According to the Chief Electoral Officer, at least one by-election had been held in 434 municipalities since the last municipal election at the end of June. In the first 18 months of this term, which ends in November 2025, no fewer than 69 mayors and 505 local councilors had to be replaced.
In the same period after the last election in 2017, 365 councilors and 38 mayors in 339 municipalities had thrown in the towel. A year and a half after the 2013 parliamentary elections, 302 municipalities had to fill the vacancies of 30 mayors and 347 city councillors.
In addition to death, illness, or relocation, this exodus can be explained by several factors, often with disappointment as a common denominator.
Newly elected officials are finding politics weighs more heavily than they imagined. They got into politics to make a difference, but for various reasons, they are not making progress as quickly as they would like, or they get in their way. They get tired and drop out, says Pierre Delorme, professor emeritus at the University of Quebec’s Department of Urban and Tourism Studies (UQAM).
Urban planner Danielle Pilette, associate professor in the Department of Strategy, Social and Environmental Responsibility at UQAM’s School of Management Sciences, even speaks of several potential sources of disappointment.
People are bitterly disappointed with politics because the problems and solutions differ from person to person or because they are faced with the lack of cooperation from certain officials, she said.
“We also see people who are very involved in the community or in sports, who take the leap into politics and realize that this is a much more administrative universe than they imagined,” she adds.
More work, fewer resources
Not to mention that in recent years Quebec has given many additional responsibilities to municipalities without adequately compensating them to carry them out.
“The municipal world has become considerably more complex in recent years. Cities are being asked to do more and more without providing them with the resources they need to fulfill the new obligations entrusted to them. »
– A quote from Pierre Delorme, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Urban and Tourism Studies at UQAM
The President of the Association of Quebec Municipalities and Mayor of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Jacques Demers, agrees. The tasks of the elected local officials have increased significantly, he testifies. Many candidates have no idea of the magnitude of the task. If we conducted a survey, we would learn that some may have applied without attending a council meeting.
Jacques Demers believes that candidates should at least do some research or training to understand the ins and outs of the position.
Photo: Radio Canada / Lysbertte Cerné
“It’s a very demanding job with a lot of meetings and a lot of committees,” adds Mr. Demers. It’s a task that quickly becomes overwhelming.
He says he’s not surprised that some are abandoning their political commitment to preserving family life or even avoiding exhaustion.
Little appreciation, much ingratitude
The salaries of elected officials are also inadequate, says Mr. Demers.
Several mayors make between $10,000 and $15,000 a year and work more than full-time, he says. We have a lot of people in local government who don’t make minimum wage given the number of hours they spend on files.
Transitioning to other levels of government or employment in the better-paid private sector also explains some migration.
Since 2020 there has been greater overall labor mobility. In some institutions, including municipal ones, these are downright revolving doors. Elected officials are also affected by this phenomenon of job mobility and may want to get involved elsewhere than politics, notes Danielle Pilette.
Adding to this lack of financial recognition is the ingratitude of some citizens, many of whom no longer shy away from insulting, insulting, harassing or threatening elected local officials. A phenomenon of exponential growth, stresses Mr. Delorme, who speaks of a general situation.
Simon Gélinas resigned as mayor of the municipality of Lorrainville in May, citing personal reasons but also intimidation by some citizens.
Photo: archive
Elected officials are easy targets because they are in public places, Mr Delorme recalled. They can be easily located and contacted.
We have people who are committed to helping their community, but their members are not kind in their words and in their approach when decisions don’t go in the direction they would have liked, analyzes Mr. Demers.
“Not everyone is ready to play shield or punching bag. »
– A quote from Jacques Demers, President of the Quebec Federation of Quebec Municipalities
Sometimes conflicts arise at the council table instead, which can poison relations between elected officials and force some to leave the council.
Discordance between elected officials is certainly one of the reasons that encourages someone to leave office, acknowledges Mr. Demers. I don’t know if the phenomenon has increased, but it is a very difficult situation to have to work with a person with whom you have no affinity, both on the council and in your community activities.
“Personally, I think that elected local officials are courageous because it’s a very demanding and unrecognized function,” concludes Pierre Delorme.
They are very dedicated people, he continues, but you can’t blame them if after a year and a half, for various reasons, they decide to throw in the towel and resign.