Photo: cate cuerden from Stratford, Canada · CC BY 2.0Fewer than 76% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities spend as much per resident as Bayfield
Bayfield sends one MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from Huron—Bruce, though no open record we can reuse gives the name. Bayfield sends one MP to Ottawa from Huron—Bruce, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Ben Lobb (Conservative Party of Canada). For local government, Bayfield falls under Bluewater, a municipality. In October 2022, Bluewater elected Paul Klopp as mayor, with a council of 9. Ontario voted again on 26 October 2026, and the province hasn’t published that election’s open file yet, so these are the 2022–26 council’s names.
What stands out in how Bayfield is governed
Few residents per seat
Bluewater council spreads its seats over a small population; the typical municipality in Ontario has one seat per 1,540 residents. Council size ↓
Turnout below the norm
In Ontario’s 2022 municipal elections, the middle municipality saw 35% of electors vote; Bluewater council fell short of that. How Bayfield voted ↓
High spending per resident
In 2024, 76% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities spent less per resident than Bluewater council. Council money ↓
A safe federal seat
In 2021 the winner in Huron—Bruce led the runner-up (Liberal Party of Canada) by 24.8 points, a wider gap than in 65% of Canada’s 338 ridings. How Bayfield 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
Bayfield, a municipality 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 Bluewater’s council sits Huron County, the upper tier, which runs services across all its municipalities.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Bayfield, from the most recent elections.
- 1Bluewater councilelected October 2022Paul Klopp
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioHuron—Bruce
- 3House of CommonsHuron—Bruce
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 Bluewater council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Paul Klopp
- John Becker
- Bill Whetstone
- Scott Harris
- Peter Gordon Walden
- Winona Bailey
- Tyler Hessel
- Greg Lamport
- Joseph K. Groot
9 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Klopp | Mayor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| John Becker | Deputy Mayor | 1,375 | 50% | Yes |
| Bill Whetstone | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Scott Harris | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Peter Gordon Walden | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Winona Bailey | Councillor | 195 | 58% | No |
| Tyler Hessel | Councillor | – | acclaimed | No |
| Greg Lamport | Councillor | 219 | 59% | No |
| Joseph K. Groot | Councillor | – | acclaimed | No |
The mayor is chosen at large; everyone else on Bluewater council answers to a ward. The race for mayor was never run: Paul Klopp was the only candidate.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Bayfield voted less than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
Bluewater council was elected on 24 October 2022 with 31% of electors voting, below the provincial middle. Distances here run 16–30 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Bayfield.
How Bayfield voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Bayfield votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Bluewater council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
28 October 2030 is the next council election in Bluewater, fixed by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 for the fourth Monday in October every four years. Voters last chose the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on 27 February 2025 and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025. Counts from April 2025 can’t appear here, since Elections Canada allows only non-commercial reuse of them.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Bayfield votes in Huron—Bruce 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 ↗Huron—Bruce takes in Bayfield and elects its MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ontario’s southern ridings copy the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), and the town is placed by them.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Ben Lobb represents Huron—Bruce in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Huron—Bruce · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2008
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, Ben Lobb’s party.
The MP’s record
Had the 2021 ballots been cast in today’s Huron—Bruce, the Conservative Party of Canada would have led with 51%; Ben Lobb held it for them in 2025. The current Parliament is Ben Lobb’s 6th, counting from a first win in 2008.
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
In 2021, Huron—Bruce re-elected Ben Lobb of the Conservative Party of Canada
These are the 2019 and 2021 results on the 2013 map of Huron—Bruce; its boundaries changed for the 2025 election.
At 70%, more of Huron—Bruce voted in 2021 than Canada as a whole (63%). Ben Lobb won the 2021 race in Huron—Bruce for the Conservative Party of Canada, polling 51% and beating James Rice (Liberal Party of Canada) by 15,155 votes. 48% had elected Ben Lobb there in 2019.
All 5 candidates in Huron—Bruce, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Lobb | Conservative Party of Canada | 31,170 | 50.9% |
| James Rice | Liberal Party of Canada | 16,015 | 26.2% |
| Jan Johnstone | New Democratic Party | 9,056 | 14.8% |
| Jack Stecho | People's Party of Canada | 4,437 | 7.3% |
| Justin L Smith | Independent | 519 | 0.9% |
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
Bluewater 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.
At $1,640 per resident, Bluewater council’s $12.4M of long-term debt is more than the $440 median. At 49%, property taxes count for more of the revenue than the 42% seen across the province. 40 full-time positions are funded, 5.3 per thousand residents. More goes to water, sewers and waste than to anything else: $633 a resident, 26% of all spending. Each resident’s share of Bluewater council’s 2024 spending came to $2,417, where the middle of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities sat at $1,901. Residents are also served by Huron County, which spent $2,008 each across its area, chiefly on social services and child care.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, sewers and waste | $4.8M | $633 | 26% |
| Roads and transit | $4.5M | $599 | 25% |
| Police, fire and protection | $3.8M | $504 | 21% |
| Recreation and culture | $2.8M | $365 | 15% |
| General government | $2M | $266 | 11% |
| Planning and development | $349K | $46 | 2% |
| Public health and paramedics | $24K | $3 | 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 930 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
A seat on Bluewater council covers 930 residents; 66% of Ontario municipalities have more per seat.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Bayfield 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
- Not on this page. Band councils, and which party runs the council: the open lists carry no party, and most councils have none.
- Who holds each seat. MPs come from Wikidata’s records of the 45th Parliament, which can lag a resignation or a by-election by some days.
- Which riding. A place belongs to the riding where most of its 2021 Census residents live, plus any other with 5% or more.
- 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.
- Council size. The 2021 Census population is shared over all council seats, including the head of council’s, for this ratio.
- 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.
Questions about how Bayfield is run
Who is the MP for Bayfield?
Ben Lobb of the Conservative Party of Canada is the MP for Huron—Bruce, which includes Bayfield.
Which party won Bayfield in the 2021 federal election?
The Conservative Party of Canada: Ben Lobb won Huron—Bruce in 2021 and still holds it.
Who is the MPP for Bayfield?
The riding for Bayfield is Huron—Bruce, and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario lists the MPP who holds it.
Who heads the council in Bayfield?
Paul Klopp was elected mayor in October 2022, for the 2022–26 term of Bluewater council.
How much does Bluewater council spend?
The 2024 return of Bluewater council shows $18.2M of spending for roughly 7,540 residents, $4.8M of it on water, sewers and waste.
Which regional body is Bluewater part of?
The council of Huron County, made up of members from its municipalities, Bluewater among them, is the upper tier.
How is Bluewater council elected?
By ward for councillors and at large for the mayor, on Bluewater council.
What was the turnout in Bayfield?
In October 2022, turnout for Bluewater council was 31.0%, against 35.5% for the typical Ontario municipality.
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).