Photo: Canadian Postcard Company · Public domainAmherstburg spends more per resident than 81% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities do
Michael Prue was elected mayor of Amherstburg in October 2022, on a council of 7 seats. Ontario’s councils were renewed on 26 October 2026, but the only open list so far is 2022’s, so that is the term shown. In the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Amherstburg belongs to Essex; who holds it as MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) isn’t on an open record, so no one is named. Amherstburg sends one MP to Ottawa from Essex, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Chris Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada).
What stands out in how Amherstburg is governed
Many residents per seat
Across Ontario the median is one seat per 1,540 residents, well under the ratio on Amherstburg council. Council size ↓
Turnout above the norm
The 2022 vote for Amherstburg council pulled in more electors than Ontario’s median of 35%. How Amherstburg voted ↓
High spending per resident
In 2024, 81% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities spent less per resident than Amherstburg council. Council money ↓
A close federal race
With 9.2 points between the winner and the runner-up (New Democratic Party), Essex beat 74% of the 338 ridings for closeness in 2021. How Amherstburg has voted ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Amherstburg, a town in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Spends most on public health and paramedics, then social services and child care (2024 return).
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Above Amherstburg’s council sits Essex County, the upper tier, which runs services across all its municipalities.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Amherstburg, from the most recent elections.
- 1Amherstburg councilelected October 2022Michael Prue
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioEssex
- 3House of CommonsEssex
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Amherstburg council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Michael Prue
- Chris Gibb
- Peter Courtney
- Donald McArthur
- Molly Allaire
- Linden Crain
- Diane Pouget
7 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Prue | Mayor | 3,488 | 49% | Yes |
| Chris Gibb | Deputy Mayor | 2,766 | 39% | No |
| Peter Courtney | Councillor | 2,743 | 9% | Yes |
| Donald McArthur | Councillor | 3,091 | 10% | Yes |
| Molly Allaire | Councillor | 2,858 | 10% | No |
| Linden Crain | Councillor | 3,795 | 13% | No |
| Diane Pouget | Councillor | 2,624 | 9% | No |
Michael Prue won 49% of the votes cast for mayor. No seat on Amherstburg council belongs to a ward; the mayor and every councillor face the whole municipality.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Amherstburg voted more than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
On 24 October 2022, 39% of electors voted for Amherstburg council, a stronger showing than most of Ontario.
How Amherstburg voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Amherstburg votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amherstburg council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
Elections Canada’s open records end with the 2021 election; its 2025 results are under terms that rule out commercial use. Voters last chose the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on 27 February 2025 and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025. Amherstburg votes next on 28 October 2030: the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 sets municipal elections on the fourth Monday in October every four years.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Amherstburg votes in Essex for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
MPP: see the legislature’s list
ola.org ↗The riding comes from the 2013 federal map, which southern Ontario’s provincial ridings match under the Representation Act, 2015. Amherstburg is in Essex, one of the ridings that each elect a MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Chris Lewis represents Essex in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Essex · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2019
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
Chris Lewis is one of 50 Conservative Party of Canada MPs from Ontario, where the Liberal Party of Canada has the most seats: 71 of 122.
The MP’s record
Elections Canada’s transposition of the 2021 vote onto today’s Essex puts the Conservative Party of Canada first at 41%; Chris Lewis held it for the party in 2025. Chris Lewis was first elected in 2019; the current Parliament is Chris Lewis’ 3rd.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
Essex returned Chris Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021
Results in Essex as drawn in 2013, the boundaries of the 2019 and 2021 elections; the riding was redrawn for 2025.
In 2021, 67% of electors cast a ballot in Essex, more than the national 63%. The 2019 result had favoured Chris Lewis as well, at 41%. Essex elected Chris Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021: 41% of the vote, a lead of 6,463 over Tracey Ramsey (New Democratic Party).
All 7 candidates in Essex, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Lewis | Conservative Party of Canada | 28,741 | 41.1% |
| Tracey Ramsey | New Democratic Party | 22,278 | 31.8% |
| Audrey Festeryga | Liberal Party of Canada | 10,813 | 15.5% |
| Beth Charron-Rowberry | People's Party of Canada | 6,925 | 9.9% |
| Nancy Pancheshan | Green Party of Canada | 865 | 1.2% |
| Jeremy Palko | Christian Heritage Party of Canada | 182 | 0.3% |
| Andrew George | Independent | 172 | 0.3% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Amherstburg council spends more per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
Taxes on property make up 49% of what comes in, more than the province-wide 42%. Long-term debt at Amherstburg council stood at $23.8M, or $1,133 a resident, above the $440 median. Spending by Amherstburg council reached $2,561 a resident in 2024, well over the $1,901 median of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. The upper tier, Essex County, adds $1,043 per resident of its own, mostly for public health and paramedics. The return counts 121 full-time positions, 5.8 for every thousand residents. At 29% of spending ($737 a resident), water, sewers and waste leads the budget.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, sewers and waste | $15.5M | $737 | 29% |
| Roads and transit | $10.4M | $493 | 19% |
| Police, fire and protection | $9.9M | $473 | 18% |
| General government | $7.4M | $352 | 14% |
| Recreation and culture | $7.3M | $348 | 14% |
| Planning and development | $3.3M | $158 | 6% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
One seat for every 3,930 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
Each seat on Amherstburg council answers to 3,930 residents, a higher ratio than 80% of municipalities in Ontario.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Amherstburg is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Council size. The council size includes the head of council; the population is the 2021 Census, the whole city’s for a neighbourhood.
- Council money. The 2024 Financial Information Return, totals after adjustments by service, per resident with the return’s own population. A lower tier’s figures leave out its county’s or region’s spending, so lower tiers are compared only with lower tiers.
- Who holds each seat. Who holds each seat is read from Wikidata, so a very recent change in the Commons may not appear yet.
- Not on this page. Band councils, and which party runs the council: the open lists carry no party, and most councils have none.
- Election results. Official counts for 2019 and 2021 are by the 2013 ridings; Elections Canada also re-counted the 2021 ballots onto the 2023 ridings by polling division, and that estimate is what “today’s boundaries” means here.
- Which riding. A place belongs to the riding where most of its 2021 Census residents live, plus any other with 5% or more.
Questions about how Amherstburg is run
Who is the MP for Amherstburg?
Chris Lewis of the Conservative Party of Canada is the MP for Essex, which includes Amherstburg.
Which party won Amherstburg in the 2021 federal election?
In 2021 it was Chris Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada), who represents Essex still.
Who is the MPP for Amherstburg?
Amherstburg votes in Essex; the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s members page gives its current MPP.
Who heads the council in Amherstburg?
In October 2022, Michael Prue won the post of mayor for Amherstburg council’s 2022–26 term.
How much does Amherstburg council spend?
The 2024 return of Amherstburg council shows $53.8M of spending for roughly 20,994 residents, $15.5M of it on water, sewers and waste.
Which regional body is Amherstburg part of?
Amherstburg is part of Essex County, whose council, drawn from its municipalities’ councils, runs county-wide services.
How is Amherstburg council elected?
Every seat on Amherstburg council, the mayor’s included, is filled by the whole municipality.
What was the turnout in Amherstburg?
Turnout for Amherstburg council reached 39.3% in October 2022 (Ontario median: 35.5%).
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).