Windsor’s next council will feature four first-time councillors and one returning member, bringing different perspectives to half of the city’s 10 ward seats. Four of those changes were guaranteed, with sitting councillors retiring or running for mayor. Ward 10 was the only race where voters defeated a councillor seeking re-election. The incoming representatives have plans for safer streets, neighbourhood improvements and greater public involvement. Their first budget will test how those priorities fit alongside promises to limit tax increases. The only woman on Windsor’s incoming council Darcie Renaud is moving from council watcher to decisionmaker, taking over the Ward 1 seat held by mayor-elect Fred Francis. She believes that preparation will help her navigate the new role. “I read the agendas. I watched the meetings. I understand the procedures,” Renaud said. Her priorities include budgeting, transparency, and neighbourhood concerns she documented during the campaign. Renaud will also be the only woman on the incoming council. Reflecting on that responsibility, she pointed to the people who worked to get her elected. “I had this team helping me, a large number of which were women. And I know one of the reasons they were helping was because they wanted to see more women on council,” she said. “So now that I’m there and I’ll be the only one, I want to make them proud.” A return to city hall after four years away Chris Holt returns to the Ward 4 seat he left to run for mayor in 2022, replacing Mark McKenzie, who did not seek re-election. The four years away reinforced his desire to participate directly in decisions about Windsor’s future. “It was very difficult sitting and not being able to do anything,” Holt said. His focus remains on land use and transportation. He argues that the cost of expanding into areas such as Sandwich South needs closer scrutiny, particularly as Windsor faces pressure to fund housing and services. “There are smart ways to build our community that gives us the cash to back that up,” he said. Holt and Francis were first elected to council in 2014. Holt expressed optimism about working together, while acknowledging they approach some issues differently. “We might not see eye to eye on everything.” Bringing a classroom perspective to council Ken Acton succeeds Ed Sleiman in Ward 5, with a focus on community services, housing and traffic safety. A teacher, Acton plans to continue working in the classroom, saying it will help him stay connected to what young people care about. His approach to the council role also leaves room for residents to challenge his assumptions. “Some of the best things we can do is have conversations with individuals to understand what their perspective is, and it can change or enhance our opinion,” Acton said. Acton wants to explore development opportunities that expand the tax base and help pay for community priorities without placing the entire burden on existing residents. He acknowledges that his first municipal budget will be a learning experience. “I’m going to look to some guidance from senior councillors on that,” he said. Windsor’s first councillor of Filipino descent Jeremy Renaud becomes Windsor’s first councillor of Filipino descent, succeeding longtime Ward 6 representative Jo-Anne Gignac. His victory follows an unsuccessful council campaign in 2022. The day after the election, the result was still sinking in. “Still absorbing and taking it in and enjoying the moment,” he said. Renaud wants to develop a 20-year plan for Riverside through a proposed Riverside Community Collaborative, including a ward advisory council and working committees. Roads, infrastructure and flood mitigation are among his priorities. For other community initiatives, he sees opportunities to apply his experience in sports fundraising and nonprofit management. “I know where to seek funding, from different types of grants and opportunities and initiate fundraising initiatives so we don’t have to rely on municipal tax dollars,” he said. Renaud is also thinking beyond his own tenure, offering to mentor whoever eventually succeeds him, even if they have different political views. Third time’s the charm in Ward 10 After campaigns in 2018 and 2022, Mark Masanovich defeated incumbent Jim Morrison to win Ward 10. His election night reaction reflected the years spent pursuing the seat. “Third time is definitely the charm,” Masanovich said. “Feels a lot better than the previous two times.” He identified road safety and aging infrastructure as leading concerns raised during the campaign, including intersections and routes used by drivers travelling between other wards. “When there’s a problem in Ward 10, in terms of infrastructure, it may be a hiccup for Ward 10, but it creates all kinds of indigestion right across the city,” he said. Masanovich said he looks forward to working with his new colleagues while ensuring his ward’s needs are represented. For the incoming council, the 2027 budget will bring those individual priorities into a shared spending plan. Francis campaigned on keeping tax increases at or below inflation, leaving councillors to weigh new initiatives against existing commitments. Darcie Renaud is already urging residents to consider the timeline for delivering change. “So, I don’t see us all being able to deliver everything we promised, in the 2027 budget at all,” she said. “A lot of competing priorities. It’s going to be tough.”
