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Kristin Murray
Kristin is a registered member of Chapleau Cree First Nation and is a descendant of a signatory to Treaty 9. She graduated from Laurentian University with a B.A., with a concentration in Equity, Diversity and Human Rights. She holds a certificate in Leadership from the COADY Institute at St. Francis Xavier University. She also holds a Diploma in Social Services and Drug and Alcohol Counselling diploma, both from Northern College. Kristin has over 19 years of experience working in the social services sector in the Timmins area. She is experienced in community development personally, and professionally and in her current role as Municipal Councillor. She is dedicated to Indigenous health promotion and policy in addressing the unique challenges of racialized people across Northern Ontario. Kristin’s areas of interest are Indigenous Affairs, child welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Kristin Murray is running for Council in Ward 5 in Timmins.
Kristin (she/her/kwe) is a registered member of Chapleau Cree First Nation and is a descendant of a signatory to Treaty 9. She graduated from Laurentian University with a B.A., with a concentration in Equity, Diversity and Human Rights. She holds a certificate in Leadership from the COADY Institute at St. Francis Xavier University. She also holds a Diploma in Social Services and Drug and Alcohol Counselling diploma, both from Northern College. Kristin has over 19 years of experience working in the social services sector in the Timmins area. She is experienced in community development personally, and professionally and in her current role as Municipal Councillor. She is dedicated to Indigenous health promotion and policy in addressing the unique challenges of racialized people across Northern Ontario. Kristin’s areas of interest are Indigenous Affairs, child welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Why are you running for this position?
I have actively been engaged in our community even prior to my time on council. Being on Council has allowed me to elevate the voices of those in our community. I'm seeking re-election to be able to continue the community engaged grassroots work that I am authentically committed to carrying out, whether that be in the arts and culture space, growing our future leaders through mentorship opportunities, and utilizing innovative approaches to addressing our community’s challenges.
What innovative projects would enhance life in your municipality?
Over the past 4 years, we have not had any infrastructure for our children, youth and families; yet every time I connect with residents they always share that they wish they had somewhere to go and play sports, connect with community and most importantly, a place in Timmins that they can be proud of. I would love for our community to have a community centre; what the community centre looks like and has contained within its walls should be shaped by community through engagement sessions. We must also ensure that all levels of government can assist with the cost to keep our municipal contribution to a minimum.
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
As a Councillor, my role is to represent the public. If the City received $1 million in grant money, I would engage the residents in how they would like the $1 million dollars to be spent. Often times residents feel disconnected from Council and city affairs because they feel as though there is no mechanism for engagement.
What do you think are the greatest challenges your municipality faces?
There are so many important day-to-day challenges that require our attention. The lack of housing stock has been a far-reaching problem that has affected too many residents and also impacts the future growth of our community. As with many other communities, the opioid epidemic is another challenge that we are faced with.
Other than the official communication methods (minutes, municipal notes), how else will you reach out to your constituents to involve them in the decision making process?
In-person, social media, phone and email have all been great ways to engage residents throughout the large Ward that I have represented and hope to continue to represent. The Ward is so diverse that it is not realistic to rely on only one mechanism for engagement. What I hope to do in the future is have Town Hall sessions to involve members of the Ward in decisions making.
What is your favourite thing to do in your municipality?
I love hiking, stand up paddle boarding and taking my dog for a walk in my Ward.
Why do you think it’s important for women to be represented in civic leadership, including on committees, boards and municipal councils?
Women can often provide a different perspective to the conversations being had. We take into consideration a female perspective that men don’t always have the ability to do. By having women engaged, the specific needs of women are brought forth.
What does a ‘feminist city’ mean to you?
A feminist city would be one that considered everyone. Similar to using an equity, diversity, inclusion and justice lens when creating policy. The low-income, racialized those that are differently abled will be considered in the planning and development of the community. The committees that are established by the city would include the membership of all the voices within our community.
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Learn about the other women running in the 2022 Ontario Municipal Election in Northern Ontario.
Michelle Boileau
A proud Franco-Ontarian born and raised in Timmins, Michelle has dedicated her career to bettering the socio-economic well-being of people throughout Northern Ontario. She has over a decade of experience working in the postsecondary education sector and is currently the Employment & Immigration Services Manager for a local community college. Michelle obtained a Master of Research degree in Educational and Social Research from the University of London and an Honours Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa. Elected to the municipal council in the City of Timmins in 2018, Michelle serves on several community boards and committees and is honoured to chair the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association. She is most proud of being the mother of a two-year-old daughter, Rosalie.
Michelle Boileau is running for Mayor in Timmins.
A proud Franco-Ontarian born and raised in Timmins, Michelle (she/her/elle) has dedicated her career to bettering the socio-economic well-being of people throughout Northern Ontario. She has over a decade of experience working in the postsecondary education sector and is currently the Employment & Immigration Services Manager for a local community college. Michelle obtained a Master of Research degree in Educational and Social Research from the University of London and an Honours Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa. Elected to the municipal council in the City of Timmins in 2018, Michelle serves on several community boards and committees and is honoured to chair the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association. She is most proud of being the mother of a two-year-old daughter, Rosalie.
Why are you running for this position?
I'm running because Timmins can benefit from leadership with a future-focused vision for the city. I believe my skills and experience can contribute to making Timmins a better place to live for all. There are many issues that must still be addressed. I’m proud of the work I’ve accomplished as a municipal councillor this past term, but I know I can make a bigger impact in the mayor's role. I want to continue to build on the progress we’ve been making as a community.
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
First, I would do a happy dance! Then, I would request that we invest at least half into housing development initiatives, and use the other half to enhance and diversify recreational opportunities in the city.
What do you think are the greatest challenges your municipality faces?
One of the challenges I look forward to tackling is population growth. We're facing significant workforce shortages across all sectors, which is not only having a negative impact on our economy but also on the quality of life for residents. Moreover, much like the rest of Ontario, we're facing a housing crisis here in Timmins. Housing affordability, a lack of affordable housing and homelessness are all unique facets of the wider issue of housing. Finally, too many residents are struggling with access to appropriate health care. We have a growing waitlist and longer wait times, without any sign of things improving soon. Issues related to mental health and addictions continue to be prevalent in the city, and our community’s capacity to address them is limited. We also cannot ignore the environmental impacts on our health, such as air pollution, water quality, noise, etc. A clean environment is essential for human health and well-being.
What is your favourite thing to do in your municipality?
One of my family's favourite things to do in the City of Timmins is walking our dog through the extensive trail system. Whenever I feel like I just need to take breath, I head out into the trails to connect with nature.
Why do you think it’s important for women to be represented in civic leadership, including on committees, boards and municipal councils?
An obvious reason to strive for gender parity around decision-making tables is because women make up half of the population. That said, it's also important for women to be represented in civic leadership because women have different lived experiences than their male counterparts. They bring a different perspective to the conversation, as does any person of diversity.
Please identify the most critical policy, project, or initiative in your platform that addresses systemic barriers faced by women in your municipality, and describe why:
I believe that making provisions for child care so women can fully engage in professional and political spheres is especially important in a place like Timmins, where shiftwork is widely common. I would like to develop and implement strategies for increasing access to quality, culturally-appropriate child care in the city, both internally at the municipality and for the broader community.
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