On Election Day, October 24, the municipalities of Shuniah and Thunder Bay declared an emergency under the Municipal Elections Act because of a flawed ballot for English Separate School Board Trustee for the Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board that affected residents in Shuniah only.

City Clerk and Returning Officer Krista Power directed the clerks for all surrounding municipalities that encompass the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, with the exception of Shuniah, to seal and secure all ballots related to the English Language Separate School Board race at that time.

Clerk Power has been informed by the City Clerk/Returning Officer of Shuniah Kerry Bellamy that the election process for residents of the Municipality of Shuniah can now resume.

“Shuniah’s English Separate School Board Election voting period will start on Monday, November 7, 2022 at 9 am and end on Monday November 21, 2022 at 8 pm,” said Bellamy. “Residents in Shuniah will begin receiving their Voter Information letters in the mail shortly, and candidates for the Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board and the Director of the Board have been notified.”

Results for this race will not been shared publicly with candidates or scrutineers until the Municipality of Shuniah concludes its election. Residents of the City of Thunder Bay and the other surrounding municipalities including the Municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge, Neebing, Township of Gillies, O’Connor, Conmee, and the Lakehead District Localities (Unorganized) (collectively the “Surrounding Municipalities”) are unaffected as their ballots for the Thunder Bay District Catholic School Board have already been received and secured from public release.

“Ballots for the Thunder Bay District School Board race will be tabulated on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 and results announced to the public,” said Power, who holds the responsibility of tabulating all results from surrounding municipalities as per O.Reg. 412/00- Elections to and Representation on District School Boards.

Both Krista Power and Kerry Bellamy will be available in person at Thunder Bay City Hall at 11:30 am on Thursday, November 3 for photo opportunities and to respond to questions.

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Contact:       Stacey Levanen, Supervisor – Corporate Communications & Community Engagement, 625-3650