RE-ELECT
CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO
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“As a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board I have had the pleasure of working closely with Mayor Provenzano for the past two years. His integrity, work ethic and leadership is truly an asset to the Board and the City. In dealing with challenges and opportunities we face on the Board I very much appreciate his life experiences, legal background and his ability to help find solutions to the issues of the day. In my view he has remarkable character and is a valuable asset to the community.”
Rick Webb - Member, Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board
“I have worked with Mayor Provenzano on many successful initiatives over the past four years and continue to be impressed with his honest and sincere commitment to all members of the community. He fully understands that the economic and social fabric of the community are intricately linked and that one cannot successfully advance without the other.”
Mike Nadeau - CAO, DSSAB
“Christian has been an extremely valuable member of the PUC Board for the last four years. He has shown tremendous dedication to the work and participated cooperatively as a team player at the board room table. As a Board, we have been able drive strategic vision for the corporation and Christian not only helped in that vision, he showed concern for the community every step of the way.”
Jim Boniferro - Board Chair, PUC Services Inc.
“In the last few years our industry has seen the highs and lows of the business cycle – Mayor Provenzano has proactively supported Tenaris during the full cycle by helping us promote the importance of manufacturing jobs to Canadian energy development, by using his network to help us achieve policy gains in Ottawa and Toronto, and by considering the competitiveness of employers in the budget planning process.”
David McHattie - Institutional Relations, Tenaris Canada
“Over the last number of years I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the mayor on a couple highly important health care issues for the community. He was instrumental in helping us secure approval and funding to bring cardiac angioplasty (PCI) to Sault Ste. Marie. He also played a pivotal role in the recent success to secure additional long-term care beds for the community. He has been a valued supporter and constant champion of our healthcare needs when dealing with other levels of government.”
Ron Gagnon - CEO, Sault Area Hospital
“I’ve enjoyed working with Christian Provenzano as Mayor these last four years. His grasp of issues, his logical thinking and his willingness to lead, such as on the Noront proposal, and to make things happen for Sault Ste. Marie have been invaluable.”
Terry Rainone - Board Chair,
Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation
“Strengthening our community’s resilience, as recommended by the Community Adjustment Committee, requires a united approach across the City’s diversity of people and sectors. Mayor Provenzano’s strong and committed leadership has been key to implementing our vision and goals.”
Gayle Broad - Chair, Community Adjustment Committee
Sault Ste. Marie has the lowest number of hospital beds per 1000 seniors 75+ and this is a major contributing factor to the chronically high alternate level of care (ALC) rates Sault Area Hospital has been struggling with. Mayor Provenzano helped communicate these facts to the right people at the opportune time, and because of that, we were successful in obtaining approval for 64 additional Long Term Care beds. While much work still needs to be done in this regard, I know that I can count on Mayor Provenzano’s ongoing support and assistance in this project, which itself is critical to ameliorate the care and housing shortage Sault Ste. Marie’s seniors are currently experiencing.
Paul Belair - CEO, Ontario Finnish Resthome Association
"Mayor Provenzano has proven his dedication to support the ongoing efforts of the SSM & Area Drug Strategy Committee to address the compounding issues around substance use in our city by fostering open lines of communication and providing his time and attention to the myriad of complex issues related to substance use in our community. The SSM & Area Drug Strategy Committee will continue to work collaboratively with him to ensure these issues remain a priority in our community."
SSM & Area Drug Strategy Committee
"Christian is the first Mayor who took the time to come to our centre and meet and greet the members and staff shortly after he was sworn in as our Mayor. Christian is the first Mayor that is available to our Indigenous community members. Christian listens with an open heart and mind and he shows respect to our people and many have shared with me that he is a genuine person who shares his words from his heart. He always follows up and does what he said he would. These are great attributes to have in a leader and we hope he can continue to do what is right for our beautiful Bawating area we now call Sault Ste. Marie.."
Claudette Chevrier – Cachagee, President – Indian Friendship Center
When I ran for Mayor in 2014, my campaign had three key themes: Leadership, Accountability and Responsible Spending. I have worked hard to live up to these values, to serve you and to serve our community.
It has been a challenging Council term. We have faced uncertainty about OLG’s modernization process, the downturn in oil prices that shut-down Tenaris, and the CCAA process that threatened Algoma and the City’s finances. Today, OLG has committed to keeping Sault Ste. Marie as its corporate headquarters and maintaining staffing levels here, Tenaris has resumed full operations, and Algoma is on the cusp of leaving bankruptcy protection and moving towards a more stable future. Together, City Council and the community have managed through significant challenges and the uncertainty that came with them. More importantly, we have kept our eye on our future while doing so.
I have said since the outset that we need to transition from maintaining the city that we have to building the city that we want. We started that process through our new community plan: FutureSSM. I committed to the citizens and community leaders that participated in developing the plan that I would ensure the City acted on it and we are.
Through all the challenges, I have woken up every day glad to have the privilege to work for you and to work for our community. Keep reading to see the highlights of what we’ve been able to accomplish this term and what I plan to focus on if I am afforded the privilege to continue serving as your Mayor.
Christian was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie. He attended St. Mary's College high school and then proceeded to earn his Bachelor of Art (Honours) at the University of Waterloo and his Bachelor of Laws at Dalhousie University. Christian completed his bar administration course with the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2002 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2003. He owns, operates and practices at Provenzano Law/Advocates & Advisors in downtown Sault Ste. Marie he has recently completed his Masters of Law at Osgoode Hall Professional Development.
Christian's most gratifying accomplishments to date are rooted in public service - committing his time, energy and skills to worthwhile organizations and causes where he can help make a real, positive difference in both his community and the lives of others. Christian has volunteered his time and expertise with groups such as:
As Vice - Chair of the Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Christian was proud to assist in an effort that has improved health care services in Sault Ste. Marie.
Christian has served as the Mayor of the City of Sault Ste. Marie since 2014. Since his election as Mayor, he has also served as a director of PUC Inc., PUC Services Inc., PUC Distribution Inc., a commissioner on the PUC and as a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Board.
Christian and his wife Kyleigh have two daughters, Isla and Chloe.
Leadership
Leadership takes many forms and it has been an honour to represent our city and our citizens these past four years. From working to promote the importance of reconciliation, to supporting our major employers in times of trouble, to pitching our city as the natural home for a major new industrial development, I’ve worked hard to provide leadership that will help move Sault Ste. Marie forward.
Inclusion and Reconciliation
Community Development and Quality of Life
Economic Leadership & Advocacy
Accountability
In 2014, I spoke about the importance of being a Mayor who is accountable to the citizens. Whether it has been being active with the PUC or speaking to citizens about Council decisions, I’ve worked hard to live up that responsibility. Accountability starts with the decision-makers. When faced with tough economic times, City Council froze its own honorariums. We also reduced the size of our Council so that it would be a more appropriate size for a community of our population.
Responsible Spending
City Council has examined and challenged city spending, improved our budgetary processes, developed and implemented a surplus policy and a long - term tax policy, and successfully encouraged staff to find saving through vacancy management and job gapping. We have worked hard to minimize tax increases and to decrease the municipal burden, while also making strategic investments in the future. We have made progress but there is certainly more to be done.
Spending & Taxes
Investing for the Future
When I ran for Mayor in 2014, I did so because I saw our challenges and believed that if we wanted things to change and improve, we couldn’t keep doing things the way we always had. I also saw the community we could be: a vibrant city with an unmatched quality of life, a city that will attract and retain great talent and new businesses, and a city that spends wisely and safeguards our future.
There is a lot more to do and with your support, I will see that the work gets done. I make the same commitments to you this election that I did last: I will demonstrate leadership, I will be accountable for my decisions and I will encourage responsible spending. You will always know where I stand and what I think and you can always count on my sincere effort. I will continue working for you and for our community.
Responsible Spending
Continue to encourage and ensure responsible budgeting, spending and tax policy. This Council has made a tremendous effort to control spending and minimize municipal tax increases. We have made some good progress but we have to continue to be diligent. At the same time, we have made investments to make our municipality more innovative and efficient. We need to continue down this path to ensure our municipality is leader in the province.
Accountability
Continue to encourage and support policies that build ethical, transparent and accountable governance. Our Council has passed a much more thorough and significant code of conduct. We have minimized closed meetings and we respect the jurisdiction and role of the Ombudsman. We will continue to provide our community with good municipal governance.
Reconciliation and Relationship-Building
Continue to develop and improve upon our relationship with our First Nation partners and community members and work with our community stakeholders, like Algoma University and Shingwauk Education Trust, to make our community a national leader in Truth and Reconciliation.
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
Continue to support, work with and advocate for the Sault Ste. Marie and Area Drug Strategy Committee and the Algoma Leadership Table partners to address the opioid epidemic in our community. Our community is not alone in addressing this challenge, but we have to recognize the gravity of it and that it will take all of us, working together to find effective solutions.
Advocating for the Community
Continue to support community partners and lobby effectively for our community needs. I am particularly proud of the role I played in negotiating the City’s tax agreement with Algoma, securing 84 additional long - term care beds for the Finnish Resthome and Van Daele Manor and obtaining the necessary approval and funding to complete Cardiac Percutaneous Intervention (angioplasty) at SAH.
Downtown Redevelopment
Continue, complete and implement our downtown redevelopment plan. We have done a tremendous amount of work, capital planning and consultation to improve our downtown and we have taken the necessary steps to make it happen. You are seeing some of that this summer but more needs to be and will be done.
Strengthening Transit
Continue to work on and improve our transit system. The average bus in Ontario is 6 years old, the average bus in SSM is over 11. Transit needs our time, attention and significant investment. We have completed a route optimization process and we have developed a capital plan to replace a number of our oldest buses. We have started but we need to keep at it.
Building a Safe Community
Continue my work on the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Board to ensure that our investment in policing and community safety is being allocated to address our most pressing concerns and priorities.
Building a Smart City
Continue to put the necessary building blocks in place so that Sault Ste. Marie can become a smart city. The PUC has completed the project development and due diligence to build a community wide smart grid. The municipality itself has undertaken a full information technology review. City Council has passed a resolution asking staff to develop an open data platform for our municipality. There is more work to be done but we are well on our way and now have some foundational pieces in place.
Implement FutureSSM
Continue to support, encourage and implement FutureSSM. We have now have the project team and funding in place to build on the important work of the community adjustment committee. I want to continue to support and work with this project and the project team. We will do great things if we stay focused, work together and continue to look ahead.
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