It's not quite City Idol, but another race is on.

The half-page ads read, "City councillor needed." Currently running in two community newspapers, they're sponsored by the Coalition for Municipal Change, a citizens' group that says Toronto needs better government and has pooled their funds to do something about it.

The Coalition is targeting two Toronto Wards with its campaign to encourage new candidates to step forward. Ward 15 Eglinton-Lawrence (west of Bathurst) and Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale have been identified as needing alternative candidates for the position of councillor in the upcoming municipal election this November. Howard Moscoe and Kyle Rae respectively now represent residents of these Wards on city council.

The advertising campaign is running in the July issues of the North Toronto and Rosedale / Leaside edition of the Town Crier.

This is the second such initiative by the Coalition, which was formed in 2003 just before the last election to find new candidates for Ward 16 (east of Bathurst ) and the first time around, it was Karen Stintz whom succeeded Anne Johnston with her similar views as residents on the monumental Minto development.

The coalition is a "a group of citizens who want to restore democracy and good government to Toronto who are dedicated to finding councillors who will provide clean, open and efficient government for our city."

Campaigns such as this one is just the first step.

(Photo from Torontoist)