Northwood deserves a strong, informed voice at City Hall.

Northwood has been my home my entire life. I know the neighbourhood, I know the issues, and I believe residents deserve a councillor who understands their community and how decisions are made at City Hall.

For more than a decade through City Council Round Up, I read the reports, followed the debates, questioned spending and held City Hall accountable.

Now I’m ready to put that experience to work for Northwood.

I’m not running to make promises one councillor can’t deliver. I’m running to ask the right questions, understand the numbers, work with others and get things done.

I’ll be visible, accessible and prepared. I’ll answer the phone, follow up and keep you informed.

Northwood has always been my home. I’m ready to go to work for it.

Why Northwood?

Northwood is one of Thunder Bay's most established neighbourhoods. It is also an area with real needs that cannot be addressed by simply talking about them every four years.

Roads, sidewalks, drainage, traffic, neighbourhood safety, parks, infrastructure and the condition of public spaces affect people every day.

These may not always be the biggest stories coming out of City Hall, but they matter when you live here.

I want Northwood's priorities brought directly to the Council table and followed through until residents get answers.

That means being present in the ward, communicating regularly and making it easier for residents to understand what the City is doing, what it is spending and when work is expected to happen.

A Strong Understanding

I have spent years following Thunder Bay City Council closely and did so from my home in Northwood.

City Council Round Up became an opportunity to take lengthy reports, debates and decisions and explain what they actually meant to the people paying for them.

Sometimes that meant questioning the logic behind a decision.

Sometimes it meant questioning the price.

Sometimes it simply meant asking the question many people listening at home were already asking.

Why?

That experience gave me a strong understanding of how municipal government works, but it also reinforced something more important.

City Hall works best when residents are paying attention and their elected representatives remember who they work for.

Council 101: Sometimes the Most Important Word is “Why?”

One of the things I learned from more than a decade of following Thunder Bay City Council closely is that being a good councillor isn't simply about voting yes or no. Sometimes the most important thing a councillor can do is ask one simple question: Why? Why is this project a priority? Why does it cost this much? Why are we doing it now? What has changed since the original plan was approved? Were residents consulted? What are the long-term operating costs? And most importantl

JOHN ONGARO

5 minutes ago

Dealing with Homelessness in Thunder Bay - Part 2

Homelessness is one of the most difficult and human challenges facing our community. Behind every statistic is a person, and I believe we need to approach this issue with compassion, empathy and an understanding that there is no simple solution. The three levels of government all play a critical role in addressing homelessness. No one level of government can do it alone, and I do not believe we can simply fund our way out of homelessness at the municipal level. Finding meanin

JOHN ONGARO

Sep 27

COUNCIL 101: One Councillor, or One Mayor, Doesn't Run a City

During election campaigns, you’re going to hear, and see, plenty of promises about taxes, roads, spending, development and fixing problems at City Hall. In the “friendly” space that is social media, I’ve even been called out for not making enough promises or laying out specific plans for everything. Why haven’t I? Because there’s something worth remembering when you’re doing your research and deciding who to vote for: A councillor is one vote around the Council table. The may

JOHN ONGARO

Sep 25

Homelessness isn't a crime.

Homelessness has been getting a lot of attention in this election, and it should. We see the tents, the addiction, mental-health struggles and poverty on our streets. We also hear from residents who are frustrated and worried about what is happening in their own neighbourhoods. But we need to be careful about pretending there is a simple answer. This isn’t just a Thunder Bay problem. Communities across Ontario and Canada are struggling with the same thing, and no mayor or cou

JOHN ONGARO

Sep 22

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Learn more about the campaign and the vision

Council 101: Sometimes the Most Important Word is “Why?”

One of the things I learned from more than a decade of following Thunder Bay City Council closely is that being a good councillor isn't simply about voting yes or no. Sometimes the most important thing a councillor can do is ask one simple question: Why? Why is this project a priority? Why does it cost this much? Why are we doing it now? What has changed since the original plan was approved? Were residents consulted? What are the long-term operating costs? And most importantl

Dealing with Homelessness in Thunder Bay - Part 2

Homelessness is one of the most difficult and human challenges facing our community. Behind every statistic is a person, and I believe we need to approach this issue with compassion, empathy and an understanding that there is no simple solution. The three levels of government all play a critical role in addressing homelessness. No one level of government can do it alone, and I do not believe we can simply fund our way out of homelessness at the municipal level. Finding meanin

COUNCIL 101: One Councillor, or One Mayor, Doesn't Run a City

During election campaigns, you’re going to hear, and see, plenty of promises about taxes, roads, spending, development and fixing problems at City Hall. In the “friendly” space that is social media, I’ve even been called out for not making enough promises or laying out specific plans for everything. Why haven’t I? Because there’s something worth remembering when you’re doing your research and deciding who to vote for: A councillor is one vote around the Council table. The may

Homelessness isn't a crime.

Homelessness has been getting a lot of attention in this election, and it should. We see the tents, the addiction, mental-health struggles and poverty on our streets. We also hear from residents who are frustrated and worried about what is happening in their own neighbourhoods. But we need to be careful about pretending there is a simple answer. This isn’t just a Thunder Bay problem. Communities across Ontario and Canada are struggling with the same thing, and no mayor or cou

Parkettes Are Off the Table. Leave the Parks Alone.

At a candidates’ panel last week, I brought up the future of neighbourhood parkettes, including Thornloe in Northwood. My answer was pretty simple: “If anybody wants to talk about Thornloe and it not being a parkette, sign me up. Parkettes are off the table. Find infill opportunities first. Leave the parks alone.” That is exactly where I stand. Thunder Bay needs housing and we need to make it easier to build it, but I reject the idea that established neighbourhood green spac

DID YOU KNOW?

In 2018, 5,357 votes were cast for Northwood Ward councillor, In 2022, that number fell to 4,677 votes — 680 fewer votes, a decline of 12.7%. I think Northwood can do better in 2026. The decisions made at City Hall affect our neighbourhood and our city every day including decisions on our roads and infrastructure, drainage, development, parks, traffic, public safety, taxes and how our tax dollars are spent. Who represents Northwood at that table matters. But there's another r

Northwood Is Home, and I can tell you a lot about it.

I can tell you a lot about Northwood because, for most of my life, Northwood has been home. I grew up on Edward Street and went to St. Vincent's School. I was an active member of St. Dominic's Church, where my father was one of hundreds of volunteers who helped build the church from the ground up. I was there when it opened in 1982. As a kid, Northwood was my world. I rode my bike along Redwood Avenue and up Ironwood Crescent. My brother and I took a canoe up and down the McI

City Council Isn’t a One-Person Job. Stop Campaigning Like It Is.

There are a lot of promises for change and plans to make a difference, but you should know it takes more than one vote, and one person. Election campaigns are full of promises. We hear candidates talk about lowering taxes, fixing roads, attracting new businesses, addressing homelessness and changing the way City Hall operates. Those are important issues, but I think voters should ask a simple question when they hear those promises: does one councillor actually have the author

An old 'diet' idea has new issues today. Transforming James Street? We're not ready.

Let's talk traffic diets. James Street is one of the main arteries through Northwood, connecting our neighbourhood to Arthur Street, Edward Street, Victoria Avenue and the growing Golf Links Road corridor. Before the City makes a decision that could permanently reduce its traffic capacity, I think we need to ask an important question: Why are we considering reducing James Street based on a transportation plan conceived years before the Golf Links Road and Harbour Expressway

PUTTING NORTHWOOD FIRST, AVOIDING STRONG MAYOR POWERS, AND WORKING TOGETHER FOR THUNDER BAY

I’m running to represent Northwood Ward because I believe a ward councillor’s first responsibility is clear: know the neighbourhood, understand the issues and make sure the people who live there have a strong voice at City Hall. There are major city-wide issues facing Thunder Bay. We have an infrastructure gap that has grown over many years. We need better answers on homelessness, community safety and crime. We need economic growth, more housing and a stronger tax base. We ne

We need to raise the standard on Council, and it starts with working together.

Thunder Bay’s next council will face some of the biggest decisions the city has made in years. John Ongaro believes meeting those challenges will require more than different voices around the council table , it will require a better culture of collaboration, clearer decision-making and a willingness to put personalities aside. After years of closely following council, he explains why raising the standard inside council chambers is essential to moving Thunder Bay forward. For

From Conversation to Action

More than three decades behind the microphone taught me the value of listening, asking difficult questions and having honest conversations. From covering major breaking news to spending countless Monday nights following City Council, my career in radio shaped how I see Thunder Bay, its challenges and the responsibility we all share for its future. My connection to Thunder Bay municipal politics did not begin with a campaign. It began behind a microphone, listening, asking que

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Together, we can make Northwood and our City thrive.