Photo: Gogerr · CC BY-SA 4.0Turnout in Huron—Bruce reached 70% in 2021, above 93% of ridings
The council for Port Elgin is that of Saugeen Shores, a town. In October 2022, Saugeen Shores elected Luke Charbonneau as mayor, with a council of 9. These names are from the 2022–26 term: Ontario’s municipalities voted on 26 October 2026, but the province’s open list of the results isn’t out. The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering Port Elgin is Huron—Bruce, and Ben Lobb (Conservative Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons. Huron—Bruce is the riding Port Elgin votes in for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and its MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) isn’t named here because no open list records the members.
What stands out in how Port Elgin is governed
High spending per resident
Per resident, Saugeen Shores council’s 2024 spending tops 85% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. Council money ↓
A safe federal seat
In 2021, 24.8 points separated first and second (Liberal Party of Canada) in Huron—Bruce, more than in 65% of the 338 ridings. How Port Elgin has voted ↓
High federal turnout
Fewer electors stayed home in Huron—Bruce than in 93% of Canada’s ridings at the 2021 election. The 2021 turnout ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Port Elgin, a town 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.
Bruce County is the upper tier over Saugeen Shores, a lower-tier municipality.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Port Elgin, from the most recent elections.
- 1Saugeen Shores councilelected October 2022Luke Charbonneau
- 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 Saugeen Shores council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Luke Charbonneau
- Diane Huber
- John Divinski
- Cheryl Grace
- David Myette
- T.C. Bud Halpin
- Rachel Stack
- Justin Duhaime
- Mike Myatt
9 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Charbonneau | Mayor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Diane Huber | Deputy Mayor | 2,431 | 47% | No |
| John Divinski | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Cheryl Grace | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| David Myette | Councillor | 772 | 34% | Yes |
| T.C. Bud Halpin | Councillor | 1,485 | 35% | No |
| Rachel Stack | Councillor | 1,002 | 24% | No |
| Justin Duhaime | Councillor | 787 | 34% | No |
| Mike Myatt | Vice Deputy Mayor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
Seats on Saugeen Shores council are tied to wards, apart from the mayor, whom every voter helps choose. No candidate stood against Luke Charbonneau, who became mayor by acclamation.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Port Elgin 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 Saugeen Shores council, a stronger showing than most of Ontario. Port Elgin has few close neighbours with figures, so the list reaches 21–39 km out.
How Port Elgin voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Port Elgin votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Saugeen Shores council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
The next council election in Saugeen Shores falls on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. Provincially the last general election was on 27 February 2025, for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario; federally, on 28 April 2025. Elections Canada’s open records end with the 2021 election; its 2025 results are under terms that rule out commercial use.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Port Elgin 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 ↗For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Port Elgin votes in Huron—Bruce, which has one MPP. Southern Ontario’s ridings are the 2013 federal ones by statute, which is how this page places the town.
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
Ben Lobb has sat in the Commons since 2008, now for the 6th Parliament. Mapped onto today’s Huron—Bruce, the 2021 vote gives the Conservative Party of Canada 51%; in 2025 Ben Lobb kept the seat in the same hands.
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
Ben Lobb kept Huron—Bruce for the Conservative Party of Canada in 2021
Huron—Bruce as it stood from 2013: the 2019 and 2021 counts, before the riding was redrawn for 2025.
The 2021 count in Huron—Bruce put Ben Lobb (Conservative Party of Canada) first at 51%, with James Rice (Liberal Party of Canada) 15,155 votes back. 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
Saugeen Shores 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.
Saugeen Shores council carried $26.9M of long-term debt, $1,693 per resident against a typical $440. Property taxes and payments in lieu brought in 47% of revenue, against 42% across the province’s returns. Police, fire and protection takes the biggest share, 24%, or $647 per resident. Full-time staff number 123, about 7.7 to every thousand residents. On top of that comes Bruce County: $2,014 a resident across its area, led by social services and child care. At $2,653 for every resident in 2024, Saugeen Shores council sits above the $1,901 median of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police, fire and protection | $10.3M | $647 | 24% |
| Water, sewers and waste | $10.3M | $644 | 24% |
| Roads and transit | $10.2M | $639 | 24% |
| Recreation and culture | $7.6M | $479 | 18% |
| Planning and development | $2.3M | $147 | 6% |
| Public health and paramedics | $886K | $56 | 2% |
| General government | $650K | $41 | 2% |
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 2,020 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
A seat on Saugeen Shores council covers 2,020 residents; 62% of Ontario municipalities have fewer per seat.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Port Elgin 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 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.
- Council size. Residents per seat divide the 2021 Census population by every council seat, the head of council’s included.
- Which riding. Ridings are assigned from the 2021 Census: the one with most residents first, then any holding 5% or more.
- Election results. Where the page says “today’s boundaries”, it means Elections Canada’s estimate of the 2021 vote on the 2023 ridings; every other count is official and on the 2013 map.
- Not on this page. Party control (most Canadian councils sit without parties, and the open lists record none) and band councils.
- Who holds each seat. Wikidata, edited by volunteers, is the source for each MP, and it can trail a change of seat by a little.
Questions about how Port Elgin is run
Who is the MP for Port Elgin?
For Port Elgin, it’s Ben Lobb (Conservative Party of Canada), who holds Huron—Bruce.
Which party won Port Elgin in the 2021 federal election?
In 2021 it was Ben Lobb (Conservative Party of Canada), who represents Huron—Bruce still.
Who is the MPP for Port Elgin?
The riding for Port Elgin is Huron—Bruce, and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario lists the MPP who holds it.
Who heads the council in Port Elgin?
The open record gives Luke Charbonneau, elected mayor of Saugeen Shores council in October 2022.
How much does Saugeen Shores council spend?
In 2024, Saugeen Shores council spent $42.2M in all, for some 15,908 residents, of which $10.3M went on police, fire and protection, the biggest line.
Which regional body is Saugeen Shores part of?
The council of Bruce County, made up of members from its municipalities, Saugeen Shores among them, is the upper tier.
How is Saugeen Shores council elected?
Saugeen Shores council: the mayor is chosen by the whole municipality, the councillors ward by ward.
What was the turnout in Port Elgin?
38.8% of electors voted when Saugeen Shores council was elected in October 2022; the Ontario median was 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).