Oshawa's mayoral candidates took the stage Thursday night for a sold-out debate at the Bond|St Event Centre, hosted by the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Central Lakes Association of REALTORS®. The two-hour forum, held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 8, gave the people vying to lead the city a chance to lay out their visions for Oshawa's future and answer questions that matter to residents and the business community.
According to CBC News coverage of the debate, homelessness and the revitalization of downtown Oshawa emerged as the dominant themes of the night, with candidates sharing their plans to tackle encampments and bring new life to the city core.
The debate comes with the mayor's office wide open: Mayor Dan Carter is not seeking re-election. Declared candidates include Ward 2 city and regional councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Ward 2 city councillor Jim Lee, Ward 4 city councillor Derek Giberson and construction management businessperson Henry Onwuachu, among others.
The chamber billed the event as an important civic moment, bringing mayoral candidates together for an evening of civic engagement and direct answers on the issues affecting daily life and the local economy. Registration was free, and the event sold out.
Voters who missed the debate can watch the chamber's video of the event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfZYUjpj_DE
Event details were posted on the chamber's website: https://members.oshawachamber.com/events/Details/save-the-date-2026-oshawa-mayoral-debate-1878127?sourceTypeId=Website
What's next: Oshawa votes on Oct. 26. Online voting runs Oct. 13 to 26 — voters who want to vote online must register and receive a personal identification number (PIN) — and paper ballots will be available on election day, Oct. 26.
Behind the story
Sources & publication details
- Byline
- Daily Durham News
- Published
- Oct 8, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
- Source
- members.oshawachamber.com
