Incumbent Mark Sager and challenger Kirk LaPointe anchor the contest ahead of the October 17, 2026 vote, with nominations closing September 11. Sager, who won a landslide in 2022 after earlier service as mayor, highlights completed waterfront acquisitions, park protections, housing plans, and infrastructure projects while seeking to finish initiatives such as the Ambleside seawalk. LaPointe, who declared in March and previously critiqued district finances, stresses fiscal restraint, independent review of the North Shore wastewater plant, and greater public consultation on taxes and development. A recent council request for a provincial review of the wastewater project and ongoing debates over election signage and pay parking have kept these themes prominent. With the campaign period still weeks away and additional candidates possible, trader probabilities reflect the open field and limited polling data separating the two leading contenders.