Information for mayor and council candidates

To run for mayor or councillor, a person must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years of age
• a resident of the City of Guelph
• an owner or tenant of land in the City of Guelph, or the spouse of the owner or tenant
• not legally prohibited from voting
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

The following people are disqualified from being elected as a member of council, or from holding office as a member of council:

• Any person who is not eligible to vote in the municipality
• A judge of any court
• A member of the Provincial Legislature, the Federal House of Commons or Senate who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations (proof of resignation must be provided by the close of nominations or the city clerk will not certify the nomination)
• A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement(s) in the last municipal election or by-election
• An inmate serving a sentence in a penal or correctional institution
• An employee of the City who has not taken an unpaid leave of absence or resigned. Employees of the City of Guelph who wish to run for mayor or councillor must take an unpaid leave of absence before filing a nomination paper. The employee must provide a copy of the documentation showing that they have taken the leave of absence and the effective date

Mayor and Councillors. The mayor is elected at large, and the councillors are elected by ward. There are two Councillors elected for each of the six wards.

The length of term is four years, from November 15, 2022 to November 14, 2026.

Guelph’s population by ward, derived from 2021 Statistics Canada data, is as follows:

The above information is based on the new ward boundaries.

The Committee of the Whole, comprised of all members of council, meets the first Monday of every month at 2 p.m. Meetings of City Council are generally held the third and fourth Mondays of every month at 6:30 p.m.

Meetings that are closed to the public, as required, are generally scheduled prior to public council meetings. This schedule will vary slightly during the year in order to accommodate holidays, summer vacation periods and special meetings.

The office of the mayor is a full-time commitment. Hours will vary and often include day, evening and weekend hours.

The time commitment will vary and often include day, evening and weekend hours.

The 2022 salary for the mayor and members of council is indicated below. The Council Remuneration Advisory Committee provided recommendations to council regarding salaries for the 2022 – 2026 term of council, and the following was approved by City Council on March 28, 2022: 

• Mayor – $152,500 per year
• Councillor – $47,446 per year

Benefits provided to the mayor and councillors include:

• Group life insurance
• Dependant life insurance
• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Extended health benefits including travel
• Dental benefits

According to the Municipal Act, it is the role of the mayor to

• act as the Chief Executive Officer of the municipality
• preside over council meetings
• provide leadership to the council
• provide information and recommendations to the council with respect to the role of council
• to represent the municipality at official functions
• carry out the duties of the head of council under legislation

According to the Municipal Act, it is the role of council is to

• represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality
• develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality
• determine which services the municipality provides
• ensure that administrative practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of council
• ensure accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality
• maintain the financial integrity of the municipality
• carry out the duties of council under legislation