With George Pirie being MPP-elect, there's an opening at the head of the Timmins council table.
Because there's a municipal election in October, there are limited options to fill the vacancy.
Pirie has sat as mayor since 2018 and won the Timmins MPP seat on June 2, ousting longtime NDP MPP Gilles Bisson.
Since early May, Pirie has been on unpaid leave from the city.
In Timmins, when the mayor is away the deputy mayor chairs meetings and fulfills the duties at community events.
A deputy mayor is not elected here, however, a schedule determined at the start of the term has each councillor taking a turn in the position. Coun. Kristin Murray started her time as deputy mayor on June 1. Coun. Michelle Boileau held the position when the leave started in May.
The options
The earliest the mayor's seat can be declared vacant is on Tuesday, June 7 at the next Timmins council meeting.
Under the Municipal Act, when there's a vacancy at the council table, the municipality has 60 days to appoint someone to fill the position or call a byelection. Except for in an election year.
Earlier in this term, for example, when Noella Rinaldo resigned from her Ward 5 seat council appointed Cory Robin. In the 2018 election, he lost by two votes and was the person with the next-most votes in the ward.
Holding a byelection isn't an option with the mayor's seat right now as the Municipal Elections Act doesn't allow for one after March 31 in an election year.
In an election year, the vacancy doesn't have to be filled if it occurs within 90 days before voting day.
TimminsToday has asked the city about its plan to fill the mayor's seat. It's expecting to release more details later today.
Timmins isn't the only municipality where the mayor took a leave to run for higher office.
In Collingwood, its mayor also ran for the PCs and won the Simcoe-Grey riding yesterday. Ahead of the provincial election, Collingwood council approved a plan to deal with the mayoral vacancy.
That municipality's plan is to appoint the deputy mayor to fill the mayor's seat after July 26. Because they have an elected deputy mayor, a councillor will be appointed as deputy mayor and the vacant councillor seat would not have to be filled as it's within 90 days of the municipal election.
