Returning Thunder Bay councillors 'ready to hit the ground running' with new mandate, new term

Councillor-elect Shelby Ch'ng is ready to "hit the ground running" for her next term at Thunder Bay City Hall.

Ch'ng was one of seven councillors re-elected during Monday night's municipal election, earning an at-large seat. Overall the race showed the electorate valued experienced candidates over newcomers. Political veteran Ken Boshcoff won what will be his third term as mayor — though he last served in the role in 2003. 

"We have issues on the police board, we have issues with policing across the city," Ch'ng said at Red Lion Smokehouse, where a number of candidates had gathered to watch results come in on Monday night. "We've got some really heavy rocks to lift for policing and Thunder Bay, and I'm ready for that."

Andrew Foulds is another returning councillor, being re-elected to the Current River ward seat.

"I feel privileged and I feel honored that it appears that I've done a good enough job, and that I've satisfied the electorate in Current River," Foulds said. "And I take that responsibility very seriously. And it's very precious."

Foulds said he was looking forward to the next four years on council; it will be his fifth term at City Hall.

"I'm not gonna be that counselor that's going to wallow in the challenges that the city has," he said. "The climate crisis, poverty, homelessness, addictions, mental health, infrastructure gap, these are very serious issues."

"We need to meet those very serious challenges head-on, and I think we need to be bold," Foulds said. "I'm really looking forward to getting to work with some old colleagues and some new colleagues, and realizing that dream that is Thunder Bay, and Thunder Bay can be an outstanding place."

"It can be an outstanding place to live. It could be an outstanding place to work and play and I look forward to being a part of accomplishing that."

Kristen Oliver, meanwhile, will again represent the Westfort ward for the upcoming council term.

"I'm feeling really relieved," she said after the results came in. "The numbers were a little tighter than I thought they might be."

Oliver said she's looking forward to working with the new council.

"I think when we look at the number of serious and complex issues that we're dealing with in this community right now, I believe I'll bring a strong ability to help move some of these issues forward," Oliver said. "I'm also looking forward to working with the council and getting them orientated.

"It's a lot when you're brand-new."