Darrin Canniff has announced he will seek a third term as mayor of Chatham-Kent in the next municipal election.
Canniff, who was first elected mayor in 2018, said his campaign will focus on continuing growth and investment across the municipality following what he described as a period of strong economic and population gains over the past eight years.
According to Canniff, Chatham-Kent’s population has increased by 8.1 per cent during his time as mayor, marking the municipality’s strongest period of growth in more than 20 years.
“Over the past eight years, we’ve worked hard to change the conversation around Chatham-Kent,” Canniff said.
“We’ve focused on growth, positivity, investment, and creating opportunities for people and families to build their future right here in our community. Today, more people are choosing Chatham-Kent than they have in decades, and that’s something we should all be proud of.”
Canniff said his priorities for another term would include continued investments in rural infrastructure, road rehabilitation, community facilities and housing development across all areas of Chatham-Kent.
“Growth doesn’t just happen in one part of Chatham-Kent,” he said. “Every community deserves investment and attention. We’ve made significant progress improving infrastructure across rural Chatham-Kent, supporting our downtowns, and helping local businesses succeed, but there is still more work to do.”
Canniff also highlighted community pride initiatives, tourism promotion, recreation, business development and local events as key factors in the municipality’s recent momentum.
“When people believe in their community, good things happen,” he said. “We’ve worked to build momentum, encourage investment, support our business community, and showcase everything that makes Chatham-Kent a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Canniff said relationships he has developed with provincial and federal leaders have helped the municipality advocate for support on issues including homelessness, mental health, addictions, healthcare, infrastructure funding and economic development.
“The challenges communities face today require strong advocacy and strong relationships,” Canniff said.
“Over the years, I’ve built connections at Queen’s Park that help ensure Chatham-Kent has a voice at the table. Whether it’s fighting for infrastructure funding, addressing homelessness and addictions, or supporting economic growth, I will continue working tirelessly to advocate for our residents and our businesses.”
Canniff, a chartered accountant, said the municipality’s debt levels have been reduced by approximately $100 million during his time in office, resulting in what he described as one of the lowest municipal debt levels in Ontario.
He also pointed to the Councillor Ward Funding Program as one of his major accomplishments. The initiative, funded through an agreement with Hydro One, has supported projects across Chatham-Kent at no cost to taxpayers.
Projects funded through the program include the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 18 memorial wall in Wallaceburg, the Wallaceburg BIA River of Light project, downtown Chatham murals and flag installations, improvements at J.G. Taylor Park, the Mitchell’s Bay kayak launch, cultural banner installations in Dresden, veteran banners in Wheatley and restoration work at the Mary Webb Centre.
“Growth creates opportunity. Growth strengthens our economy. Growth supports better services, better amenities, and a better future for everyone who calls Chatham-Kent home,” Canniff said.
“We’ve made tremendous progress together, and now it’s time to keep building on that success. Let’s keep growing, Chatham-Kent.”
Canniff joins Councillors Lauren Anderson and Michael Bondy, along with Nelson Burm, as the mayoral candidates who have filed their nomination papers.
Election day is Monday, October 26, 2026.
