When faced with that in Mississauga as I often am, I try to find one that isn't about cutting or freezing taxes. That's a good proxy for other things that are gonna make life worse in the city. If that doesn't produce a candidate, then I'd look at their professional background and filter out finance-related, management-related ones. 😄

Call them up and ask what you specifically want to know about their platform. City councillor is a small enough office that there shouldn't be much in the way of them talking to a constituent directly.

And if they do make it difficult for you to have a conversation with them, that's it's own kind of answer.

Pick whoever is in the same party as the mayor you like.

They are more likely to back the mayor's plans.

mho

In the short term all voting follows the same basic process. Look at the good each candidate will do, being sceptical of claims and looking at their history, and do the same for the bad, how much bad have they done, how much bad are they promising. Compare each of them with each of the others and find which you feel is the best overall. Sometimes the less evil is the winning vote because they are all worse than that person. Sometimes there are two very similar people who are close in goodness and are similarly likely to win.

If your voting system sucks you may have to also incorporate some degree of strategic voting. Voting for a slightly less awesome candidate because they are much more likely to win than the candidate you actually prefer is crappy, but it must be borne.

That all said, longer term if there are no candidates you actually like you could consider running! You are unlikely to be the only person feeling that way, and in fact in many places the competition is extremely slim. A candidate from outside major parties can win at times, so putting your hat in the ring is a real option for some people. If not that, get involved in the campaigns of people and organisations you align with. If they aren't running a candidate in your area you may be able to help them get one up and running. It may be you, it may he someone else, but it has to start some where, what better place than here? What better time than now?