Siscoe secures second term as Insinna defeats Redekop in Fort Erie

Voters in St. Catharines and Fort Erie chose different paths in Monday’s municipal election, returning Mayor Mat Siscoe to office in the Garden City while electing Tom Insinna to lead Fort Erie. The results also brought a mix of familiar faces and new representatives to both councils, as each municipality prepares for the next four years.

 ST. CATHARINES

As last evening’s results came in, voters once again made their voices heard. In St. Catharines, Mayor Mat Siscoe, as expected, secured a solid re-election victory and will continue as head of council in the Garden City. Siscoe came in as the heavy favourite and worked hard to reassure voters of his leadership.

With four challengers vying to topple him, his opposition was divided and unable to gain traction, even though Ann-Marie Zammit pushed an aggressive infrastructure upgrade agenda after the summer flooding affected many homes, especially in the north end of the city. Anthony Adeoye recommended that professional engineers provide guidance, but Siscoe defended his decisions and claimed that spending on water and stormwater infrastructure had tripled during his tenure. In conjunction with his role as mayor, Siscoe will also serve as the city’s sole representative on Regional Council under recent provincial legislation.

The former St Patrick’s representative on council will have a new team to work with, though many familiar faces will sit around the table. Joining Sisco will be Merriton’s Jackie Lindal, returning for a second term, and the newly elected Matt Aymar. Addressing the homelessness and addictions crisis will be a top priority for the Ward’s new council members. In St. Andrew’s, Matt Harris won his seat for the fifth consecutive time, and if he finishes his term, he will complete 20 years as a representative. His council partner will be a fresh face, Bryan Blue. In St. George’s (including Scott St. North, Eastchester, and the QEW, the area by the Welland Canal, and Geneva Street and Welland Avenue), Mike Britton, a long-time councillor and former mayoral candidate, reclaimed his old seat. Sal Sorrento will also return to city hall after serving as a Regional Councillor for the past four years. Britton, who has had a colourful political career since arriving on the scene as a 24-year-old in 2014, won easily, while Sorrento pulled ahead early and never looked back. St Patrick’s Ward, which covers the downtown core, midtown, and west-central parts of the city, includes the neighbourhoods of The Haig, Martindale, the northern portion of Louth, and the former GM Plant Site. It re-elected its two incumbent councillors, Robin McPherson and Caleb Ratzlaff. McPherson wants the plant site’s owners to be responsible for cleanup and rezoning for affordable housing. Both members have plenty of work ahead, as the campaign drew attention to numerous issues, including stormwater infrastructure, housing affordability, and property taxes. St. Catharines’ Ward 5, Grantham, the Garden City’s northeastern residential powerhouse, sits on the shores of Lake Ontario and the Welland Canal. Councillors Dawn Dodge and Bill Phillips were re-elected, securing strong victories. And in Ward 6, Port Dalhousie, two more incumbents, Marty Mako and Bruce Williamson, will continue to represent the north-end community, with public safety at Lakeside Park, waterfront development, and long-term pier management as high-priority issues in the picturesque community known for its unique village charm.

FORT ERIE

In Fort Erie, demand for change and a growing conservative presence created obstacles for incumbent Wayne Redekop. Early results put challenger Regional Councillor Tom Insinna ahead. The question became whether his lead would survive in the strongholds Redekop had enjoyed over his long tenure at the helm of the border town’s council. The competing camps entered a waiting game as updated results slowly appeared on computer screens. Once a good portion of the votes had been tallied, it became clear that Insinna would upset Mayor Redekop, who was seeking a seventh term in office. By 9:00, Redekop had conceded defeat. Insinna captured 52% of the vote, beating Redekop’s 5,065 by over 6,400 votes. Change seemed to dominate the thinking, and Insinna’s efforts paid off big as he pulled off an upset many would not have predicted before the campaign started. How he handles the hospital issue, deals with amalgamation, and keeps score of the town’s budget will be what re-elected town councillors hold him accountable for. Gracious in defeat, Redekop spoke to supporters at his office and then at The Plaice afterwards, accepting the defeat in stride and wishing his successor well.

The council races included an acclamation in Wards 1 and 6 for George McDermott and Anne Marie Noyes, respectively. Nick Dubanow won in Ward 2 with 56% of the vote, defeating Jon Nadeau. Darren Flagg won re-election in Ward 3, taking 46% of the vote and holding off Andrew Holdsworth and Jennifer Priestly. In Ward 4, Daniel Turner’s energetic campaign helped him soundly defeat Councillor Joan Christensen, Tavis McGlashan, and Matt Paul, more than doubling the votes of all three of his opponents. Ward 5, which includes the coastal communities of Crystal Beach and Ridgeway, sent Councillor Tom Lewis back to town hall with 47% of the vote, while his three opponents split the rest.

The candidates who won this evening will have a chance at a fresh start. Some will be new to their positions, while others will be returning with a new mandate. What they make of the next four years will depend on how well they listen, what information they seek, how wisely they use resources such as town staff, and their ability to make long-term decisions. Those who lost this evening should rest well, knowing they contributed to their communities and gave up significant personal time, or perhaps financial gain, to serve the people in their neighbourhoods. Whether they hold a title or not, they can still serve and give back to their towns and cities. Let’s hope they keep doing so. The people have spoken. They want a new voice in Fort Erie but have chosen to renew Mayor Sisco’s mandate. The people are always right in a democracy, and the winners must now take up the chore of governing.