Ron Gervais acclaimed as next mayor of Pembroke, Ont.

Ontario's municipal elections aren’t for another six weeks, but Pembroke residents won't be voting for their next mayor.

Ron Gervais was acclaimed as the city's next mayor on Aug. 19 after no other mayoral candidates submitted application papers by the 2 p.m. deadline.

"Certainly I'm ecstatic at the result of being acclaimed as the next mayor," Gervais tells CTV News.

"It was certainly nerve wracking on August 19th waiting for the lead up to two o'clock. No one had yet put in their name."

Gervais has served as Pembroke's deputy mayor for the past three terms. He currently works as a lawyer and intends to continue to do so after assuming the mayoral position.

"I've been deputy mayor for three terms and I've been giving it my all in terms of what I'm trying to do for this particular community," he says.

He replaces outgoing mayor Mike LeMay, who held the position for two terms and did not seek re-election.

"I've worked very closely with him for the last eight years and he will be an excellent mayor," says LeMay.

Gervais is one of 16 mayors to be acclaimed in eastern Ontario.

In Pembroke, voter turnout was higher than the provincial average in 2018, indicating that residents would have wanted the chance to choose who they want in the mayor's seat.

Pembroke had a turnout of 45.5 per cent, compared to the average of 38.3 per cent for all of Ontario, according to the Association of Municipalities Ontario.

"I came out early so if someone thought perhaps they could do a better job than what I'm intending on doing, or they look at my track record for the last three terms, perhaps that's what they think," said Gervais. "But in terms of the democratic process, certainly I've done what I can."

The task ahead of Gervais over the next four years is now to continue to grow the heart of the Ottawa Valley.

"Currently, I'm working as chair of the police services board on a community wellness plan and it's tackling some of the harder issues in the city of Pembroke, whether it be appropriate housing, mental health, drug addiction," says Gervais.

"It's a lot of infrastructure, economic development, and to top it all off it would be nice to see an aquatic facility done within the four years," adds the incoming mayor.

"He has to look at transit, and basically growing the economy," suggests LeMay. "We have an industrial commercial park, so it's a case of encouraging people to make Pembroke a destination."

Municipal Election Day in Ontario is Oct. 24. Residents in Pembroke will cast ballots for six city councillor positions.