WATCH: SooToday talks to mayor about promises, progress — and property taxes

WATCH: SooToday talks to mayor about promises, progress — and property taxes

This week, Matthew Shoemaker released a progress report on his first six months in office; he stopped by our SooToday studio for a deeper chat about how things are going

Time sure flies.

Matthew Shoemaker has been in the mayor's chair for six months now, having been officially sworn in on Nov. 15, 2022.

He campaigned on a promise to be transparent with the people of Sault Ste. Marie — and as part of that commitment, Shoemaker recently released a six-month report card that lays out how some of his big plans are panning out.

Mayor Shoemaker stopped by our SooToday studio this week for a wide-ranging conversation with Village Media's Editor-in-Chief, Michael Friscolanti.

Their interview covered a lot of ground: the new plaza, the old hospital, the endless opioid crisis — and a now-infamous local landlord who owes the city more than $380,000 in fines for a long list of fire and building code violations.

The mayor was also asked to respond to a recent report that found Sault Ste. Marie to be one of the unhappiest cities in Canada (97th out of 100, ahead of only Windsor, North Bay and London).

Spoiler alert: Shoemaker loves the Sault and would never want to live anywhere else.

Whether you agree or not, one thing is certain: you should spend part of your long weekend listening to this interview.

And stay tuned for even more. Mayor Shoemaker has agreed to come by our studio every three months for a sit-down. Have a question? Submit it here.

The mayor's full six-month progress report can be found on his website.