A Meaford mayoral candidate is dropping out of the race, though her name remains on the ballot.
Caryn Colman says she's withdrawing her campaign at the 11th hour, as she doesn't want to split the vote on what she sees as the major issue of the election, the TC Energy Pumped Storage project.
"Given the threat of TC Energy’s Ontario Pumped Storage project, this is an extremely urgent election for Meaford," said Colman in a release. "I want to clear the deck for the constituents to have a simple choice about who they want for Mayor."
Two candidates, Shirley Keaveney and Justin Perks, now remain in the race, though because Colman didn't withdraw by the August 21 deadline, her name will still appear on ballots.
Colman said her campaign goal was to raise awareness of green energy solutions available for Meaford right now, rather than "putting all its eggs in the pumped storage project."
"It’s no secret green energy solutions bring more jobs for trades," she said. "I want to empower people to get grants for heat pumps, retrofits and solar panels, to name a few. We’re not stuck with the destructive technology of an open loop pumped storage system. We must protect our most valuable and precious resource, Georgian Bay and its waters."
According to candidate questionnaires published by Bayshore Broadcasting News, Keaveney is "keeping an open mind" to the TC Energy project, while Perks is opposed.
Colman's pop-up campaign headquarters, which included an art exhibition celebrating Georgian Bay, will remain until October 28.
