Barrie, Ont., has a new head of council this time around, with Alex Nuttall elected as the city’s next mayor.
The City of Barrie’s unofficial election results webpage is showing Monday night that Nuttall has won with over 13,400 votes, with councillor Barry Ward coming in second with just over 12,600 votes.
The webpage shows that only 30.45 per cent of eligible voters came out to cast a ballot in this election.
Before being elected mayor, Nuttall served from 2006 to 2014 as councillor for Ward 10, before serving one term as member of parliament representing the residents in the district of Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte.
Nuttall told Global News his platform is focused on addressing “the growing pains of an expanding city and unleashing Barrie’s potential for a thriving community for its residents.”
“This is my time to give back to the city that gave so much to me as a child,” Nuttall said.
Nuttall said he moved to Barrie in 1989, after migrating to Canada with his family from Liverpool, England.
Growing up in government housing, Nuttal said he was “blessed to be raised in a community with such incredible support.”
Nuttall was one of seven candidates who put their hats in the ring to take over from three-term mayor Jeff Lehman after he decided he would not seek a fourth term.
Two wards were acclaimed, with candidates in those wards running unopposed. Both councillors Robert Thomas Ward 5 and Ward 7’s Gary Harvey were re-elections with no competition.
Council will have a few new faces but will be much if the same, with six of 10 councillors winning re-election.
Mayor: Alex Nuttall
Councillors
Ward 1: Clare Riepma (re-elected)
Ward 2: Craig Nixon
Ward 3: Ann-Marie Kungl (re-elected)
Ward 4: Amy Courser
Ward 5: Robert Thomas (re-elected)
Ward 6: Nigussie Nigussie
Ward 7: Gary Harvey (re-elected)
Ward 8: Jim Harris (re-elected)
Ward 9: Sergio Morales (re-elected)
Ward 10: Bryn Hamilton