Linnet Rimmer

Linnet Rimmer is running for Councillor in Ward 12 in Greater Sudbury.

Linnet H Rimmer (she/her) came to Greater Sudbury to attend Laurentian University, where she studied Biomedical Biology and Mining Engineering. She began working with the Canada Revenue Agency in 2017 and became a permanent employee in 2019. A mother of six children, including two stepsons, Linnet has been involved in coaching her children's baseball and hockey teams and supporting animal welfare initiatives. Since 2018, her family has fostered cats and supported PetSave through donations. Her community involvement reflects her interest in family, volunteerism, and helping others. Linnet is running for Ward 12 with a focus on rebuilding public trust, improving municipal transparency and accountability, addressing housing challenges, and making responsible long-term decisions for Greater Sudbury.

Why are you running for this position?

I am choosing to run for City Council for three main reasons.

First and foremost, I care deeply about the future of Greater Sudbury. I made the choice to stay here, build my life, and raise my family in this community, so the future of our city is incredibly personal to me. I am a proud mother of six wonderful children, four biological and two stepsons and when I think about the decisions we make today, I think about the community they will grow up in tomorrow. For me, this isn't just about the next four years, it's about helping build a city that future generations can be proud to call home.

Second, I believe rebuilding public trust needs to be a priority. Somewhere along the way, many people have become disconnected from, or lost confidence in, municipal government. I want to be part of changing that. I believe trust is built through transparency, accountability, honest communication, and a genuine willingness to listen. I want residents to feel that their voices matter, that their concerns are heard, and that their elected representatives are working in their best interests.

Finally, I am running because I genuinely love public service and connecting with people in our community. These past eight weeks have given me more than I ever could have anticipated. Aside from meeting my husband and having my children, this campaign has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my adult life. The conversations I've had, the people I've met, and the stories that have been shared with me have reinforced just how much I value being involved in our community.

Regardless of the outcome, I will carry this experience with me for the rest of my life. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have taken this journey and for every person who has welcomed me, shared their perspective, or taken the time to speak with me along the way. This campaign has reminded me that, at its heart, public service is about the people and that is exactly why I am running.

What do you love most about your community?

What I love most about our community is the balance it offers. We have many of the amenities, opportunities, and conveniences of a larger city, but we're surrounded by nature. With our lakes, forests, trails, and beautiful outdoor spaces, you don't have to travel far to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate what Northern Ontario has to offer.

I think there's something special about being able to enjoy the benefits of city life while still having that connection to nature. It's part of what makes Greater Sudbury unique, and it's something I truly appreciate about calling this place home.

I want to see us continue building a community that embraces that balance, where we can grow and improve while preserving the natural beauty that makes our city such a special place to live.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your municipality right now?

I think one of the biggest challenges facing Greater Sudbury right now is finding a sustainable balance between the growing needs of our community and the financial pressures facing our residents.

We have aging infrastructure that needs investment, housing affordability concerns, homelessness, and growing expectations around community safety. These are all important issues, but we also have families and seniors who are struggling with the rising cost of living and the burden of property taxes.

I believe the challenge for Council is to make responsible, forward-thinking decisions that address these issues without losing sight of the people who ultimately pay for them.

That means being strategic about how we spend public money, being transparent and accountable to taxpayers, working collaboratively with community partners and other levels of government, and focusing on solutions that deliver meaningful, long-term results.

Ultimately, I want to see a Greater Sudbury where people can afford to live, feel safe in their communities, and have confidence that their tax dollars are being used wisely. I don't think we have to choose between investing in our city's future and respecting the financial realities facing residents. The challenge is finding thoughtful, responsible ways to do both.

If elected, what is one thing you would like to accomplish during your term?

If elected, one thing I would really like to accomplish during my term is to help build greater public trust in our municipal government through improved transparency, communication, and accountability.

I believe a lot of frustration and mistrust can come from a lack of clear information or a lack of understanding about how and why certain decisions are made. I want to help bridge that gap by making municipal information more accessible, explaining decisions in a way that residents can understand, and ensuring people have the opportunity to ask questions and get straightforward answers.

I also believe that transparency is essential to addressing misinformation. While we may not always agree with every decision Council makes, residents deserve to have access to accurate information, understand the reasoning behind those decisions, and feel confident that their concerns are being heard.

Ultimately, I want to help foster a stronger relationship between residents and their municipal government, one built on openness, honesty, and mutual trust. I may not be able to control every decision or outcome, but I can commit to being approachable, communicating openly, and doing my part to ensure residents feel informed and included in the process.

What is one thing you would like to see your municipality do differently?

One thing I would like to see our municipality continue to work toward is a more proactive, long-term approach to meeting the needs of our community.

I think there are opportunities to put even greater emphasis on planning ahead, identifying potential challenges early, and making thoughtful decisions that consider both the needs of residents today and the future of our city.

I recognize that municipal decision-making involves balancing many competing priorities, limited resources, and the needs of a diverse community. That's why I believe it's important to continually look at how we can work smarter, prioritize effectively, and make the best use of the resources available to us.

Ultimately, I would like to see us continue building on the work already being done, with a focus on planning for the future, addressing concerns early, and making decisions that benefit our community in the long term.

What does good local government look like to you?

To me, good local government is government that listens, communicates openly, takes accountability, and remembers who it works for, the people who call our community home.

It means making decisions based on what is best for the community as a whole, while recognizing that different neighbourhoods and families may have different needs and priorities. It means being responsible with taxpayers' money, being transparent about how decisions are made, and making sure residents feel that their voices matter, even when the final decision doesn't go their way.

I also believe good local government requires collaboration. No one person has all the answers, and no one councillor can accomplish everything on their own. It takes a willingness to listen to different perspectives, work together, and focus on solutions rather than personal agendas.

Ultimately, I believe good local government should be something people can see and feel in their everyday lives such as the condition of their roads, the safety of their neighbourhoods, the accessibility of community services, and the opportunities available to their families. Most importantly, people should feel that their elected representatives are approachable, that their concerns are taken seriously, and that the decisions being made are being made with their best interests in mind.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?

If I were to received a $1 million grant to use in the best what that I saw fit, I would propose a 50/30/20 Homelessness Response Framework

This targeted $1 million strategy addresses the entire lifecycle of the housing crisis by combining immediate physical shelter, vital human capital, and upstream prevention.

- $500,000 to Bridge Housing: Secures a dedicated physical footprint by leasing an existing commercial property (such as a motel) or deploying rapid assembly modular cabins. This provides a dignified, low-barrier environment to transition individuals off the street while permanent housing is secured.

- $300,000 to Wrap-Around Supports: Funds 3 to 4 full-time frontline professionals such as Mental Health/Addiction Case Workers and a Housing Navigator who are embedded directly within the bridge housing. This intensive care stops the "revolving door" anomaly and ensures long-term tenant stability and accessibility.

- $200,000 to a Diversion Fund: Establishes a rapid-response fund to issue one-time micro-grants ($1,000 to $2,500) for rental arrears, utility deposits, or emergency expenses. This critical upstream tool keeps at-risk families housed and prevents them from entering the costly shelter system.

The Bottom Line: The Diversion Fund keeps people in their homes, Bridge Housing brings unsheltered individuals indoors, and Wrap-Around Supports ensure they never return to the street.

How do you approach working with people who disagree with you?

I believe that some of the most productive conversations happen when people with different perspectives are willing to sit down, listen to one another, and find common ground.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and I don't believe that disagreement has to be a negative thing. I approach those conversations with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and a genuine effort to understand where the other person is coming from. I'm always willing to reconsider my position when presented with new information or a perspective I hadn't considered.

At the end of the day, I believe that being an effective City Councillor isn't about winning arguments or always getting your way. It's about working collaboratively, treating people with respect, and finding the best possible solutions for our community. We may not always agree on the path forward, but I believe we can still work together toward the same goal of making Greater Sudbury a better place for everyone who calls it home.

What does having more women in local leadership change?

I think having more women in local leadership changes more than just the faces around the council table. It changes the perspectives, lived experiences, and voices that are represented when decisions are being made about our community.

Women bring a wide range of experiences to leadership, and those experiences matter. Whether it's navigating the challenges of raising a family, caring for loved ones, balancing work, home and financial pressures, or advocating for the needs of our neighbourhoods, these are experiences that can shape how we approach decisions about housing, childcare, public safety, infrastructure, and the future of our city.

As a mother of six, I know that the decisions made by the City don't just affect us today. They affect our children, our families, and the kind of community we leave behind for the next generation.

But for me, this isn't about suggesting that women are better leaders than men. It's about recognizing that our communities are stronger when the people making decisions reflect the people those decisions affect. We need different perspectives, different experiences, and people who are willing to listen to one another and work together.

When more women have a seat at the table, it sends a message to the next generation of girls that leadership is a place where they belong, too. And I think that is incredibly important.

Ultimately, I want every resident of Greater Sudbury to feel that their voice matters and that they have a place in shaping our city's future. Having more women in local leadership is an important part of making that a reality.

What is something about you that you would like voters to know that they might not learn from your campaign platform?

Something voters might not know about me is that throughout my years in Sudbury, I’ve lived in or right on the border of Ward 12 in four different locations.

I currently live in New Sudbury, but I’ve also lived on Bond Street, Mont Adam, and Adie Street. Having lived in these different areas and spent plenty of time throughout Ward 12, I’ve had the opportunity to experience firsthand the unique character and diversity of the neighbourhoods that make up our ward.

I think that gives me a valuable perspective because my connection to Ward 12 isn’t just about where I live today or what I’ve learned while campaigning. It’s about the places I’ve called home and the community I’ve been part of over the years.

Ward 12 is made up of many different neighbourhoods, each with its own character, needs, and challenges. Having personal ties to different parts of the area gives me a broader appreciation for our community and reinforces why it’s so important to listen to residents from every corner of the ward. I want everyone to feel that their voice matters and that they have someone representing them who genuinely cares about the community we call home.

Where can people find you?

Facebook: @linnet.rimme
Email: linnet.rimmer@gmail.com

Learn about the other women running in the 2026 Ontario Municipal Election.