Mississauga council will appoint an individual to fill the Ward 1 vacancy.

The announcement was made at the Jan. 24 council meeting, nine days after the sudden passing of Coun. Jim Tovey. Once a seat is declared vacant, council has the choice to either fill the vacancy by appointment or hold a byelection.

“Given the fact that we are in an election year, and by the time we get through the process, it doesn’t make sense to hold a byelection,” said Ward 2 Coun. Karen Ras.

The Ward 4 byelection, which saw John Kovac elected to replace Frank Dale in 2015, cost taxpayers nearly half-a-million dollars.

Councillors voted to fill the seat by appointment, with the caveat that the person who is selected will not run in the 2018 municipal election. However, city council has no authority to enforce what is essentially an “unwritten rule,” as the province governs municipal elections.

Those interested in applying for the role must submit their resumés to the City of Mississauga’s clerks department between Jan. 29 to Feb. 9. Public pitches will take place at the Feb. 21 council meeting, where candidates will be given five minutes to explain why they are the best person for the job. This will be followed by an in camera discussion, after which a decision will be made publicly.

“All of us around here are very much committed to finding somebody who will continue Tovey’s many projects,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie, adding she would prefer someone who is familiar with Ward 1 issues.

The individual who applies for the role must be a citizen of the Region of Peel.