Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 2.5At 52%, Barry's Bay’s 2022 turnout beat 94% of Ontario municipalities
In the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Barry's Bay belongs to Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke; 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. Federally, Barry's Bay sits in Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), held by Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party of Canada. Locally, Barry's Bay is governed as part of Madawaska Valley, a township. The October 2022 vote made Mark Willmer mayor of Madawaska Valley, heading 5 seats. Ontario held new municipal elections on 26 October 2026; until the province publishes them, the open record stops at the council elected in 2022.
What stands out in how Barry's Bay is governed
Few residents per seat
Madawaska Valley council has fewer people behind each seat than most of Ontario, where the middle figure is 1,540 residents a seat. Council size ↓
Turnout above the norm
In Ontario’s 2022 municipal elections, the middle municipality saw 35% of electors vote; Madawaska Valley council did better. How Barry's Bay voted ↓
High spending per resident
Per resident, Madawaska Valley council’s 2024 spending tops 88% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. Council money ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Barry's Bay, a township in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Spends most on social services and child care, then public health and paramedics (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 Madawaska Valley’s council sits Renfrew County, the upper tier, which runs services across all its municipalities.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Barry's Bay, from the most recent elections.
- 1Madawaska Valley councilelected October 2022Mark Willmer
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioRenfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
- 3House of CommonsAlgonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke
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 Madawaska Valley council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Mark Willmer
- David Shulist
- Mary Blank
- Shelley Maika
- Joseph Olsheski
5 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Willmer | Mayor | 1,801 | 60% | Yes |
| David Shulist | Councillor | 1,513 | 15% | Yes |
| Mary Blank | Councillor | 2,012 | 19% | No |
| Shelley Maika | Councillor | 1,101 | 11% | No |
| Joseph Olsheski | Councillor | 1,240 | 12% | No |
Mark Willmer became mayor on 60% of the votes cast. Every seat on Madawaska Valley council, the mayor’s included, is chosen by the whole municipality.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Barry's Bay voted more than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
Distances here run 19–36 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Barry's Bay. On 24 October 2022, 52% of electors voted for Madawaska Valley council, a stronger showing than most of Ontario.
How Barry's Bay voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Barry's Bay votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Madawaska Valley council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, Madawaska Valley’s next municipal vote is on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years. Parliament was last elected on 28 April 2025, and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on 27 February 2025. Why not 2025? Elections Canada publishes those counts under non-commercial terms, and its open data stop at the 2021 election.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Barry's Bay votes in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke 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 ↗By law (the Representation Act, 2015), southern Ontario’s provincial ridings follow the 2013 federal boundaries, so each place is located from those. The riding is Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke: it sends one MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and Barry's Bay votes in it.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Cheryl Gallant represents Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2000
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
From Ontario come 122 MPs: 71 for the Liberal Party of Canada, 50 for the Conservative Party of Canada, Cheryl Gallant’s party.
The MP’s record
On today’s boundaries, the 2021 vote in Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke would have gone to the Conservative Party of Canada with 50%, and Cheryl Gallant kept it for them in 2025. Cheryl Gallant was first elected in 2000; the current Parliament is Cheryl Gallant’s 9th.
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
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke returned Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021
Under the 2013 boundaries of the 2019 and 2021 elections, Barry's Bay sat in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke; the 2025 election put it in Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke turned out at 67% in 2021; the country managed 63%. The 2019 result had favoured Cheryl Gallant as well, at 53%. 16,704 votes separated Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada) from Jodie Primeau (New Democratic Party) in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke in 2021, when the winner took 50%.
All 6 candidates in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheryl Gallant | Conservative Party of Canada | 28,967 | 49.5% |
| Jodie Primeau | New Democratic Party | 12,263 | 21.0% |
| Cyndi Mills | Liberal Party of Canada | 11,335 | 19.4% |
| David Ainsworth | People's Party of Canada | 4,469 | 7.6% |
| Michael Lariviere | Green Party of Canada | 1,111 | 1.9% |
| Stefan Klietsch | Independent | 373 | 0.6% |
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
Madawaska Valley 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.
Property taxes and payments in lieu brought in 45% of revenue, against 42% across the province’s returns. Long-term debt at Madawaska Valley council stood at $995K, or $253 a resident, below the $440 median. Spending by Madawaska Valley council reached $2,771 a resident in 2024, well over the $1,901 median of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. Renfrew County, the upper tier, spent another $2,319 per resident of its whole area, most of it on social services and child care. It employs the equivalent of 30 full-time positions, or 7.6 for each thousand people. More goes to roads and transit than to anything else: $916 a resident, 33% of all spending.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roads and transit | $3.6M | $916 | 33% |
| Water, sewers and waste | $2.5M | $640 | 23% |
| Police, fire and protection | $1.6M | $411 | 15% |
| Recreation and culture | $1.5M | $376 | 14% |
| General government | $1.4M | $353 | 13% |
| Planning and development | $265K | $67 | 2% |
| Public health and paramedics | $30K | $8 | 0% |
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 830 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
With 830 residents behind each seat, Madawaska Valley council sits below 70% of Ontario municipalities.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Barry's Bay 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
- Who holds each seat. The members named here are Wikidata’s, kept up by volunteers; a by-election or a floor crossing may take a few days to show.
- Not on this page. No party tally for the council, which the open lists don’t record, and no band councils.
- Election results. Two maps are in play: the 2013 ridings, on which 2019 and 2021 were counted, and the 2023 ridings, onto which Elections Canada transposed the 2021 vote poll by poll.
- Which riding. The 2021 Census homes of a place’s residents fix its ridings, and one is shown once it holds 5% of them.
- Council size. Every seat counts, the head of council’s too, against the population of the 2021 Census.
- Council money. Figures are the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals after adjustments, per resident on the return’s population. Lower tiers stand beside lower tiers only: their county or region spends on top.
Questions about how Barry's Bay is run
Who is the MP for Barry's Bay?
For Barry's Bay, it’s Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada), who holds Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.
Which party won Barry's Bay in the 2021 federal election?
In 2021 it was Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada), in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke; Cheryl Gallant represents Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke today.
Who is the MPP for Barry's Bay?
Barry's Bay votes in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke; the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s members page gives its current MPP.
Who heads the council in Barry's Bay?
The open record gives Mark Willmer, elected mayor of Madawaska Valley council in October 2022.
How much does Madawaska Valley council spend?
In 2024, Madawaska Valley council spent $10.9M in all, for some 3,927 residents, of which $3.6M went on roads and transit, the biggest line.
Which regional body is Madawaska Valley part of?
Madawaska Valley is part of Renfrew County, whose council, drawn from its municipalities’ councils, runs county-wide services.
How is Madawaska Valley council elected?
Every seat on Madawaska Valley council, the mayor’s included, is filled by the whole municipality.
What was the turnout in Barry's Bay?
It was 52.1% for Madawaska Valley council in 2022, with Ontario’s municipalities at a median of 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).