Photo: South Algonquin Business Alliance · CC BY-SA 4.0South Algonquin has a council seat for every 160 residents, fewer than 99% of municipalities in Ontario
South Algonquin sends one MP to Ottawa from Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada). Provincially, South Algonquin votes in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke; the open record doesn’t name its MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, so the legislature’s own list is linked below. Voters in South Algonquin chose Ethel Lavalley as mayor in October 2022, for a 7-seat council. 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 South Algonquin is governed
Few residents per seat
South Algonquin council spreads its seats over a small population; the typical municipality in Ontario has one seat per 1,540 residents. Council size ↓
Turnout above the norm
South Algonquin council drew more of its electors to the polls in 2022 than the typical Ontario municipality (35%). How South Algonquin voted ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
South Algonquin, a township in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
The census places South Algonquin in Nipissing, but the township is single-tier, with no county or regional council above it.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for South Algonquin, from the most recent elections.
- 1South Algonquin councilelected October 2022Ethel Lavalley
- 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 South Algonquin council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Ethel Lavalley
- Bill Rodnick
- Sandra Collins
- Joe Florent
- Joan Kuiack
- Shawn Pigeon
- Laurie Siydock
7 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel Lavalley | Mayor | 645 | 68% | No |
| Bill Rodnick | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Sandra Collins | Councillor | 48 | 55% | Yes |
| Joe Florent | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Joan Kuiack | Councillor | 353 | 81% | No |
| Shawn Pigeon | Councillor | 118 | 81% | No |
| Laurie Siydock | Councillor | 277 | 63% | No |
Voters pick a mayor for the whole municipality and the rest of South Algonquin council ward by ward. For mayor, Ethel Lavalley drew 68% of the votes.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
South Algonquin 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 36–49 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from South Algonquin. Turnout for South Algonquin council on 24 October 2022 was 46% of electors, higher than the Ontario norm.
How South Algonquin voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When South Algonquin votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| South Algonquin 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 South Algonquin, fixed by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 for 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. No open copy of the 2025 counts exists, and Elections Canada’s own terms rule out commercial reuse, so 2021 is the last vote shown.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
South Algonquin 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 ↗For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, South Algonquin votes in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, which has one MPP. 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
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.
Of the 122 seats from Ontario, the Liberal Party of Canada holds 71, and Cheryl Gallant’s Conservative Party of Canada has 50.
The MP’s record
Cheryl Gallant has sat in the Commons since 2000, now for the 9th Parliament. Mapped onto today’s Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, the 2021 vote gives the Conservative Party of Canada 50%; in 2025 Cheryl Gallant 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
In 2021, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke re-elected Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party of Canada
The 2019 and 2021 counts in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, South Algonquin’s riding before the map was redrawn; it now votes in Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.
Cheryl Gallant already held it after the 2019 election, won with 53%. Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke elected Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021: 50% of the vote, a lead of 16,704 over Jodie Primeau (New Democratic Party). Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke turned out at 67% in 2021; the country managed 63%.
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
South Algonquin 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 single-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
In 2024 the median among Ontario’s single-tier municipalities was $3,796 a resident; South Algonquin council spent $4,299. At 25% of spending ($1,072 a resident), roads and transit leads the budget. 14 full-time positions are funded, 13.3 per thousand residents. Taxes on property make up 55% of what comes in, more than the province-wide 37%.
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roads and transit | $1.1M | $1,072 | 25% |
| General government | $976K | $925 | 22% |
| Police, fire and protection | $739K | $700 | 16% |
| Social services and child care | $699K | $662 | 15% |
| Water, sewers and waste | $457K | $433 | 10% |
| Recreation and culture | $385K | $365 | 8% |
| Planning and development | $99K | $94 | 2% |
| Public health and paramedics | $50K | $47 | 1% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
South Algonquin council beside its neighbours
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
Nearby councils are drawn here for scale; the headline already says where South Algonquin council stands.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how South Algonquin 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
- Which riding. A riding is listed when 5% or more of the place’s 2021 Census residents live in it; the largest share comes first.
- 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. MPs come from Wikidata’s records of the 45th Parliament, which can lag a resignation or a by-election by some days.
- Council money. Per resident means the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals over the population it reports. Since a county or region spends in its lower tiers too, those are compared only with each other.
- Council size. Every seat counts, the head of council’s too, against the population of the 2021 Census.
Questions about how South Algonquin is run
Who is the MP for South Algonquin?
For South Algonquin, it’s Cheryl Gallant (Conservative Party of Canada), who holds Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.
Which party won South Algonquin in the 2021 federal election?
The Conservative Party of Canada: Cheryl Gallant won Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke in 2021 and is the MP for today’s Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.
Who is the MPP for South Algonquin?
Look up Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s site: that riding, which takes in South Algonquin, has one MPP.
Who heads the council in South Algonquin?
In October 2022, Ethel Lavalley won the post of mayor for South Algonquin council’s 2022–26 term.
How much does South Algonquin council spend?
South Algonquin council spent $4.5M in 2024 for about 1,055 residents; its largest service line was roads and transit, at $1.1M.
How is South Algonquin council elected?
South Algonquin council: the mayor is chosen by the whole municipality, the councillors ward by ward.
What was the turnout in South Algonquin?
46.1% of electors voted when South Algonquin 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).