2026 Municipal Election: Chatsworth Candidate Q+A

I have a desire to be involved in the decision-making process, as well as a wanting to leave a sustainable future for the Township of Chatsworth. I hope to help lead and navigate a new council while also working alongside our staff to achieve our goals.

3 consecutive terms on council have given me the experience I hope to bring to the position of mayor. I also bring many years of being involved in youth sports, volunteering and sitting on committees.

I come prepared for meetings by doing the homework and reviewing the issues so decisions can be informed and thoughtful.

We always need to remember we are a small rural township and ensure we have responsible spending. We do not want to have to over tax our residents due to wants, rather than needs.

Our tax rate has necessarily been increased in the past few years. Insurance increases, policing contracts and added expectations of cemetery and park maintenance, and a commitment to trying to build some reserves are only a few of the drivers of this. Hopefully, we can try to maintain a cost of living increase in years to keep it to come to keep our tax rate reasonable.

Maintaining our roads, bridges, and facilities has to be our number 1 issue. Everyone uses these and we cannot fall behind on keeping them in a good standard and upgraded as required.

Without having a thorough knowledge of this study, I feel it would be irresponsible to answer at this time.

Every year at budget time we work to addressing our biggest needs and sometimes our smaller ones, unfortunately we also have to cut some things in order to keep any increases reasonable. Saving is for these projects is very important as well rather than just a willingness to take on more debt.

At this time NO. All of the proposed amenities that are included in this build we already have at other facilities now.

Do our homework, become informed and if deemed to be unwanted hopefully we can use a position of “unwilling host” similar to our stance on wind turbines.

Continue to push our province to cut red tape which will allow our contractors to build faster and hopefully cheaper. Chatsworth already allows small homes using the building code square footage requirements. We also allow secondary residences on properties where able, which should help people build homes without having to find a suitable building lot prior. This idea also allows seniors to age in place while family transitions to the original house. An open mind to new developments is also required.

I have the time and knowledge.

I have been a counselor, Deputy Mayor and a director on Good Roads.

I have learned and listened to our citizens over my time on serving on council and will continue to listened.

Join together in making decisions and using each other’s knowledge.

Taxes are reasonable but with the ever cost of living increases rising it’s getting harder to provide the service expected by our citizens.

Housing.

Transit needs to be for all citizens.

Apply for government funding.

Multi-use hub would be great but we don’t have the funds needed without more funding.

On AI more information needs to be learned.

Cutting red tape and permits.

I was born and raised in The Township of Chatsworth, and I can proudly say that I have called the Farm, where I still live, ‘Home’ my entire life.

I have a willingness to engage in open dialogue and objective conversations within our community to effectively deal with current issues. My community has given me so much over the years and I feel as though I should give back through honest, authentic and transparent representation.

I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from The University of Western Ontario and have enjoyed 25 + years in sales, management as well as consulting in the automotive sector.

For the last 4 years I have provided effective representation as Councillor for the Township of Chatsworth.

At the municipal level we have a responsibility to budget responsibly, but I believe the problem with affordability lies squarely with the decisions at our upper levels of government, particularly our current federal government and their inaction to get a deal with the U.S. only for the purpose of maintaining political power in Canada.

No direct response provided by candidate for this question.

Affordability is the number one issue for Canadians, and I believe that problem is a result of our failed federal government’s policies and behaviour over the last 11 years. To fix that the electorate needs to be educated with the truth, not the fear mongering and divisive rhetoric of The Federal Government over the last 11 years that is propagated through our state funded regime media. Trump is part of the problem, but I believe there is a real problem here in Canada as well and it has been going on for far too long. If people can make informed decisions at the federal and provincial ballot boxes, then that would be the best way to combat the affordability issue. It will only get worse, with our current representation at the top levels of government.

Mitigating inflation and reducing the cost of living with by reducing fuel costs would in turn reduce the costs of food, and many other essential needs. This is imperative for making things more affordable which and will only help to reduce the amount of homelessness and the need for those that are struggling and that have been relying on our outreach programs, shelters and food banks.

I think that it is great that a regional transit study is being done in our area and neighboring counties. I do not know enough about what the needs and demands are to provide a real thorough answer to this question, but I would look to County’s that have operated in their areas and see how they implemented such a system. I believe that Simcoe has one in place in which they provide a couple buses to go to and from Midland to Collingwood, Barrie and Orillia that does 2 trips a day to key locations such as the Hospitals. As I said I would need to gather more information before giving a more fulsome response.

I think to maintain municipal services and infrastructure we must continue to engage in a thorough budget and planning process, which I am confident that we have being doing in the Township of Chatsworth for at the least the last 4 years since I have been on Council. In my mind it should be first and foremost in our community that we maintain, and continue to improve, our critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The same can be said for our public facilities and assets. Municipalities are quite literally where the Rubber hits the road in Canadian politics. We want the big wheels that keep our community turning to do just that and keep on turning as efficiently as possible. People need to be able to get to work, harvest their crops, travel to those that they care about. They should also have accessibility to the Service providers in our Township that keep us moving and going forward. Once again, I extend my appreciation to all of those that work in and keep us working within our Township as well as our neighboring Communities.

With regards to the former Chatsworth Community Center Site, we should show appreciation to all of those that have donated and helped develop the site to where it is at now especially with the establishment of the Patterson Pavillion, which is Awesome just on its own. Thank you, so much to all of those people that made that Hope and Dream come to fruition in such a short time and turn out as amazing as it has! – We should use the funds accumulated so far for the ‘Community Hub’ project to develop the site further to the point of being a “Shovel Ready”, so to speak – That will only help make further developments there be more attractive to the upper levels of Government for potential investments. I believe that will also help in potentially obtaining grants and further investment for such a project moving forward. I do not believe our constituents should be taxed at unsustainable rate to proceed with any project that may not be a viable one. But let’s continue to work towards making that area a great place for people to gather regardless and enjoy what we have to offer here in this beautiful Community.

No response provided by candidate to this question.

No response provided by candidate to this question.

Giving back to the community has always mattered to me. I have proudly called the Township of Chatworth home for 39 years. My family’s roots are here, and I pride myself on working for a stronger Chatsworth.

Some of the Key Responsibilities to Municipal Governance is Public Safety and Community Services. I served with the Chatsworth Fire Department for 11 years. Including 6 years as Head of the Fire Association, where I worked with the team supporting local organizations such as the Chatsworth Agricultural Society and the Chatsworth Community Outreach Food Bank.

I will do my research, work in conjunction with the Chatsworth Council, and talk to the community to gather all the relevant information required when decisions are needed. I will always be honest and transparent when sharing the “why’s” and “how’s” behind decisions.

The consensus of the Chatsworth Councill was to mitigate the Property Tax increases, where possible. There is always going to be pressures that impact the Property Tax amounts year to year. All contributing factors continue to be reviewed to help manage and align the taxes to the essential services, infrastructures and community welfare needed for the residents.

Chatsworth has consistently maintained a lower tax rate, and I am committed to protecting that record. My goal is to keep taxation fair, responsible, and in line with the increasing cost of living faced by residents.

Chatsworth is managing growth while maintaining the affordability and rural character that residents value. Our community continues to grow, which creates increased demands for roads, infrastructure, recreation, housing, and municipal services. At the same time, residents are facing rising costs and are concerned about property tax increases.

I believe it should be funded by the province or counties involved.

Maintaining essential municipal services and infrastructure while keeping taxes affordable requires careful planning and responsible financial management. I believe the Township should focus on prioritizing projects based on need, investing in preventative maintenance, and pursuing available provincial and federal grant opportunities whenever possible.

I support a “well thought through” version of the Hub for the future of the Township of Chatsworth, with the support of available Government Grants and strategic funding. With the aging of the existing buildings, we need a plan to facilitate our residents with a balanced offering of recreation, medical support, and family care that our current facilities do not offer. I feel the Hub would serve all residents across the Township when and if their more local facilities cease operation. A centralized Hub facility can support residents of all ages by providing the services and resources needed to meet the needs of individuals and their families.

I would not support data centres at this time until the impact of these data centres is fully known and understood. There is uncertainty on how the data centres will impact communities at the Municipal level. Some key concerns expressed are straining the local electrical grids, consuming massive amounts of water for cooling, and triggering land-use and zoning conflicts while offering relatively few permanent jobs.

Providing affordable housing options for the Township if Chatsworth residents, with the emphasis on the Senior population adds value to the community and entices new residents to our community.
I believe when seniors can move into safe and secure housing, their previous residential units become available for newer generations and their growing families. I believe that it is vital for the Township to be able to accommodate our residents for housing to allow for the continuous growth of the community.

I’m running to give residents and taxpayers a strong voice and bring responsible, transparent leadership to Council. My wife and I have called Chatsworth home for 25 years, raised our three children here, and spent many years volunteering in our community. This is where we plan to retire, and I hope our children can afford to live, work and raise their families here too. I want to represent every corner of the township and ensure that decisions reflect residents’ needs and their ability to pay.

I have a degree in business and marketing and owned Evies Sports Cafe, employing approximately 40 people. That experience taught me about budgeting, managing staff and making responsible financial decisions.
I have also worked as an Educational Assistant with the Bluewater District School Board for 23 years, along with behavioural intervention and community support roles through Keystone, Community Living, and Grey Bruce Mental Health and Addictions. Through coaching, church council and leadership in local minor sports, I’ve worked with volunteers, families and community organizations. In 2024, I was honoured to receive the Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year award.

I’m comfortable listening to different viewpoints, asking difficult questions and working with others to find practical solutions. My business experience taught me to consider costs and consequences, while my work in education and community support taught me to understand how decisions affect people.
Before making a decision, I want clear information about the need, the alternatives, the full cost and the long-term impact. I will listen to residents, respect staff expertise and explain my decisions openly. I will also be willing to reconsider my position when new information warrants it.

A municipality can help by keeping spending focused, limiting avoidable tax and fee increases, and supporting housing options that meet different needs and budgets. It can also work with community organizations to support food security and affordable recreation.

Reliable infrastructure and sensible planning matter too. Residents need safe roads, access to services and opportunities to work locally. Council cannot control every household expense, but it can ensure that municipal decisions do not add unnecessary financial pressure.

I am concerned about the pressure property taxes place on residents, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, young families and people already struggling with everyday expenses. Residents deserve to see clear value for the taxes they pay.
My focus would be on the township’s spending priorities and the resulting tax bill. We need to fund essential services and maintain infrastructure, but every proposed increase should come with a clear explanation of why it is needed, what alternatives were considered and what residents will receive in return.

The number one issue is municipal affordability: maintaining the services and infrastructure residents need without placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers.
That means setting clear priorities. Roads, bridges, fire protection and emergency preparedness must receive the attention they require. Major discretionary projects need careful scrutiny, realistic funding plans and meaningful public consultation. The challenge is to make decisions we can afford today while avoiding larger costs for future residents.

A regional transit system should reflect rural realities. It should connect communities with employment, healthcare, education and essential services, with reliable schedules and workable connections between routes. Smaller communities also need a practical way to reach those main routes, potentially through accessible, demand-responsive services.
I would favour a phased approach based on demonstrated need and ridership. Funding should combine provincial and federal support, reasonable fares, and a fair contribution from participating municipalities or counties. Before committing Chatsworth taxpayers, I would want clear costs, evidence of local benefit and a sustainable operating plan.

I would prioritize maintenance, use infrastructure condition assessments to identify the most urgent work, and plan repairs over several years. Addressing problems early can help prevent more expensive failures.
I would also pursue grants, consider shared purchasing and service partnerships where they offer real savings, and examine spending for efficiencies. Major projects should include their ongoing operating and maintenance costs before approval. I cannot promise that taxes will never increase, but I can commit to careful budgeting, clear priorities and explaining any proposed increase to residents.

I support the goal of providing useful community spaces and services, but I do not support the current proposed $8.6 million Phase 1 or the additional 1% levy to fund it.
We need to establish what services are missing, whether existing buildings can meet those needs, and whether a smaller or phased project would be more affordable. I respect the significant fundraising already undertaken and would support clear fundraising targets before further taxpayer commitments.
I also want to retain our community centres in Desboro, Keady, Williamsford and Walters Falls. Any hub proposal must demonstrate both community value and long-term affordability.

A municipality should establish clear planning policies before a proposal arrives. I would support a temporary pause, using the appropriate legal planning tools, while those policies and evaluation criteria are developed.
Any proposal should face independent review of its electricity and water demands, noise, environmental effects, infrastructure costs and impact on farmland. Residents and affected Indigenous communities should be involved early. Council also needs reliable information about permanent jobs, tax revenue and any costs residents could be expected to absorb. A development should demonstrate a lasting local benefit before receiving support.

A municipality can encourage a wider range of housing, including smaller homes, rental units, additional residential units and options suitable for seniors, where servicing and planning requirements can be met. Clear requirements and timely decisions can help suitable projects move forward.
It can also work with the county, non-profit housing providers and senior levels of government to support affordable housing. Growth should be directed to appropriate locations while protecting farmland and considering infrastructure capacity. I want proposals assessed for whom they will serve, what they will cost residents, and whether they help local families, workers, seniors and young people find a home.

I have been an active volunteer in our community for the last 20 years. Every committee, every event, every workgroup has provided valuable insight and helped me make connections with more people. It’s been such a rewarding experience for me personally and it has also put me in a position to identify some of the needs within our community. As my children get older and some of my current volunteer roles are winding down I’m ready for a new challenge, and a new place to direct my efforts. During our last municipal election we had acclamations and I remember thinking, why aren’t more people willing to get involved? Which lead to the three words that have always come right before I’ve jumped in to a new commitment…..Why don’t I?

Most of my experience with Municipal government has been through work on community committees. I’ve sat on the Williamsford Community Centre Board, the Walters Falls Recreation Committee, the Chatsworth Soccer Club Executive, the Grey Rural Rookies Slo Pitch committee, and have chaired the School Council at Holland Chatsworth Central School. Each one of these roles has helped me to develop skills useful for the role of councillor including problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and how to bring a plan to action. They have allowed me to meet other volunteers and active community members to create a network of people passionate about making our communities a great place to live, work and play.

I believe that an effective council is one that is well-balanced with varying viewpoints and one that represents all members of the community. My responsibility in this role is to get as informed as possible. This means listening to the recommendations from municipal staff. It means coming to meetings prepared and having read all the provided material. It means asking questions and listening to the thoughts of the people who live and work in our community. The nature of this role means not everyone will always be happy with the decisions I make, but I commit to arriving at them armed with as much knowledge as possible, with the greater good for the municipality in mind.

Taxes have been an issue I’ve heard about consistently while campaigning. The rising cost of living for many families has changed their quality of life and households cannot afford large tax increases. The number one way the municipality can address this is to spend within our means to prevent large tax increases to the best of our ability. We can encourage new development of affordable housing using inclusionary zoning and reducing developer fees for plans that propose to create smaller, more affordable units. Supporting local businesses and attracting more of them would help to build our tax base and offer residents options to keep their dollars local.

Our tax payer base is quite small but the geographical size is comparatively large, which presents unique challenges. We have a number of small villages and hamlets that each want to preserve their own community identity while also feeling part of the municipality as a whole. The real challenge is that cost of all goods and services is rising. We feel that every day at the gas pump and the grocery store. Changes at the Provincial level have also contributed to rising costs for municipal operations, downloading expenses to already strapped municipalities. With these things in mind, we must recognize that the municipal budget will be affected, but I do recognize that the priority is to prevent a major increase to property taxes.

We don’t live in a vacuum, so there is no number one issue. Many of the issues we need to address are interconnected. In my conversations with community members I’ve heard concerns around the cost of living, affordable housing, increasing reliance on food banks, a clear plan for recreation facilities in our municipality, and enforcement of bylaws. Our world is rapidly changing, and I believe it’s important to be open to creative solutions.

Connecting our communities through public transportation can reduce individual car ownership expenses, support local businesses, provide mobility for seniors, students and low income families, and has environmental benefits as well. An effective transit system would link major regional hubs, run a regular service that can be relied upon, and connect in places where further modes of transportation and mobility meet. Ideally, funding should be provided by combined grants and programs Federally, Provincially and at the County level. While fares contribute to revenue, in order to keep public transportation accessible, they need to be subsidized.

Municipal revenue comes through property taxes, user fees and charges, utility fees, government transfers and grants, and development charges. Those are the revenue streams available to us with little room to increase revenue without affecting tax payers. Eliminating inefficiencies and using an Asset Management Plan to prioritize repairs and replacement of infrastructure are the best way to prioritize the needs of our municipality. We have paid professionals working for the Township who have a very good understanding of what the priorities are in our municipalities. Who better to provide this insight than the people who are working on our roads and in our municipal buildings every day?

Residents in the village of Chatsworth want a place to gather in the village. I have kept an open mind on this issue and have spent many hours in discussion with community members. After listening to the many different viewpoints, I support a modified plan for a scaled-down version of the hub after thorough community input and with stipulations. We cannot afford the proposed plan. The number one issue for many is the idea that an expensive build will mean a large increase to our taxes at a time when the cost of living is skyrocketing. I hear those concerns and I share them. We must build within our means and the build cannot happen without substantial funding from the Provincial and/or Federal government.
So that means it is our responsibility to be prepared when various funding and grants do become available. We can’t predict the future, but we must be ready when an opportunity arises. To achieve this, long term financial planning with a clear goal is key.

Many improvements to the proposed site can be done to increase the appeal of the space for residents in the short term, including a cement pad with basketball nets that could be used as a volunteer run outdoor rink in the winter and more playground equipment. These initiatives could be fast tracked with help from community groups.

While our municipality doesn’t seem like a likely candidate at this time, Council should review whether existing plans, zoning provisions and development approval processes are equipped to managed this form of development. In a municipality that relies almost 100% on private and municipal wells, protecting our aquifer from depletion and contamination needs to be our top priority.

Inclusionary Zoning and Development fees are a few areas that the municipality can look at in order to ensure that developers are including affordable housing for low and moderate income families when creating a development plan.
But home ownership is not the only need. We need affordable rental units as well. Grants through the municipality are currently available to owners who wish to renovate or convert second stories that currently sit empty in order to create residential rental units in space that already exists but isn’t being used. This is a great way to quickly fill an immediate need, but currently there is nothing stopping property owners from accessing these grants and pricing those most in need out of the market. An affordability agreement with the municipality in order to access these grants would mean a legal agreement stays on the property’s title for a set number of years. This legally limits the maximum rent the owner can charge.