Sarnia

How to vote

Vote either online (an 11-day internet-voting window; exact start date to be confirmed by the City) or in person on Election Day.

In-person voting places will be announced closer to the date; polls are open 10 a.m.–8 p.m. on Oct. 26.

Acceptable ID is required for in-person voting and registration — see the City’s election page for the full list.

Five candidates for mayor, including an incumbent in office since 1988. Chemical Valley, industry versus environmental and health impact, and housing affordability are the core issues.

Election day Mon Oct 26, 2026

Candidates 5

Core issues 2

Core issues

What this election is actually about

Chemical Valley: industry vs. environmental and health impact

Sarnia, Ontario, is historically a "gas and oil" town, but new pipeline and petrochemical development proposals have sharpened a long-running divide between residents who prioritize economic development and jobs versus those who prioritize environmental and public-health protection. Indigenous communities in the area, including Aamjiwnaang First Nation, have reported health symptoms linked to elevated benzene levels and have pushed for stronger environmental controls and regulatory oversight. Critics argued against new publicly funded fossil-fuel infrastructure and pointed to renewables as faster-to-build, lower-risk alternatives. Other candidates and officials have historically prioritized industrial development and job growth, and of the five, most mayoral candidates lean into conservative values (Bradley, Dennis, McEachran).

July 20, 2026 council minutes

Housing affordability

A widening gap between new high-end condo/rental development and the availability of affordable units has been a recurring local complaint, including in opinion coverage from The Sarnia Journal. Reporting cited in this research points to a net loss of low-income housing units in Sarnia since 2022, alongside continued approvals of higher-cost developments.

The Sarnia Journal The Sarnia Journal

The incumbent

The record you are voting on

Mike Bradley INCUMBENT

Running for Mayor of Sarnia · in office since 1988

38 years in office as mayor of Sarnia.

Full record →

Key votes and spending

Council decisions that shaped the issues above

Decision	Result	Amount	Source
Affordable housing, June 22, 2026: 94-unit affordable/RGI apartment building at 700-718 Cathcart Blvd. (Official Plan Amendment No. 15 & Zoning By-law Amendment 01-2026)	Carried; opposed by Dennis, and a resident petition was presented at the meeting in opposition. One of the largest affordable housing approvals in the record	94 units	Minutes
Affordable/supportive housing, April 27, 2026: legal help to block a 35-unit supportive housing project (Indwell) on George Street	Carried; Council voted to spend money on legal help to block the project. Municipal council was publicly reaffirming support for the original, larger version	35 units	Minutes
Chemical Valley / industrial land use, May 25, 2026: 14-storey residential tower at 485 Harbour Rd., ~125m from Cargill's Class III grain/fertilizer terminal (Official Plan Amendment No. 13 & Zoning By-law Amendment)	Carried (Nay: Burrell, Gillis) after a motion to deny failed 5-4, over Cargill's formal written objection. Directly weakens the MECP's recommended 300m industrial buffer distance; Lambton County Planning formally objected; sets a precedent for residential encroachment on Sarnia's working industrial waterfront	14 storeys	Minutes
Chemical Valley / industrial expansion, July 20, 2026: Northern Shield Pipeline	Carried; Council formally endorsed "continued review and advancement" of the pipeline, citing Sarnia's role as "Eastern Canada's energy hub," and forwarded the resolution to provincial/federal governments. Signals council-level support for expanding petrochemical/energy infrastructure at the same time as ongoing Chemical Valley health-and-emissions concerns (Aamjiwnaang) remain unresolved at other levels of government	—	Minutes
Indigenous reconciliation, June 22, 2026: Traditional Territory Acknowledgement	Carried 7-2 (Nay: Burrell, Dennis); also directed promotion of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Treaty Recognition Week, Red Dress Day, and Orange Shirt Day. Two councillors voted against a symbolic/procedural measure	—	Minutes

The other candidates

Drawn from published platforms and public statements

Bill Dennis

Running for Mayor of Sarnia

Sitting city councillor who declared his mayoral run in 2023 and prides himself on being self-funded.

AI data centres: Unclear
Environment: Generally pro-industry
Housing: Opposed affordable housing proposal

Full record →

Carrie McEachran

Running for Mayor of Sarnia

Chamber of Commerce CEO running as a political outsider on 'keep what works, build what's next.'

AI data centres: Unclear
Environment: Pro-industry and pro-collaboration
Housing: No specific commitments found yet

Full record →

George Stanko

Running for Mayor of Sarnia

Engineer who filed hours before the deadline; no published platform found.

AI data centres: Unclear
Environment: Unclear
Housing: Unclear

Full record →

Scott Molson

Running for Mayor of Sarnia

Tire-business owner with no prior government experience, running on inclusive leadership.

AI data centres: Unclear
Environment: No formal environmental platform
Housing: Homelessness and housing a priority

Full record →

Side by side

Pick who you want next to each other

“Unclear” means we could not find a documented position, not that none exists.

Compare 5 candidates

Mike Bradley INC Bill Dennis Carrie McEachran George Stanko Scott Molson

Hide issues where everyone is unclear

Issue	Mike Bradley INC	Bill Dennis	Carrie McEachran	George Stanko	Scott Molson
AI data centres	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Environment	Favours industrial development	Generally pro-industry	Pro-industry and pro-collaboration	Unclear	No formal environmental platform
Housing	Promises without a clear definition	Opposed affordable housing proposal	No specific commitments found yet	Unclear	Homelessness and housing a priority
Indigenous relations	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Land use	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Policing	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Public funds	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Transit	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear	Unclear
Transparency	38 years in office	First Nations conduct complaint	No council record	Unclear	No council record

Documented position Opposes Unclear or partial

Money and donors

Self-funded candidate: Dennis prides himself on never taking donations and being self-funded, though a third-party advertiser supporting the municipal election is aligned with Bill Dennis.