Election Day in Chatham-Kent is Monday, Oct. 26, with polls open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More information is available at ckelection.ca.
The Sydenham Current has sent a series of questions to all mayoral, Ward 4 and Ward 5 candidates who have made their contact information publicly available. The responses from candidates who chose to participate are listed below.
The first question posed to candidates was focused on growth and development:
Growth was one of Chatham-Kent Council’s strategic priorities for 2022-2026, including population growth, economic development, infrastructure, recreation and transportation. If elected, what should be Chatham-Kent’s top growth priorities over the next four years, and what specific actions would you take to help achieve them?
MAYOR
Randy Hope
“Growth must mean more than announcing investments or approving new developments. It must mean good jobs, attainable housing, stronger local businesses and infrastructure that can keep up.”
“My top priority would be building the next economy by attracting investment while helping existing businesses grow. I would advance opportunities in advanced manufacturing, value-added agriculture and emerging industries, while ensuring major proposals have credible business cases and clear benefits for Chatham-Kent.”
“I would also make it easier to do business here. Through my proposed CK Service Accelerator, residents and businesses would have clearer information about permits, municipal processes, timelines and who is responsible for decisions.”
“Growth must be matched with responsible infrastructure planning. I would push for transparent, needs-based plans for roads, water, wastewater and community facilities, with costs and funding clearly identified. We need to grow our tax base without leaving residents with an unsustainable bill.”
“My goal is straightforward: more opportunity, more good jobs and growth that strengthens Chatham-Kent for the long term.”
Darrin Canniff
“The priorities over next four years should somewhat mirror those set out during the last council term. Economic development initiatives somewhat drive all aspects of our interconnected growth strategy because a growing and strengthening economy leads to:
– increased job opportunities
– individuals and families moving into our communities
– a growing demand for housing
– increased demand for shovel ready commercial and industrial space for business expansion or relocation
To support our growth initiatives, we must continue to:
– promote and foster a business friendly community
– eliminate red tape that frustrates existing businesses and stifles new investment
– regularly meet with existing businesses to understand how the municipality can support them
– promote and support small businesses and entrepreneurs
– invest in essential infrastructure including roads, essential wifi, electrical capacity and water/wastewater services that are critical elements that businesses rely upon
– ensure shovel ready industrial and commercial land with related utilities are in place
– work with developers to encourage housing initiatives that meet identifiable demands
– invest in quality of life amenities including parks, and recreational, arts and cultural programs and facilities that are attractive to companies, workers and their families
– continually reviewing and updating our transportation network to ensure it is meeting demand”
WARD 5 – WALLACEBURG
Loree Bailey
“I believe growth needs to be about more than attracting new residents and businesses. It needs to improve the quality of life for the people who already call Chatham-Kent home.”
“As a Wallaceburg resident, I believe our community has been overlooked when it comes to municipal investment and development. Wallaceburg has tremendous potential, but we need to give our existing businesses the support they deserve while creating opportunities to attract new investment.”
“My priorities would include downtown revitalization, economic development, housing options for all stages of life, and maintaining the infrastructure we already have.”
“If elected, I would advocate for a closer examination of the barriers preventing investment in Wallaceburg. I would work with local businesses, economic development staff and community partners to identify practical opportunities for growth.”
“I would also advocate for greater transparency in how infrastructure and development investments are prioritized across Chatham-Kent.”
“We need to recognize that each community has different needs and opportunities. What works in Chatham may not necessarily be the best approach for Wallaceburg.”
“I believe responsible growth means making thoughtful investments, supporting local businesses and ensuring that all communities have opportunities to prosper.”
Bill Wolsing
“Economic development would be a number 1 priority, and has not been represented well in Wallaceburg’s immediate area. Agriculture is the number one industry in CK, the new Chatham Kent Council needs to look into the rural economy infrastructure needed for development including water supply, power, for industry green houses, commercial kitchens, and other agriculture by- product companies to locate here. The infrastructure complaint seems to be a common agreement, keeping the agriculture industry in mind for potential development when making logical infrastructure choices. I would advocate for a sensible tax relief incentive to potential interested manufacturing companies, food processing plants, greenhouses to locate /remain here providing they hire locally, jobs create growth.”
Steven Burritt
“Chatham-Kent needs to focus on growth in new business and technology. If we can bring in new business and ideas, we can expand our work force and our tax base. New industry brings education and career opportunities and will show surrounding areas it is possible and want to learn from us. With the new business and technology, it will also lead to upgrades to infrastructure, homes, and existing resources. Higher wages and income will improve the quality of life of the residence and help everybody prosper in the future. There is a green energy project being talked about right now that could bring in two billion dollars and 1000 jobs and maybe more in future that I would like to look into and consider for Chatham-Kent. I think big innovative ideas like that will help everybody and let us expand our market reach into new areas.”
Zac Nicholson
“Having engaged extensively with residents across Chatham-Kent, the clear consensus is that our municipal growth goals remain unfulfilled. While population growth, economic expansion, transit, and recreation are essential priorities, our primary bottleneck is clear: we cannot build a thriving municipality on a deteriorating foundation.”
“Over the next four years, Chatham-Kent’s paramount growth priority must be systematically closing our over $2 billion infrastructure gap. Our aging roads, bridges, water and wastewater assets, and public facilities directly restrict our ability to attract investment, expand housing, improve transit, and enhance community recreation.”
“To turn these priorities into measurable progress, I will focus on the following:
i. Ensure that Wallaceburg maintains its own Water Treatment Plant, preserving vital water security and supporting local community growth.
ii. Apply sustained pressure on the Provincial government to reform infrastructure funding formulas, securing our fair share of capital grants to complete vital projects without overburdening local taxpayers.
iii. Guarantee that municipal investments are distributed fairly between urban and rural communities, equipping every ward across Chatham-Kent with the foundational infrastructure needed to thrive.
iv. Establish clear governance criteria in capital budgeting that prioritize essential municipal infrastructure “needs” over “wants”.
v. Leverage Chatham-Kent’s Official Plan to strategically align municipal infrastructure spending with designated, growth-ready development areas.
“By prioritizing essential infrastructure, enforcing fiscal discipline, and advocating for our fair share of funding from upper levels of government, we can build a strong, reliable foundation across every corner of Chatham-Kent. Growth cannot happen by accident; it requires disciplined focus and responsible leadership. By concentrating on our core needs, treating every ward fairly, and making smart infrastructure investments, we will turn Chatham-Kent into a business-ready, vibrant, and resilient municipality for generations to come.”
Jim Blake
“In the current economic and political climate, setting a rigid plan is a fool’s game. We can outline general principles, but we can’t be bound by promises which will likely need to be constantly adjusted during the next four years due to decisions which will be made at higher levels of provincial and federal government. Our population is increasing, but unless we can provide jobs, housing and quality of life for those coming to C-K we may not keep them. Financial growth will be built by the private sector but will in part be funded by senior government. In order to secure government funding for growth in any of the sectors, we need to show we are ready to invest in infrastructure, which can mean many things from utilities to roads, to recreational facilities to arts and culture.”
NOTE: Mayoral candidates Lauren Anderson, Michael Bondy, April Colby and Ryan Gow did not send answers to our questions. Contact information was not available for Nelson Burm.
Ward 5 – Wallaceburg candidates Brendan Authier, Dave Brunditt, Jason Debuck, Brent DeNure, David Hyatt, Victoria Stewart and Chris Young did not send answers to our questions. Contact information was not available for William Arends. Mark Childs responded by reiterating he is “no longer running” (more details, here.)
Ward 4 – North West Kent candidates John Cummings, Kirk Hooker and Rhonda Jubenville did not send answers to our questions.
