Lovatt Says Ward 4 Voters ‘Wanted to See Change,’ Offers Advice to New Councillors

• Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt says patience will be key for three new members joining Council following the Oct. 26 municipal election.
• Jared Simpson won the open Ward 2 seat, while Bryan Stott and Erik Gordon unseated incumbents Keith Acton in Ward 3 and Rick Upton in Ward 4.
• Lovatt’s top advice to incoming councillors is to temper expectations, saying “politics is slow, government does not move quickly.”
• Following the Nov. 18 inauguration, the Mayor plans to meet with each Councillor and the Town’s CAO to discuss what was heard at the doors and how it can be reflected in budgets and plans.
• Lovatt says Ward 4 voters “certainly wanted to see change happen,” adding he was surprised by the size of Gordon’s win after a late entry into the race.
• The Mayor thanked all candidates who ran and encouraged those not elected to stay involved through Town committees, volunteering, and future campaigns.

Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt says patience will be one of the most important qualities for newly elected councillors as they prepare to join Council following the Oct. 26 municipal election.

The election will bring three new faces to the Council table. Jared Simpson was elected in Ward 2, replacing retiring Councillor Maurice Smith. In Ward 3, Bryan Stott upset incumbent Keith Acton, while Erik Gordon captured the Ward 4 seat, defeating incumbent Rick Upton.

Asked what advice he would offer incoming members, Lovatt said new councillors should temper expectations of immediate change.

“The best advice that I was given when I first got elected in 2014 was not to come in thinking you’re going to change everything immediately,” Lovatt said. “You’ve just come off an election. You heard a lot at the doors from people, and it’s time to put a strategy together on how to try to enact some of what you’ve heard.”

Lovatt said one of the biggest lessons he learned after entering municipal politics was that government moves much more slowly than the private sector.

“Politics is slow. Government does not move quickly,” he said. “There are cycles of Council meetings, reports have to be written, and public transparency is important. Things do take a lot longer than we would like. Being patient is another important virtue for the new incoming members of Council.”

The Mayor said one of Council’s first tasks after the Nov. 18 inauguration will be establishing priorities for the new term. He plans to meet with each member of Council and the Town’s CAO to discuss what they heard from residents during the campaign and how those concerns can be reflected in future budgets and planning.

“I came to learn what they heard,” Lovatt said. “When you’re talking to a family at their door, it’s different. Understanding what they heard, what those priorities are, and how to put a strategy in place to implement some of those ideas is going to be key.”

One of the most closely watched races in the election was Ward 4, where Upton finished fourth in a seven-candidate field. The result followed an Integrity Commissioner investigation that found Upton engaged in repeated inappropriate, unwelcome, and sexualized conduct toward Town Staff, which was scrutinized by the public throughout the campaign.

While Provincial regulations do not currently allow municipal councils to remove a sitting member for such offences, Lovatt called for Upton’s resignation last December.

Earlier this year, Lovatt wrote to Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack as the Province consulted on regulations under Bill 9, Ontario’s new municipal accountability law. Rather than requiring unanimous council approval as part of declaring a seat vacant following qualifying misconduct findings, Lovatt argued a two-thirds majority vote would be more appropriate.

The Mayor never mentioned Upton’s name when commenting on the Ward 4 race, but said voters delivered a clear message.

“I do believe that Ward 4 spoke, and they certainly wanted to see change happen,” he said. “That’s certainly indicative of who won, and then who came second and third, as well.”

Lovatt said he was surprised by the scale of Gordon’s victory, noting his entry into the race came later than many of his opponents.

“Erik got involved very late in the game,” Lovatt said. “Clearly, Erik’s personality and what he was relaying back to residents at the doors really resonated.”

Lovatt said he is looking forward to working with Gordon and the rest of the incoming Council.

“I’m happy that he’s won,” Lovatt said. “He seems like a great guy, and we’re going to have a great term at Council ahead of us.”

The Mayor also thanked all candidates who ran but were not elected, saying the community benefits when residents put their names forward for public office.

“It takes a lot of guts to put your name forward, put a campaign together, and put yourself out there for five months,” he said. “Having choice is important for the electorate.”

He encouraged unsuccessful candidates to remain involved in the community through Town committees, volunteer opportunities, and future election campaigns.

“I hope this is just the beginning for many of them,” Lovatt said. “I hope they will continue over the next four years to elevate their profile and their thoughts. Hopefully, a number of them will consider running again.”