Ontario Municipal and School Board Elections

Important dates for the Municipal Election

Superior-Greenstone District School Board trustees are elected during the municipal elections.  The next election will be held on Monday, October 24, 2022.  If you are considering running as a candidate for School Board Trustee, her are some important dates: 

• May 2, 2022 :  First day to file a nomination for an office.
• August 19, 2022:  Deadline to file or withdraw a nomination for an office. 
• October 24, 2022:  Election day.  

What is the role of a School Trustee?

The Superior-Greenstone District School Board (SGDSB) consists of 9 public school board trustees, 8 of whom are elected during the Municipal Election and one who is appointed by First Nation Communities. Working together, trustees advocate for public education and represent the interests of students, parents, guardians and school communities of the school board. Informed by board leadership, with a focus on student achievement, well-being and equity, trustees work collaboratively to ensure that students across the board’s entire jurisdiction have access to the programs, supports and services they need to succeed and reach their full potential. Trustees carry-out their responsibilities in a manner that assists the Superior-Greenstone DSB in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act in relation to provincial priorities, regulations, and the Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

Informed by the Director of Education, the Board of Trustees:

• Establish policies;
• Set budgets and allocate resources;
• Formulate plans and set priorities;
• Support and monitor student achievement and well-being; and
• Collaborate with all levels of government.

 

How many School Board Trustee positions are available?

In the 2022 Municipal and School Board elections, the Superior-Greenstone District School Board has 8 Trustee positions available.  

Name of Municipality or Ward	Number of Trustee Positions
Dorion Red Rock	1
Nipigon	1
Schreiber Terrace Bay	1
Marathon	2
Manitouwadge	1
Greenstone (Geraldton, Longlac, Beardmore, Nakina)	2
Total	8

First Nation Trustee Position

The First Nation Trustee is appointed to a school board through a mutual process that involves all First Nation communities whose students attend the board’s schools under an Education Service Agreement. Ontario Regulation 462/97, First Nation Representative on Boards, states that, “the council of the band, or the councils of the bands, may name one person to represent, on a board, the interests of pupils who belong to the band or bands...” With the advent of the 2022 Municipal Election being held on October 24, 2022, the current term for the First Nation Representative is set to end, as per O. Reg, S.1 (8), which states that, “The term of office of a member appointment under this section terminates on the same date as the term of office of the elected members.” The new term of office begins in November 2022 and expires in November 2026.  The process of appointing the First Nation Trustee is the responsibility of the First Nations.  In the past, nominations have been shared with Superior-Greenstone District School Board and the school board has communicated these nominations to First Nations, seeking support for one candidate. The candidate with the majority support is the individual appointed. At the time, SGDSB has Education Service/Reciprocal Education Agreements with 11 First Nation communities.  As the representative of Indigenous students, the First Nation Trustee is in a unique position to ensure that Indigenous culture is part of that vision and that the strategic direction of the board includes the interests of First Nations. The First Nation Trustee serves as the Chair of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee and is a required member of the Special Education Advisory Committee.

Student Trustee Positions

The School Board also has two Student Trustee positions that are elected through the Student Senate and are formally appointed by the Board each.  Each year 1 Student Trustee is appointed to the 2 year term.   As per Ontario Regulation 7/07 – Student Trustees, it is the policy of the Superior-Greenstone District School Board that there will be, up to two positions for a non-voting Student Trustee on the Board to serve for a term of two years each. The inclusion of Student Trustees enables the perspective of students to be considered in Board decisions and provides students with valuable learning experiences.   Efforts are made to ensure that Student Trustees reflect the demographics of the students enrolled in the board.

 

Who can run for School Board Trustee?

A resident of the municipality or a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of the non-resident owner or tenant;

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years old;
• Not legally prohibited from voting; and,
• Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.
• School board employees may be nominated for the office of trustee but must take an unpaid leave of absence on or before nomination day (August 19, 2022) and must resign their employment in order to hold office on any school board if elected.

Please note that this webpage is provided as information for potential candidates. The Superior-Greenstone DSB is not responsible for the organization of the election process.  If you have questions about the election process, please connect with the Municipal Clerk’s office of your local municipality.

All nominations are required to be filed in person (or by an agent representative) at the applicable municipality office between May 2 and August 19, 2022. To file nominations, a nomination form must be provided to the Municipal Clerk, in addition to the nomination fee.  When filing nominations, Clerks will provide candidates with general information on campaign spending limits. You may accept contributions or incur campaign expenses during your campaign period only. Your campaign period begins on the day the clerk receives your nomination.

Resources for Candidates

• 2022 Candidates Guide Ontario Municipal and School Board Elections and Nominations
• Ontario Public School Boards' Association
• Superior-Greenstone District School Board Trustee Resources
• SGDSB By-laws & Code of Conduct

Who can vote?

Anyone can vote in a municipal election who, on the day of the election, is: 

• 18 years of age or older;
• A Canadian citizen;
• Either a resident of the municipality or a property owner or tenant or the spouse of an owner or tenant in the municipality during a specified time just before the election; and,
• Not otherwise prohibited from voting.
• Your name must be on the voters’ list in order to cast a ballot. To check if you are on the voters’ list or to update your information, visit https://www.voterlookup.ca/.