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The Simpson Street Mainline Business Association is hosting an all-candidates debate for McKellar Ward. It is a chance for residents and businesses to hear directly from the candidates about the issues that affect this ward. All five certified McKellar Ward candidates have been invited on the same terms.

The Simpson Street Mainline Business Association is a group of businesses and organizations along the Simpson and Hardisty Street corridor. We have been meeting since May 2026 to work on cleaning up the street, on safety, and on a constructive response to what is happening in the neighbourhood. We are not incorporated and we do not charge membership fees. Our meetings are hosted by Ingaged Creative Productions Inc. at The Outset. We are hosting this debate because our members would rather hear from all five candidates in one room than meet each of them separately.

Not sure whether you live in McKellar Ward? The City's ward map is at thunderbay.ca. Everyone is welcome either way.

You can register to attend, ask for the livestream link, submit a question, or any combination of the three. Questions close Thursday, September 24 2026 at 12:00 PM (Noon).

If you will be having more than yourself and three others attend please reach out to the Simpson Street Mainline Business Association at mainline@simponst.ca or 807-700-7001 and they will manually register the rest of your group. 

The Outset is a building from 1890 and it is not yet fully accessible. We would rather tell you now than have you find out on the night. The debate takes place on  the stage. We are working on a portable ramp for the entrance and will confirm what we are able to put in place closer to the date. The evening will be livestreamed with captions, so you can take part from home if getting into the building is difficult. There is a place below to ask for the link. If you have an access need, please tell us below and we will do what we can.

Questions come from the public. They are reviewed and consolidated by businesses and organizations of the Simpson Street Mainline, not by the host alone. We may combine similar questions or edit a question for clarity without changing what it asks. The moderator reads the questions on the night. Submitters are never named. Not every question submitted will be asked.

Your question should relate to municipal government, the McKellar Ward, or something City Council is responsible for. It should be clear and specific, respectful and suitable for a public event, and should ask about a candidate's position, priorities, experience, or what they would do. Please do not single out one candidate, and please avoid personal attacks, harassment, discriminatory comments, or statements that could harm someone's reputation.

Public submissions will be reviewed by a five-person community panel drawn from local small businesses, nonprofit and community organizations, and residents participating in the Simpson Street Mainline Business Association. Reviewers will not include candidates, campaign workers or anyone directly involved in a candidate’s campaign. Similar questions may be combined and wording may be edited for clarity and neutrality without changing the substance. Not every submitted or selected question can be guaranteed a place in the program.

All five candidates are asked the same questions. Questions are not directed at one candidate. Every participating candidate will receive the same locked set of six primary questions and two ranked backups simultaneously ahead of time. Every candidate receives 90 seconds per answer. The moderator will not improvise candidate-specific follow-ups; a follow-up may be used only if approved in advance, scripted, asked of every candidate and given equal time.

The association does not endorse or oppose any candidate.

 

This event will be recorded and livestreamed, and local media have been invited. If you attend in person, you may appear in the recording or in media coverage.

We use what you enter here only for this event. We will not add you to any mailing list without asking you first, and we do not share it with any candidate or campaign.

All candidates running in McKellar Ward have been invited to take part. This is a non-partisan community event. The Simpson Street Mainline Business Association does not endorse any candidate. Our role is to host the conversation, not to influence the outcome. Questions about the event: mainline@simpsonst.ca or 807-700-7001.