Elliot Lake mayor-elect Dan Marchisella touts transparency

Political experience was not an advantage in the Elliot Lake mayor's race.

Voters passed over incumbent Rick Hamilton and two former city councillors.

Political newcomer Dan Marchisella is now northern Ontario town’s new mayor.

Marchisella said he believes elected officials did not take enough responsibility for the events that led to the 2012 Algo Centre Mall collapse.

“Something went wrong. We're all humans. It's a matter of just taking responsibility for mistakes, saying you are sorry and moving on to rectify the problem.”

Marchisella said transparency will be one of his priorities when he takes over as mayor.

Hamilton was seeking a third term as mayor

Marchisella said he considers his lack of political experience to be an advantage. He took the race by about 800 votes, and Hamilton came in last.

Some in Elliot Lake say they are not surprised there was such little support for the status quo, in light of everything that was exposed by the public inquiry into the deadly mall collapse.

“The way things have been done in secrecy, you had to dig for every little piece of information that the public should have been given,” said Keith Moyer, an Elliot Lake seniors advocacy group spokesperson.

Marchisella was born and raised in Elliot Lake.

He left to serve in the Canadian Forces and has since returned to raise his family and — now — to help his community continue to move forward in the tragic aftermath of the 2012 Algo Centre Mall collapse.

“It affects the community when so many negative things have happened in the last couple of years,” Marchisella said.

Elliot Lake mayoral race results (all polls reporting)

• Dan Marchisella - 2,028 votes

• Al Collett - 1,165 votes

• Tom Farquhar - 1,100 votes

• Rick Hamilton - 814 votes