Eastern Ontario mayor has to resign after buying 'dream home' outside city

The mayor of Brockville, Ont., has resigned after buying a "dream home" outside the city and inadvertently disqualifying himself from holding the office.

In a statement posted Wednesday on the city's website, city council announced Jason Baker had stepped down as he was "no longer qualified to hold office due to his non-residency status within the city of Brockville."

Baker was quoted in that statement as saying he didn't realize the home purchase would render him ineligible for the job.

"It has been an absolute honour to represent this beautiful city," Baker said. "I regret that the purchase of my dream home has unknowingly caused this issue and will keep me from finishing some of the work that we all started together."

Baker was first elected as a councillor in 1997 and won the city's mayorship in 2018 by only a handful of votes.

Under the Municipal Act, Brockville city council has 90 days to fill the vacancy. Coun. Jane Fullarton will serve as the city's acting mayor for the rest of October, the statement said.

Brockville is approximately 115 kilometres south of downtown Ottawa.