Virtual event aims to empower future municipal leaders

A free virtual event on Sept. 23 aims to inspire more women and gender-diverse people to run in Ontario's 2026 municipal elections. Lyndsay Aelick explains.

A coalition of women-in-politics organizations from across Ontario is hosting a free, non-partisan virtual event designed to inspire and support women and gender-diverse individuals considering a run for municipal office or school board trustee positions in the October 2026 elections.

The free event, titled Run Where You Are, is intended to break down barriers for potential candidates. Amanda Kingsley Malo, Founder of Politics Now, a co-host of the event, stated the initiative was created to show participants that they do not need to have all the answers to take their first step.

“You just need the right support and community behind you,” she said.

High-profile speakers and regional representation

The event will feature high-profile political figures and current municipal leaders to provide both inspiration and practical insight.

“We have the former premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, who’s going to be sharing her story, her road from municipal politics as a school board trustee, into becoming the premier of Ontario,” Malo said.

The program also includes a panel of women currently serving as municipal councillors from across the province.

Malo emphasized the importance of diverse regional representation, noting the participation of a northern Ontario councillor, Kristin Murray from Timmins and expressed hope that attendees would “see themselves represented.”

A personal story: The impact of stepping up

Lisa Deacon, a councillor in the Township of Russell and a participant in the event, provided a firsthand account of the need for diverse candidates. She was approached in 2022 by Leadership féminin Prescott-Russell, another event host, to consider running for council.

“One of the big factors was, of course, the community connections that I had,” Deacon said.

“But also the reality was there were no women on the ballot at that time and the deadline to get your name on the ballot was fast approaching. So it looked like we were about to have an entirely white male council if I hadn’t put my name on it.”

Addressing the representation gap

The event directly confronts a significant representation gap in Ontario’s municipal politics.

“Only 37 percent of Ontario’s municipalities are led by women or gender-diverse individuals,” said Malo.

She highlighted a critical paradox of that fact.

“When women and gender diverse people run, they also win at a very high rate, and at a rate that is incredibly impressive.” Malo added.

The core issue, she explained, is that not enough decide to run.

“The reality is that less of them decide to run. That’s for a variety of reasons,” Malo said.

“Some of the most common reasons that we hear is that people don’t know if they’re the right fit for the job because they’ve never seen anybody that’s like that and do that job.”

A coalition for change

This representation gap is the driving force behind the coalition of hosting organizations, which include electHER Now, The Jean Collective, Leadership féminin Prescott-Russell, Municipal Campaign School, PoliticsNOW and the Waterloo Region Women’s Municipal Campaign School.

Their collective mission is to change the landscape by providing support, community and resources to prospective candidates.

Event details and registration

The Run Where You Are event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 23 and will be held via Zoom.

Organizers told CTV News that more than 100 people have already registered for the free session and confirmed that registration will not be capped to ensure the session remains accessible to all interested participants.