Mayoralty
Courtemanche was elected mayor of Greater Sudbury in the 2003 municipal election after the retirement of incumbent Jim Gordon. At 39 years old Courtemanche was the youngest elected mayor in the history of Sudbury. His "Campaign for Change" was highlighted by promises of sustainable growth and collaborative leadership. Courtemanche led in the polls for much of the campaign, and defeated local businessman Paul Marleau and 12 other opponents on election day. (Only Toronto, with 44 candidates, had a larger mayoralty contest.) Following his election, Courtemanche said that he would seek a non-confrontational civil service and better relations with unions and management. A local editorial described him as a candidate who "always seems to naturally find the high road and knows how to stay there".
During his first year as mayor Courtemanche increased the role of public consultation in Greater Sudbury's budgetary and planning processes. He sought to limit average tax increases to 7%, but ultimately introduced a budget with 7.5% increases. Later that year a cut in education taxes reduced property tax rates by about 3%.
In his inauguration speech Courtemanche promised to change the municipal government's senior management structure. He reiterated this pledge after difficulties with his first budget. Three senior staff positions were cut later in the year. The Sudbury Star newspaper criticized the mayor's restructuring plan, arguing that it was not conducted in an open and accountable manner. Courtemanche later engaged in a public dispute with councillor Lynne Reynolds over this and other aspects of his leadership.
Courtemanche worked with councillor Janet Gasparini on programs targeting homelessness. He also supported wind power investment, and sought to develop Greater Sudbury as an attractive destination for senior citizens. In May 2004, the City of Greater Sudbury received an environmental award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and CH2M Hill Canada for its EarthCare Sudbury Local Action Plan. Despite complaints from some business owners, Courtemanche did not change the city's strict anti-smoking bylaw. He again sought to remove Greater Sudbury's shopping hours bylaw in 2004, without success. He helped introduce a municipal health strategy in 2005, after a national survey showed that Sudburians were living shorter lives and were at higher risk of cardiovascular disease than other urban Canadians. Courtemanche launched the Mysudbury.ca web portal in March 2005, and helped to introduce a Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) in the city. Late in his term, he introduced a pilot project to encourage the use of energy efficient products.
In early 2004 Courtemanche met with the mayors of North Bay, Timmins, Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie to seek a new deal with senior levels of government for investment in Northern Ontario. The mayors called on the provincial government to solve some of southern Ontario's long-term problems (such as gridlock, air pollution and failing infrastructure) by shifting the focus of development to the north. Greater Sudbury received a significant increase in provincial government transfers in 2006. Courtemanche also lobbied the federal government on the importance of immigration to rural and peripheral regions. He represented his city at the opening of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, which has twin campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury.
Workers at Greater Sudbury Utilities (GSU) Inc. took part in an extended strike in 2004, in a dispute over retiree benefits. Courtemanche met Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario leader Sid Ryan in September of that year, which brought about a resumption of face-to-face bargaining. The strike ended a month later. Courtemanche later called on Hydro One to turn over its assets and customers to GSU believing that the city could provide better services for lower rates.
In 2006, Courtemanche appointed former provincial cabinet minister Floyd Laughren to head a local committee stemming from complaints about amalgamation of Greater Sudbury six years earlier. Several residents in outlying areas had previously signed a petition calling for a referendum on de-amalgamation.
Courtemanche was defeated in the 2006 municipal election, losing to former Member of Parliament (MP) John Rodriguez. The local media noted that he failed to inspire voters, and did not effectively counter Rodriguez's populist appeal. Courtemanche later acknowledged that he turned down his team's advice to take a more aggressive approach, arguing that it was not his style.
Courtemanche was mayor during a period of economic growth, which continued into the tenure of his successor.
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