As communities across Ontario gear up for municipal elections later this month, a growing number of candidates face no competition at all.
Figures from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario indicate an uptick in the number of councillors acclaimed in their positions, meaning they're named as winners because no one chose to run against them
The association says the number of acclaimed heads of council, such as mayors or reeves, stands at 120 this year compared to 103 during the last province-wide municipal campaign in 2014.
In 26 of Ontario's 444 municipalities, residents won't have to cast ballots at all on Oct. 22 as entire councils in those communities have been acclaimed -- up from 18 municipalities four years ago.
The association says the total number of council candidates acclaimed this year stands at 477, up from 390 during the last election cycle.
Observers say the increase in acclamations is not a sign of weakening civic engagement, but rather reflects the difficult conditions at play in the smaller communities where uncontested candidacies are most common.
