Two more people have joined the race for a seat on Pembroke City Council, bringing the total number of candidates to seven as the October 26 municipal election draws closer.
Incumbent councillor Andrew Plummer filed his nomination papers on July 2, and first-time candidate Dominique Allard-Auclair followed on July 3, according to the City of Pembroke’s elections page. Plummer has served on council since 2014 and currently chairs the Operations Committee.
The seven council hopefuls are now vying for six seats around the table. The mayoral race remains a two-person contest between incumbent Ron Gervais, who filed on May 1, and Deputy Mayor Brian Abdallah, who filed on May 4. Abdallah retired from his position as a full-time educator with the Renfrew County District School Board on June 30 to run for mayor full-time. If elected, he would become the city’s first second-generation mayor—his father, George Abdallah, was mayor in the 1970s.
With nominations still open until 2 p.m. on August 21, more names could still be added to the ballot. Residents who want to vote have until August 12 to make sure they are on the voters’ list so they get a voter information letter in the mail. Voting will run from October 16 to October 26.
The 2026 municipal budget passed with a nearly seven per cent tax levy increase, meaning the average homeowner will pay about $259 more this year. Issues like aging pipes and roads—along with a $4-million annual gap in infrastructure funding—will be front and centre for whoever is elected.
