The civic election financial statements have been posted, revealing at least $220,456 was spent on mayoral campaigns, and councillor candidates who spent the most money tended to win.
This reporting is based on candidates who have filed their financial statements with the city. The deadline to file was March 31, and eight Greater Sudbury municipal candidates had yet to do so by April 4, including two mayoral candidates.
Among mayoral campaigns, expenditures filed thus far ranged from David Popescu’s $0 to Evelyn Dutrisac’s $86,285. Her total election expenditure was followed by winning candidate Paul Lefebvre’s $69,311.
This was a rare example in last year’s civic election where the municipal candidate who spent the most money did not get elected. Dutrisac came in second place, earning 9,094 votes to Lefebvre’s 26,187.
The leading spenders in nine of the city’s 12 wards were elected on Oct. 24, 2022. This includes Ward 1 (Mark Signoretti at $6,781), Ward 2 (Michael Vagnini at $6,404.42), Ward 3 (Gerry Montpellier at $5,630.77), Ward 5 (Mike Parent at $9,483.57), Ward 6 (René Lapierre at $4,174.37), Ward 7 (Natalie Labbée at $5,440.73), Ward 9 (Deb McIntosh at $5,487.49), Ward 10 (Fern Cormier at $5,453.73) and Ward 11 (Bill Leduc at $18,258.06).
In Ward 4, Pauline Fortin narrowly beat the incumbent, Geoff McCausland, in votes, but not spending. She spent $5,806.17 to McCausland’s $8,843.17.
Incumbent Coun. Al Sizer bested candidate Patrick McCoy in a campaign for Ward 8 in which he spent only slightly less (McCoy spent $7,725.77 and Sizer spent $7,609.68). Sizer earned 1,412 votes to McCoy’s 1,060.
In Ward 12, incumbent Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann earned more votes than the campaign’s leading spender, Jeff MacIntyre, by spending $7,665 to MacIntyre’s $8,597. MacIntyre’s campaign came in second, earning 1,044 to Landry-Altmann’s 1,609.
Former mayor Brian Bigger’s campaign included a total expenditure of $34,266. He withdrew from the race in early October, though his name still appeared on the ballot. His campaign spending was followed by fellow mayoral candidates Miranda Rocca-Circelli ($17,530), Bob Johnston ($10,289) and Mila Wong ($2,775.85).
Last year’s candidates who have yet to file their financial statements with the city include mayoral candidates Don Gravelle and Devin Labranche, Ward 1 candidate Mark Facendi, Ward 4 candidate Alice Norquay, Ward 6 candidate Scott Seguin, Ward 7 candidate Randy Hazlett and Ward 8 candidates Gordon Drysdale and Bill McElree.
None of the candidates yet to file their financial statements were elected, so do not risk forfeiting their elected office, which is a penalty under the Municipal Elections Act.
All filings received to date have been posted on the city’s website, a city spokesperson said, noting that candidates who missed the March 31 deadline are able to clear their default status if they file by April 28 at 2 p.m., if they also pay a late filing fee of $500.
Those who fail to file by April 28 are barred from running in the 2026 civic election.
After April 30, the city will post a public report to their election page with the names of all candidates who ran in the election and whether they complied in filing their financial statements.
Meanwhile, civic election expenses are currently under a microscope, with the city’s latest Election Compliance Audit Committee meeting for the first time last month to set the stage for potential compliance audits in the coming months.
A handful of provincial candidates in last year’s election in Sudbury and Nickel Belt also failed to file their financial statements on time — in their case, a Dec. 2, 2022, deadline. As of late-afternoon April 4, only Sudbury Ontario Party candidate Jason Laface had yet to file.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.