Prince Edward County will have a new mayor as Robert Quaiff won’t be seeking re-election after a 17-year run in municipal politics.
Quaiff announced in June he would not be running after a failed bid as a provincial Liberal candidate. Quaiff was first elected as a councillor in 2000 and was elected mayor in 2014.
That opens the door for three candidates — two of them current ward councillors. Ward 9 Coun. Steve Ferguson and Ward 4 Coun. Dianne O’Brien have tossed their names into the race along with Picton mechanic/business owner Richard Whiten.
Candidates
Mayor
Steve Ferguson (current Ward 9 councillor)
Dianne O’Brien (current Ward 4 councillor)
Richard Whiten
Ward 1 Picton (2 to be elected)
Stephanie Bell
Ray Hobson
Phil St. Jean
Kate MacNaughton
Mark Rose
Barry Turpin (current Ward 2 councillor)
Ward 2 Bloomfield/Hallowell (2 to be elected)
Gord Fox (incumbent)
Gil Leclerc
Brad Nieman (incumbent)
Phil Prinzen
Ward 3 Wellington (1 to be elected)
Jim Dunlop (incumbent)
Mike Harper
Brent Kleinsteuber
Ward 4 Ameliasburgh (3 to be elected)
Andreas Bolik
Paul Boyd
Tim Fellows
Janice Maynard (incumbent)
Michael McLeod
Bill McMahon
Roy Pennell (incumbent)
Terry Shortt
Ward 5 Athol (1 to be elected)
Nicola Chapman
Jamie Forrester (incumbent)
Bob Rogers
Ward 6 Sophiasburgh (1 to be elected)
Bill Roberts (acclaimed)
Ward 7 Hillier (1 to be elected)
Angie Baldwin
Steve Graham (incumbent)
Ernest Margetson
Ward 8 North Marysburgh (1 to be elected)
Stewart Bailey
David Harrison (incumbent)
Ward 9 South Marysburgh (1 to be elected)
Geoff Church
John Hirsch
Brian Sword
Elis Ziegler
The county
Despite its name, Prince Edward County is a single-tier municipal government which includes a number of centres including Picton, Wellington, Ameliasburg, Bloomfield, Carrying Place to name a few. The area is a vacation and culinary destination with its numerous vineyards, wineries, restaurants, bed and breakfast outlets and the Sandbanks Provincial Park on Lake Ontario.
Population (2016)
24,735
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/Ont. median
$99,686/$75,369
Crime Severity Index (2016) – municipal/Ont.
40.35/55.40
Violent Crime Severity Index (2017) – municipal/Ont.
39.31/68.69
Political representation
Federal
Neil Ellis (Liberal) – Bay of Quinte
Provincial
Todd Smith (Progressive Conservative) – Bay of Quinte