[5] He supported the introduction of a Business Improvement Area,[6] and brought forward an unsuccessful motion to deregulate the city's shopping hours in 1999.
During the transition period Courtemanche was strongly critical of a plan for the new city councillors to be designated as part-time rather than full-time workers.
He argued that the demands on councillors would be greater after amalgamation and that part-time status would result in bureaucrats controlling city hall.
[11] Courtemanche also served on the board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and was appointed to chair Greater Sudbury's Priorities Committee in December 2002.
[16] Courtemanche led in the polls for much of the campaign,[17] and defeated local businessman Paul Marleau and 12 other opponents on election day.
[24] The Sudbury Star newspaper criticized the mayor's restructuring plan, arguing that it was not conducted in an open and accountable manner.
[27] He also supported wind power investment,[28] and sought to develop Greater Sudbury as an attractive destination for senior citizens.
[33] Courtemanche launched the Mysudbury.ca web portal in March 2005,[34] and helped to introduce a Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) in the city.
[37] The mayors called on the provincial government to solve some of southern Ontario's long-term problems (such as gridlock, air pollution and failing infrastructure) by shifting the focus of development to the north.
[40] He represented his city at the opening of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, which has twin campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury.
Courtemanche met Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario leader Sid Ryan in September of that year, which brought about a resumption of face-to-face bargaining.
Courtemanche later called on Hydro One to turn over its assets and customers to GSU believing that the city could provide better services for lower rates.
[43] In 2006, Courtemanche appointed former provincial cabinet minister Floyd Laughren to head a local committee stemming from complaints about amalgamation of Greater Sudbury six years earlier.