in delivery of services in the coming term.

LINCOLN (Population – 25,216)

With long-time mayor Sandra Easton deciding to retire after 12 years in office, the race for mayor in Lincoln will produce a new head of council for the town. Easton’s retirement will coincide with a reduction in councillor seats from eight to six, streamlining the number of elected representatives for the community. Construction Project Manager Greg Reimer, and council member for two terms, has registered as a candidate for mayor. At the time of publication, Reimer is the only candidate to have filed papers to run for mayor of the community located between Grimsby and St. Catharines. 

WAINFLEET (Population – 6,750)

According to the Wainfleet election site, as of the publication of this article, no candidates have registered for the 2026-2030 term. Expect first-term Mayor Brian Grant, a third-generation resident and business owner, to seek re-election. Grant’s recent statements on regional governance reform (March 2026) and his leadership of the 2026 operating and capital budget approvals (December 2025) suggest he plans to remain active in municipal politics. Since Grant only defeated former mayor Kevin Gibson by 12 votes, some have suggested a rematch. Also mentioned are 2022 third-place finisher Alfred Kiers, or any of the present town councillors, including Joan Anderson, Terry Gilmore, John MacLellan, or Sherri Van Vliet. 

WEST LINCOLN (Population – 15,454)

Incumbent Mayor Cheryl Ganann has filed papers to seek a second term. As of publication time, no other candidates had registered to run for mayor. Neither former mayor Dave Bylsma nor any of the current councillors has yet registered for re-election to council. At the time of publication, only Jason Trombetta of Ward 1 has announced his intention to seek another term, representing the area he has served for 12 years. Time will tell whether others will entertain a contest with Ganann.   

Nominations opened on May 1. A healthy democracy encourages political participation. No one deserves anyone’s support; all must earn it. Public service comes in many forms. Holding elective office remains an important and trusted responsibility. These offices belong to the people, not the person who holds them. Let’s hope Niagara fields a robust list of candidates for all its offices. This completes an early three-part series about who could compete for the mayor’s offices across the Niagara Region.