Windsor City Council welcomes five new members after local vote

Windsor City Council will begin its next term with five new members. Four of these individuals are new to the board, while one is a former councillor returning to a seat he previously held. The changes follow a municipal election held on Monday, which saw voters fill four vacant positions created by colleagues leaving for higher office or retiring.

Darcie Renaud has taken the Ward 1 seat. She replaces Fred Francis, who is the mayor-elect for the city. Renaud ran for this specific ward in the two previous election cycles. She has stated that restoring the Transit Windsor school extras is a top priority for her first year. Those buses were removed from the schedule by council during the 2025 budget process.

Renaud explained that the school extras helped students arrive at class on time without placing the transportation cost on their families. Approximately 650 students relied on these designated buses to travel to four local schools. These include Riverside Secondary School and Massey, both under the public school board, and St. Joseph’s Catholic High School and Holy Names, which are part of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board.

Chris Holt has returned to the Ward 4 seat. He previously served as a councillor and ran for mayor in 2022. He takes over the position from Mark McKenzie, who chose not to run for re-election. Holt described the current political climate as difficult due to division, but he expressed enthusiasm for his return to public service. He praised the mayor-elect for his collaborative style, noting that he did not experience that same willingness to work together during his two previous terms on council.

Ken Acton has been elected to represent Ward 5. This marks the first time since 2010 that the ward has a new representative. Acton replaces Ed Sleiman, who is 83 years old and did not seek another term. Acton said he wants to focus on grassroots community building. He cited specific goals such as introducing new services, stimulating local business, and implementing traffic calming measures to create walkable neighborhoods.

Jeremy Renaud won the Ward 6 seat, replacing Jo-Anne Gignac. Gignac did not seek re-election after serving on the city council for 23 years. Renaud identified infrastructure completion as a key focus for his tenure. He listed specific projects that must stay on track, including the St. Rose Pumping Station and the St. Paul Pumping Station. He also pointed to ongoing work on the Little River Drain and the Vista Project on Riverside as major items to monitor.

Mark Masanovich secured the Ward 10 seat in a rematch against incumbent Jim Morrison. Morrison served two terms but finished third in the voting. Masanovich lost to Morrison by 138 votes in the 2022 race. Masanovich said air quality was a frequent topic during his campaign. He noted that the Zalev scrapyard remains a long-term business in the center of the city. He plans to push for better air quality monitoring in and around Ward 10 to provide residents with peace of mind.

Five incumbent councillors won re-election alongside the new members. Frazier Fathers retained his seat in Ward 2. Renaldo Agostino was re-elected in Ward 3. Angelo Marignani kept his position in Ward 7. Gary Kaschak remained in Ward 8. Kieran McKenzie was re-elected in Ward 9. The full council will now move forward with its legislative duties under the leadership of the new mayor.

The new composition of the council reflects a shift in representation across five of the city's ten wards. The incoming members have outlined specific local issues they intend to address, ranging from school transportation to industrial air monitoring. The board will convene to organize its committees and set its legislative agenda for the coming term.