September 20 marked the final day for municipal council hopefuls to submit their nomination paperwork and signatures to the respective Senior Election Officers of Niverville and Ritchot.

Since then, it has been confirmed that mayors Myron Dyck and Chris Ewen, along with Ritchot councillors Shane Pelletier (Ward 1) and Janine Boulanger (Ward 4), have been re-elected by acclamation, as their seats went uncontested.

Niverville residents will be going to the polls on October 26 to vote for the additional four councillors who will comprise their five-member council for the coming years.

All four incumbents—Kevin Stott, John Funk, Chris Wiebe, and Nathan Dueck—have chosen to run for another term. Challenging these spots are three new candidates: Meghan Beasant, Bill Fast, and Jason Alderson.

Ritchot residents will also be going to the polls, but only in Wards 2 and 3. Running for councillor in Ward 2 is incumbent Ron Mamchuk alongside new contender Jason Bodnarchuk. In Ward 3, Joel Lemoine has stepped in to challenge incumbent Curtis Claydon for the seat.

Mayor Myron Dyck

“I’m humbled and honoured to once again have the privilege of being able to serve the wonderful people here in Niverville,” says Mayor Myron Dyck. “Now that we know, it’s time to move forward and to start making plans for what the next four years [will look like].”

Dyck did not run an active campaign either in this election or the one in 2018 when he also won by acclamation. For that reason, he hopes to be intentional about talking with his constituents before election day in October.

“My thoughts are already starting to [look toward council’s] next planning sessions,” Dyck says. “I’d like to hear from the people… and let them make suggestions.”

To facilitate this open dialogue between mayor and residents, Dyck plans to host a series of Meet the Mayor gatherings which will provide an opportunity for direct dialogue and allow him to answer any questions residents may have.

Dyck will provide a brief opening address at the upcoming Candidates Forum being held at the CRRC on October 5. He hopes to make an official announcement for the Meet the Mayor events at that time.

Mayor Chris Ewen

“I’m honoured that the residents of Ritchot have faith in me to continue for another four [years],” Mayor Chris Ewen says. “I’m a huge proponent of an election and how the process works out. Sometimes acclamation isn’t always the best thing. It can be [seen as] a form of apathy. But because of feedback I’ve heard from residents in the past few days, I believe it was because of the faith they have in me. So I’m very honoured.”

As for the residents of Ste. Agathe and St. Adolphe, Mayor Ewen encourages them to actively participate in the voting process on October 26.

“Get out and vote,” Ewen says. “There’s one chance [for you] to make a difference.”

Councillor Shane Pelletier

“I am excited to continue serving my community for another four years,” Pelletier says. “I plan to continue supporting all of our infrastructure plans, [both] short- and long-term, across the municipality, including support for our recreational groups.”

He adds that his focus in the coming years, in part, will be on two distinct areas of growth and improvement in Île-des-Chênes.

The first will be to assure that a proper development plan is drawn up for the new residential development coming to Île-des-Chênes south.

Secondly, he looks forward with excitement to the continued development of the community’s Legacy Park.

Councillor Janine Boulanger

“It feels great [to be acclaimed],” Boulanger says. “I went around getting my nomination [signatures] and everyone seemed quite pleased that I was running again. So, yeah, it’s been a good experience.”

In an effort to save on election costs, Boulanger says she was waiting to see if any challengers would surface before she spent money on a campaign.

Looking already to the next four years in office, Boulanger has at least one goal which will take high priority for her.

“I would like to focus on infrastructure as it’s one of the main complaints that people have,” Boulanger says. “Because the municipality is growing so much, there’s a lot more population and we’re getting stretched thin with our public works department. So, I’d like to see an increase in support for that department.”

Different Ways to Vote on Election Day

Ritchot voters can find voting details on the RM website. Residents have the option of voting in person at the polls, advance voting at the RM office, or by sealed envelope if they apply for this option in advance.

The Town of Niverville’s website also contains voting details and includes one additional voting option. A mobile voting station will be set up at the Heritage Life Personal Care Home and the Niverville Credit Union Place on October 17 for residents of those facilities.