Ontario municipal and school board elections yield significant shifts

Municipal and school board elections held on October 26, 2026, in Ontario resulted in several leadership changes across the province. In eastern Ontario, Conny Glenn defeated three-term incumbent Bryan Paterson to become the new mayor of Kingston by a margin of 793 votes. Other mayoral shifts occurred in Belleville, where Paul Fleming defeated Neil Ellis, and in Perth, where Ed McPherson succeeded Judy Brown. In Brockville, Cameron Wales was elected following Matt Wren's decision not to seek re-election. Rideau Lakes saw a near-total turnover of its council members.

In school board elections, candidates focused on parental rights saw notable success. An analysis by School Board Research indicated an increase in trustees supported by Parents as First Educators (PAFE) or the Campaign Life Coalition. Out of 44 incumbent trustees with such support who ran for re-election, 37 retained their seats. Additionally, 34 new candidates with similar endorsements were elected, totaling 71 trustees across Catholic and public boards. While these candidates gained ground, labor unions and employee councils maintained high success rates in contested races, winning approximately 69 percent of such contests.