City Councilor Michael Canuel

09/04/2026

🧾 Following Through on a Campaign Promise: Elevating Financial Transparency in Fall River

During my campaign, I promised to work to elevate financial transparency in Fall River and make it easier for residents to see how their tax dollars are being spent.

On Tuesday, I’m taking the next step by bringing a resolution before the City Council calling for the development of an interactive financial transparency tool using the City’s existing financial systems and data.

The goal is simple: give residents an easy way to search and review municipal spending by category, department, fund, vendor, and other relevant criteria.

Residents shouldn’t have to dig through lengthy PDFs or navigate complicated financial reports just to understand where the City’s money is going.

Other Massachusetts communities have already demonstrated that this type of transparency is possible with the tool we use. I believe Fall River should do the same.

This is about more than putting information online. It’s about making that information accessible, understandable, and useful to the people who pay the bills.

I’m proud to take this step toward delivering on a commitment I made during the campaign.

Below is a copy of the resolution for residents to review. I look forward to discussing it Tuesday night.

Transparency. Accountability. Responsible government.

09/01/2026

Today, I was honored to attend the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Portas da Cidade (Gates of the City) here in Fall River.

Twenty years ago, a smaller replica of the iconic Portas da Cidade in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, was created right here in our city, using volcanic stone and materials from the Azores. It is a beautiful symbol of the deep connection between Fall River and the Azorean community.

I was especially honored to have the opportunity to take a photo with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, former President of Portugal, and José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Regional Government of the Azores.

For generations, Portuguese and Azorean immigrants have helped shape the history, culture, and character of Fall River. The Portas da Cidade are a reminder that while many traveled thousands of miles from the Azores, they brought a piece of home with them—and made it part of ours.

Congratulations on 20 years of the Portas da Cidade in Fall River!

🇵🇹 Viva Portugal! Viva os Açores! Viva Fall River! 🇺🇸

08/28/2026

Had a wonderful evening at the Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England! 🇵🇹✨ It’s always a pleasure to come together with family, friends, and the Portuguese community to celebrate this beautiful tradition. Great music, great food, and even better company made for a memorable night. ❤️🇵🇹

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Foi uma noite maravilhosa na Grande Festa do Divino Espírito Santo da Nova Inglaterra! 🇵🇹✨ É sempre um prazer reunir-me com a família, amigos e a comunidade portuguesa para celebrar esta bela tradição. Boa música, boa comida e, acima de tudo, excelente companhia tornaram a noite inesquecível. ❤️🇵🇹

08/20/2026

A beautiful summer evening in Fall River! ❤️

Started the night with my family at the Summer Evening in the Park at Kennedy Park — great weather and great people.

Then I headed down to the waterfront for the event supporting Tide Portal, an incredible public art project that will transform part of our waterfront into a safer, more vibrant and welcoming space.

It was a great night to enjoy our parks, our waterfront, the arts, and—most importantly—our community. 🌅🎨

Thank you to everyone who continues to put time, energy and heart into making projects like Tide Portal a reality.

08/12/2026

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make last night’s Fall River Public Safety Palooza at Maplewood Park such a wonderful and memorable evening! I’m incredibly grateful to all the organizers, public safety professionals, volunteers, community partners, and everyone who came out to make this event a success. Your time, energy, and dedication made the event truly special and helped bring our community together. Thank you for making the evening such a tremendous success! 👏

Also got to meet one of my childhood favorites, McGruff the Crime Dog! 🐾

07/30/2026

07/23/2026

It's hard to believe it's already been a little over six months since I took the oath of office as one of your City Councilors.

The most rewarding part of this role hasn't been the meetings or the votes — it's been helping people. Whether it's assisting a resident, solving a problem, or making improvements in our neighborhoods, it's rewarding to know that even small changes can make a real difference.

As a husband and father, I often think about the kind of Fall River my own children — or their children — will grow up in. That reminds me that the decisions we make today aren't just about solving today's problems — they're about creating opportunities for the generations that will call Fall River home long after we're gone.

Fall River has been a city for more than 170 years, with a history that stretches back even further. We have a responsibility to preserve what makes our city special while continuing to move it forward.

I've tried to approach every issue with research, data, and an open mind, and every vote with the same goal: doing what's best for Fall River. We won't always agree on every decision, but I hope it's clear that each one has been made thoughtfully, with our entire community in mind.

Thank you for trusting me, sharing your ideas, and giving me the opportunity to serve. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together, and I'm even more excited about what's ahead. One neighborhood, one resident, and one step at a time, we'll continue building a stronger Fall River.

07/14/2026

One year ago tonight, our community experienced one of the most heartbreaking tragedies in Fall River's history.

This evening, I attended the Gabriel House Evening of Remembrance, Reflection, and Prayer. It was a time to honor the lives that were lost, remember the survivors and their families, and recognize the incredible courage and compassion shown by our first responders, healthcare workers, volunteers, faith leaders, and neighbors who came together during such a difficult time.

While a year has passed, the pain and loss are still felt by many. Tonight served as a reminder that we must continue to keep the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.

May we always honor those we lost by supporting one another and remembering the lives forever changed.

07/11/2026

On Tuesday, I'll be introducing this resolution before the Fall River City Council.

While I'm encouraged by the community efforts to help fund the sensory-friendly autism playground, I don't believe local fundraising should replace the state funding that was originally requested.

This resolution calls for restoring funding for three important Fall River projects:

• A sensory-friendly autism playground
• Veteran's Kitchen
• The Fall River Council on Aging

These projects support children with autism and other developmental disabilities, our veterans, and our seniors. They deserve our support, and I'll continue advocating for them.

07/04/2026

Today we celebrate Independence Day and an incredible milestone—250 years since our nation's founding. 🇺🇸

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate with family and friends, but it's also a time to remember that the freedoms we enjoy were earned through extraordinary courage and sacrifice. Those ideals have endured for 250 years because each generation has done its part to preserve them.

As your City Councilor, I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and do my part to strengthen the city we all call home. We may not always agree, but I believe we're united by something greater—a shared commitment to building a better future for our families and the generations that follow. If we keep that common goal in mind, there's nothing we can't accomplish together.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July. God bless Fall River, and God bless the United States of America.
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