20-year-old launches mayoral bid

By Marina Kydd

A 20-year-old Trent University student is running for mayor of Peterborough, positioning his campaign around youth engagement, affordability and concerns about how local politics connects with residents. 

Jacob Méthot, a Trent University English literature student in the teacher education stream, says his decision to enter the race was encouraged in part by a professor during a class discussion. He says the campaign also comes from wanting to better understand how the city is responding to current pressures and from a sense that younger residents are often left out of municipal decision-making. 

“This is my first time getting into politics or running for anything,” he said. “I thought that a lot of people my age aren’t necessarily getting out there to vote, and if I can do something to change that, I should.” 

Méthot says his age has quickly become a defining feature of his candidacy, but one he sees as an advantage rather than a limitation. He argues that younger residents, particularly students, are often overlooked in civic engagement efforts despite living in the city for several years. 

“I feel like a lot of Trent students don’t realize that they can vote here,” he said. “They should at least care about the city because they are going to be here for five to six years.” 

Born and raised in Peterborough, Méthot says he has watched the city change over the past decade in ways he describes as both positive and challenging. His campaign focuses on housing, transportation, and civic transparency.

He is also running a no-spend campaign and says he is not accepting donations, adding that the approach is meant to emphasize transparency in political funding. 

Housing is one of his central concerns. “Students shouldn’t have to pay $1,000 for a room or $2,000 for a single bedroom,” he said, pointing to rising rental costs in the city. 

He also highlights transportation, saying the issue extends beyond infrastructure to include accessibility and reliability in public transit. 

“Public transit doesn’t get people where they want to go, or it doesn’t come at great times,” he said. 

Méthot is also calling for greater transparency at city hall, including improved access to municipal decision-making and stronger accountability measures. 

“What I would like to see is a city audit, or at least more availability from council members,” he said. 

A key part of his campaign is engaging younger voters. He plans to use social media alongside in-person outreach at Trent University and Fleming College to encourage participation in the municipal election. 

“I think it matters for a candidate to physically go to a school and engage students directly,” he said. “That helps get people interested and involved.” 

Méthot says early canvassing has already given him insight into local concerns, particularly around housing and trust in municipal government. 

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about how they feel city council is not listening,” he said.

While he acknowledges he is not expecting a landslide victory, he says his goal is to elevate issues raised by residents and encourage broader civic participation. 

“I am not naive,” he said. “But I want to run not based on what I see, but what Peterborough sees.” 

When asked what success would look like at the end of a potential term, he points to affordability, safety and stronger community connection. 

“I would hope they feel safer downtown,” he said. “I would hope rent is more affordable, and that they feel more connected to Peterborough.” 

He says his decision to run for mayor rather than city council comes down to the scope of the role. 

“I thought I could do the most and show the most,” he said. 

For Méthot, the campaign is less about political experience and more about perspective, bringing a younger voice into a race he says should better reflect the people it serves.