Marie McLeod
Marie McLeod is running for Councillor in Ward 4 in Sault Ste. Marie.
Marie McLeod (she/her) is a lifelong Sault Ste. Marie resident, an Anishinaabe woman and a member of Thessalon First Nation. She helped establish the Northern Indigenous Youth Council and Indigenous Student Trustee position, earning the inaugural Young Leader Award at the SooToday Community Builder's Awards. She served as Vice-Chair of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council and has worked with Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, the Assembly of First Nations, and Thessalon First Nation, where she helped process and approve more than 800 new members. Marie currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Indigenous Friendship Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, which recently developed the Biidaban Men's Healing Centre, a $14.9-million transitional housing and community wellness project. She is also studying Graphic Design – Digital Media at Sault College.
Why are you running for this position?
I was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie. I ran in our ward 4 years ago where I earned 1,207 votes as a young candidate. I'm running again because I want the same opportunities for my baby brothers that I had growing up, that we all had to be leaders in their schools, neighbourhoods, and our community at large. It's the same opportunities that gave you the means to start your career, build your home, and raise your family in the city I have always called my home.
We are failing on so many of the issues we're facing, from homelessness, to drug overdoses, and job losses. We need to take a progressive approach to tackling these issues, from investing into our road repair deficit, the need to diversify our economy and create new job opportunities for our young workers, and of course buying Canadian to protect local businesses and unionized workers from the Trump trade war and his tariffs.
What do you love most about your community?
Sault Ste. Marie has provided me and my family with so much over the years, the opportunities have been endless, and I want to ensure that my baby brothers have those, that your kids and grandchildren do too!
We have such incredible gifts, that's why our city's slogan was "Naturally Gifted." We need to protect our natural beauty, protect the jobs and services we have fought for, and ensure that there is housing for those who want it and need it.
I know we can do more, and that we should do more. I'm ready to step up and deliver.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your municipality right now?
Affordable housing continues to be something that we are missing, specifically for both seniors and young families. I want to see us rezone and encourage redevelopment of existing and already serviced properties to reduce the cost for taxpayers to support new housing; by doing that we can prevent the need to impose development charges and that we don't lose out on provincial funding.
If we have more residents, all pitching in with a new tax base of property taxpayers then we won't need to raise property taxes above the rate of inflation. That means housing for those who need it while keeping your tax bill manageable, to me is a win-win.
What is one thing you would like to see your municipality do differently?
We need to be a team. One resident said it best to me: "For the past four years we have had too many egos at city hall. They are working against each other, not together."
City Council must be united, and serve as a singular voice to advocate for our city to the Provincial and Federal governments. That comes at putting aside mild differences, treating everyone with kindness and respect, and that we look at where we agree to work on those issues first. In our ward we have had a councillor who isn't a team player, and that has cost us too much the past term. I want to see that changed with a new councillor and new approach from the new council over the next 4 years after the 26th.
What does good local government look like to you?
As an Anishinaabe Kwe I believe in the "Seven Generations" principle of leaving life better for the seven generations that come after you, so we must do what will benefit not just the council and residents of today, but those who will be born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie long after we pass on.
Municipal government shouldn't be glamorous, but it sure as hell should be treated with the importance that it deserves. We are making those decisions that will impact those seven generations and we can't afford to get them wrong. We need to ensure there is affordable housing, jobs that will pay the bills, and that we have preserved our natural beauty that we got to experience for ourselves.
How do you approach working with people who disagree with you?
I am not going to agree with someone 100% of the time, but if we agree 80% of the time then it's simple: let's tackle that 80% and get what we do agree on passed first, and then deal with that 20% we don't agree on later. For me it's important that disagreements be civil, that way we can find common ground and practical solutions that we can build consensus on.
At the end of the day, we all want what's best for the city, but I am not interested in ideology or sending a message, but doing what is right and only going after ideas and proposals we know will provide lasting and evidence-based results.
What does having more women in local leadership change?
It's so important to have a variety of perspectives at the decision table, and women play such a large part in that. Women in general have such a different life experience that is so critical to making good decisions and are needed to bring a different pair of eyes to problems that may not be raised.
We still lack gender parity when it comes to candidates, we have no mayoral candidate or anyone running in Ward 1 who are women, especially when we are losing a female councillor in that ward in Sandra Hollingsworth. It's also sad to see Lisa Vezeau-Allen go as well, however there are three women running in her ward with two who are fantastic and progressive female candidates, so hopefully she will be succeeded by another woman.
What is something about you that you would like voters to know that they might not learn from your campaign platform?
I am a young leader, born in 2002 I have only ever called Sault Ste. Marie my home. I have lived in Ward 4 since 2009, in the same neighbourhood that we first moved into. I am a diverse candidate, who is a Status Indian registered to Thessalon First Nation and who has lived as an "off-reserve" urban Indigenous person my whole life. I am also a transgender woman, and have been proudly out as such since August 2025, and I am so proud to have the love and support of my friends, family, and broader community in the Sault.
These experiences matter because we don't have much diversity at city hall, that lack of perspective means we are missing critical voices at our decision table. The clearest example is the fact we have not consulted with our local First Nation governments on critical issues that affect the broader Algoma region.
If I were elected there would be many glass ceilings that would be shattered, but it isn't about me, it's about the leaders of tomorrow who will know that there are no barriers for them to not just run for office, but win and be our next city councillor, mayor, or trustee.
Where can people find you?
Facebook: @mariemcleodward4
LinkedIn: @mariemcleodward4
