Women hold just 30 per cent of municipal council seats in Ontario, according to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and the organization says two-thirds of women councillors experienced harassment while campaigning. A free virtual event being promoted across the province hopes to chip away at those barriers ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.
The session, called "Run Where You Are," is aimed at women and gender-diverse people who are weighing a run for local office next year. Local campaign schools across Ontario are hosting the online event, according to a Town of Hawkesbury news release.
Honest talk from women who have run
The release says the evening panel will feature elected women from different municipalities sharing candid conversations about how they decided to run, what their campaigns were actually like, and what they wish they had known before entering politics.
Leadership féminin Prescott-Russell, one of the organizations behind the event, noted that Councillor Lisa Deacon of Russell Township will be among the panelists.
Organizers say participants will come away with practical insight into campaign financing, time management, and the support systems available to candidates through the process.
More training on the way
The event will also point prospective candidates to resources from partner organizations, including campaign schools that are launching later in the fall. Those schools are to provide hands-on training for people preparing for the 2026 municipal election cycle.
Registration is open through Eventbrite. Questions can be directed to Marie-Noëlle Lanthier at leadershipfemininpr@gmail.com.
Why the numbers matter
The AMO figures cited in the release point to persistent obstacles that keep qualified women from putting their names forward at the local level, where decisions about roads, housing, policing budgets and community services are made.
Ontario's next municipal elections are scheduled for 2026, and candidate registration periods will open in communities across the province in the months ahead. Organizers describe the initiative as a step toward fair and inclusive representation on municipal councils.
