Town of Milton Council Chambers, 2019
The Town of Milton has officially declared the Ward 1 council seat vacant following the election of Kristina Tesser Derksen as Member of Parliament for Milton East – Halton Hills South.
Council met on Monday, May 26th for a packed agenda.
Many residents were interested in one specific topic: what will happen with the vacant seat?
Under the Municipal Act, Milton has 60 days from the declaration to fill the seat – either by appointment or by calling a by-election. Staff advises against a by-election due to significant costs, estimated at $185,000 – $200,000, and the strain it would place on municipal resources already preparing for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election.
A pair of five-minute delegations from residents Stacey Newman and Jennifer Smith were heard. They made their cases for a by-election.
Several Councillors made note of the cost of a by-election, and noted the actual cost could exceed the estimations significantly. Councillor Rick Malbeouf pointed out that this replacement would attend less than a dozen meetings before the next municipal election. This was countered by Councillor Colin Best who noted that members do a lot more than just attend meetings.
Regional Councillor for Ward 4, Sameera Ali, noting the funding for this by-election will come from the Town’s Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve, which would not affect the overall operating budget this year. It currently sits at $651,000 and is designed for unexpected, one-time purchases – including municipal by-elections.
Mayor Gord Krantz reminded Council that this is still using taxpayers’ money, regardless of which pools it’s sitting in.
Council voted in favour of a by-election, by a score of Five-Three. Councillors Ali, Ijaz, Best, Khalqi, and Marshall voted against the staff recommended appointment, while Councillors Challinor and Malbeouf, along with Mayor Krantz voted for it.
Using the timeline provided by Town Staff in the report, the official declaration of the by-election will likely be made by Monday, June 23rd. A nomination period will then be held between July 23rd and August 22nd. Voting Day will then take place Monday, October 6th. These dates are subject to change, pending any issues or updates.
The winning candidate would then serve on Council until the next municipal election, set for 2026.
It’s believed that the seat would have been filled within roughly six weeks had Council chosen to appoint the newest member. Halton Hills Council found themselves in a similar situation following the provincial election in February, and their replacement was announced in March.
You can watch the council meeting here.
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