For the last month it’s been pretty stagnant in the mayor’s race. Despite the open seat from Cam Guthrie’s decision not to run again, there have only been two declared candidates since the early part of May, one with a lengthy and long-term community profile and one who’s relative new to Guelph, but on Wednesday a couple of familiar faces made it a four way race, one is already on city council and the second is well known for holding a sign.

In a social media post Wednesday morning, first-term Ward 6 Councillor Ken Yee Chew announced that he was running for mayor in this fall’s municipal election in what he calls a “generational shift” in local leadership.

“I am running for Mayor because I believe Guelph needs leadership that is grounded, practical and focused on results,” Chew said in a media release. “We can continue with approaches that have shaped City Hall for the better part of two decades, or we can bring a fresh perspective formed by practical experience both inside and outside local government.”

Chew added that  a detailed list of priorities will be coming in the next several weeks, but thematically his campaign will focus on responsible government, strengthen core services and ensuring affordability for residents. He also also underlined that we need a council that “demonstrates our fiscal restraint and views every council meeting, in many ways, as a budget meeting. Every in-year Council decision is fully costed before voted on. That way there are no surprises come budget time.”

You can see his campaign announcement below:

Chew, an urban designer by education and profession, emerged as a dark horse candidate in the 2022 election and won the second seat in Ward 6 with 28.37 per cent of the vote. Guelph politicos may observe that there’s some overlap with Chew’s story and the man he wants to replace, Cam Guthrie: They both decided to run for mayor after serving one-term and winning that council seat by beating an incumbent.

The other candidate to emerge on Wednesday is Ryan Meunier, who you may not know by his birth name. You’re probably better acquainted with him as the “Guelph sign guy.” Meunier started enjoying some degree of local notoriety in the winter of 2024 when he was standing roadside in the Ward with a sign demanding lower taxes. A 50-something retired elementary school teacher for the Upper Grand District School Board, Meunier will likely be joining Chew in the call for fiscal restraint at 1 Carden Street.

As you may recall, Ward 5 Councillor Leanne Caron and Guelph Indigenous Community Council co-founder Evaristo Ramos Jr. are the other two candidates in the mayor’s race.

You can see the full list of candidates in all the races here, and the last day to file nominations is Friday August 21.

Photo courtesy of Ken Yee Chew/Facebook.