Ontario Green Party candidate Aislinn Clancy wins Kitchener Centre byelection

Aislinn Clancy, the candidate for the Ontario Green Party, is the unofficial winner of the Kitchener Centre byelection after a decisive margin of victory. With 61 polls reporting, Clancy finished with 11,334 total votes handing the Green’s their second provincial seat.

Out of 18 candidates on the ballot, a record in an Ontario byelection, Clancy was able to retain 47.99 per cent of votes cast. The margin between her and second place was 5,022 votes.

Clancy said she was overwhelmed by the voters of Kitchener Centre and the supporters of her campaign. She said she has learned a lot of how provincial governments affect local municipal governments following her time as the Ward 10 councillor for the City of Kitchener.

“I’m grateful for my time on council because I have a voice,” said Clancy. “I really want to bring creative solutions forward and I think I can do that at Queen’s Park.”

Clancy spoke with CityNews on The Mike Farwell Show earlier in November stating that her number one priority is affordability and noted that in order to make a change she is willing to work alongside all parties.

She joins Guelph MPP and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner as the second Green seat in the provincial legislature. Schreiner said he is exciting for the residents of Kitchener Centre and that Clancy will be a “strong voice” for them in Queen’s Park.

“I think this shows the momentum the Green Party has moving forward,” said Schreiner.

NDP candidate Debbie Chapman finished in second with 6,312 votes. Rob Elliott of the Ontario PC party finished with 3,109 and Kelly Steiss of the Liberals finished with 1,817 total votes.

The voter turnout for the byelection was 27.10 per cent.