Windsor Council Sees Five Turnovers as Voters Elect New Representatives

Windsor City Council will look very different next term. Voters elected four new members and one returning councillor on Monday. This shift leaves five seats on the board changing hands.

The turnover was driven by four vacancies created by outgoing officials. Some chose not to seek re-election, while others ran for higher office. Darcie Renaud took the Ward 1 seat previously held by new mayor-elect Fred Francis. Renaud ran unsuccessfully for the ward in the last two elections.

Renaud plans to focus on transit issues. She wants to restore the Transit Windsor school extra routes. Council eliminated those routes in the 2025 budget. An estimated 650 students relied on those buses to attend Riverside Secondary School, Massey, St. Joseph’s Catholic High School, and Holy Names. Renaud says the routes helped families avoid extra costs.

Chris Holt returned to his old seat in Ward 4. He replaces Mark McKenzie, who did not run again. Holt served on council previously and ran for mayor in 2022. He praised incoming mayor Francis for his collaborative style. Holt said he did not experience that level of cooperation during his two previous terms.

Ward 5 selected Ken Acton to replace Ed Sleiman. Sleiman, 83, stepped down. This is the first time the ward has a new representative since 2010. Acton wants to return to community-focused principles. He cited traffic calming and service improvements as ways to build walkable neighborhoods.

Jeremy Renaud won the Ward 6 seat. He replaces Jo-Anne Gignac, who left after 23 years on council. Jeremy Renaud listed infrastructure as a top priority. He named the St. Rose and St. Paul Pumping Stations, the Little River Drain, and the Vista Project on Riverside as key items to finish.

Mark Masanovich won Ward 10, defeating two-term incumbent Jim Morrison. Masanovich lost this seat to Morrison by 138 votes in 2022. He plans to push for better air quality monitoring in the area. He noted that the Zalev scrapyard remains a long-term business in the city. Five other incumbents kept their seats: Frazier Fathers, Renaldo Agostino, Angelo Marignani, Gary Kaschak, and Kieran McKenzie.