'I'm speechless': Peng You tops list of new councillors

There will be some new faces at the table in for the next term of Thunder Bay City Council, with five newcomers elected Monday night.

The new faces include Peng You, who was the top vote-getter among all the at-large candidates, tallying 20,346 votes. He was the only candidate to get more than 20,000 votes.

"It's overwhelming," You told CBCNews. "I'm speechless."

"People trust me because I'm a doer, and I'm determined," he said. "I think Thunder Bay needs that, you know? Determination."

In the wards, the new councillors are:

• Albert Aiello, McIntyre
• Brian Hamilton, McKellar
• Cody Fraser,Neebing
• Kristen Oliver, Westfort

"I feel amazing," Oliver said at Thunder Bay city hall on Monday. "I really think that my team and I put together a really good campaign, we worked really hard, and the results are showing tonight."

Oliver earned 2,752 votes on Monday.

"I want to see some enhancements to the greenspaces that we have in Westfort, and some beautification ... especially in and around the Fredericaarea, so we can enhance our business development in the ward," she said of her priorities for the upcoming term, adding she also wants to see the James Street bridge reopened.

Westfortincumbent Joe Virdiramoreceived1,261 votes in Monday's election. Frank Scarcello placed second in the Westfort race with 1,901 votes.

• Bill Mauro elected as Thunder Bay, Ont. mayor
• 1st-time candidate Peng You wins most votes in at-large race in Thunder Bay, Ont.

"I'm proud of what I've done," Virdiramo said. "There were two good candidates. The general public felt that they wanted a change, they got the change, and I support that."

Another incumbent defeat came in Neebing, where Fraser's 1,422 votes were enough to unseat Linda Rydholm, who received 1,325.

There are, however, a number of returning councillors, as well.

They include:

• Aldo Ruberto, at-large
• Trevor Giertuga, at-large
• Rebecca Johnson, at-large
• Andrew Foulds, Current River
• Brian McKinnon, Red River
• Shelby Ch'ng, Northwood

Mark Bentz, who was elected at-large, and Mayor Bill Mauro are also returning faces, although neither of them were incumbents.

Bentz was defeated in 2014 by Ch'ng in the Northwoodward, while Mauro was a councillor for two terms starting in 1998. He then moved to provincial politics, serving as a cabinet minister in the Liberal government before being defeated in the last provincial election.