Editor's note: BarrieToday is running profile stories on candidates for city council in each of the city's 10 wards in the coming weeks. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can also find mayoral profiles and other election news.
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Bryn Hamilton is not a politician, but nonetheless wants to be Ward 10’s next city councillor.
“I think I offer something different to bring to city council, and that’s I’m not a politician. I’m a working mom,” she told BarrieToday. “I’m a career-oriented health-care executive…and I represent the average demographic of Ward 10.
“I’ve wanted to run for many years, but I’ve decided now’s the time to get off the sideline and if I want see change then I need to sit at the table to make change happen," Hamilton added.
Hamilton, 42, is married with children who are eight and 10 years old. She’s worked in the public sector for more than 15 years, locally and provincially, and is currently the director of governance and integration, working with non-profit boards of health-care organizations across Ontario.
“I train boards on how to govern effectively and efficiently, while holding them accountable for the public funding they receive,” Hamilton said. “To me, city council is no different than my day job. City council is a governing entity so I’m going in with my expertise in governance. I can return function back to city council and ensure value for every tax dollar spent.”
She is the daughter of former Barrie mayor Rob Hamilton, who served from 2003 until 2006.
“I don’t know if I inherited his political gene, but I certainly share his same drive to improve the city,” Hamilton said. “I’ve learned a lot from him, both what to do and perhaps what not to do as well.”
She says the next city council needs to have collaborative leadership and lean on city staff — the experts — to get the job done.
“I think we’ve seen some divisiveness in the past few years (on council) that hasn’t benefited the city or the taxpayers,” Hamilton said. “I hope to see some fresh faces around the table. I think with new people around the table, there’s going to be new opportunities and creative ways to get things done.”
She also noted that Mayor Jeff Lehman is not seeking re-election, after almost a dozen years in the big chair.
“New leadership will be great,” Hamilton said. “Having a new mayor in there… you should have term limits. Being a life-long politician is not an asset. Having someone on the table who’s been there for 12, 15, 20 years, while they may have the history, that’s not best practice from a governance perspective.
“You want fresh ideas, you want new people, you want a council that’s diverse,” she added. “You want a council that actually represents the community it serves. You want a council that has practical skill sets, life experience, so I’m hopeful with some new faces around the table, we have an opportunity to do things a bit differently and create some better balance and diversity.”
Like many candidates in the Oct. 24 election, Hamilton has already been knocking on doors.
“It’s been enlightening hearing what matters to the residents,” she said.
Hamilton’s opposition in Ward 10 so far is Steven Mirtsos.
The incumbent, Mike McCann, has filed his nomination papers for mayor.
Nominations close Aug. 19 for candidates.
