By ADELLE LARMOUR
Dec. 7, 2006, to the day, will mark former Timmins Mayor Vic Power’s 40-year political career.
As the 16th elected mayor, he has served 20 years, the longest standing mayor in the history of Timmins. Throughout his journey, he gained respect, trust, and built a sense of fairness among the populace through hard work and being himself.
“You have to be your own person,” he says. “Don’t put on a new persona two months before an election.”
Born into one of the original families in the City of Timmins, Power is the ninth child of 14 siblings. Formerly a secondary-school teacher, Power says he always had an interest in politics, the players, and the progress in the municipality long before he ran for office.
He served as councillor for 14 years before running for the mayor’s position in 1980.
“I never expected to be the mayor,” he says.
However, a number of people approached him about the position. On Nov. 10, 1980, Power was elected mayor. He was out one term from ‘88 to ‘91 and then retired in 2000. He returned again in 2003 with the encouragement of a group of citizens who wanted a change made at city hall. Dave McGirr, one of the citizens who organized a committee to see Power’s return to office, says Power “is an individual who truly builds on ideas, and has provided tremendous leadership not only within Timmins, but within northeastern Ontario.”
From 1989 to 92, he served as chairman of the Northeastern Ontario Mayors Action Group , became commissioner of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, vice president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM).
Power earned a host of municipally and provincially awards in recognition of his service and commitment to the Timmins Region.
Power’s efforts and commitment to the community has distinguished him as a well-respected leader who strives for fairness.
“Sometimes you might disappoint people, but on the other hand, you have to try and treat all the residents fairly.”
Timmins has underwent significant changes over the years , all of which could not be accomplished without a team effort Power says.
One of the significant accomplishments is the completion of the debt-free program in the year 2000. Power says in 1991, Timmins had a debenture debt of about $16 million, paying $4.4 million in principle and interest before ever setting the budget.
One of the primary goals was to eliminate that debt by the end of the year 2000. On Nov. 1, 2000, they burned the last debenture on the steps of city hall. Timmins became debenture-debt free, one of the few municipalities in Canada that can claim that distinction.
“It was team Timmins-people working together to accomplish it.”
Having touched five decades in municipal politics, Power has seen many changes in industry, the large mining employers, and the city itself along with the quality of life.
“The city has really been rebuilt in lots of ways,” he says, citing that Timmins has five large secondary schools, four of which have been constructed in recent years; modern elementary schools; excellent recreational facilities; Teletech’s call centre; the Toyota cold weather testing centre; a “first-class” airport. It acts as a launching pad to the James Bay Coastal region; and expanded shopping areas and amenities that makes Timmins an attractive place for a family to live.
“When I first ran for council, our major employers were Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines and MacIntyre Porcupine Mines Limited,” he says. “They no longer exist,” adding that the two largest employers are Xstrata Nickel at Kidd Creek and Goldcorp in South Porcupine.
Power sees potential for other industries in Timmins, particularly value-added products.
As he hands over the reigns to his successor, Tom Laughren, he is thankful for the strong team of people that have helped Timmins progress and develop into a regional centre in the North.
“I’ve worked with a lot of committed people, elected officials and a very strong administration over the years. We’ve had a co-operative spirit within the community.” After 40 years, Power intends to spend his winter months in California, and then return to Timmins and live within the community he has come to know so well.
“It has been a thrill to be part of a growing experience here in Timmins where we’ve come from a frontier town to one of Ontario’s and Canada’s most modern municipalities.”
