Over a hundred people attended the County of Brant Chamber of Commerce’s Meet the Candidates Forum on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
With residents set to soon elect a new mayor, ward councillors and school board trustees, the event provided County residents the opportunity to meet and mingle with candidates ahead of election day on Monday, October 26.
While 38 residents put their names forward for various positions, only 27 attended the forum to engage with voters at Sojourn Church in Paris.
Given the large number of candidates running in the election, the forum did not follow a traditional moderated question-and-answer format.
Instead, each mayoral candidate had five minutes to present their vision for the County of Brant and explain why they should be elected mayor, while councillor and school board trustee candidates were set up in another room for a meet-and-greet.
Of the mayoral candidates present, noting that Graham Horner and Kent Hollett weren’t there, David Swanson was the first to present some of his ideas for the County.
“Property tax credits frees up a lot of cash flow. Everybody here owes property taxes. So, if we start paying our employees and contractors with property tax credits, they can then pay their property tax bill at the end of the year. That eliminates interest on debt,” said Swanson. “…A big question is always, ‘how are you going to manage growth?’ Well, first of all, I will be pushing back. Quebec just voted in a new government, to say, ‘I don’t think we’re going to be taking a whole bunch of new people.’ So I’m with them philosophically on that. How do we fill in the rural areas and boost incomes? By severing lots on frontages in the rural areas. We can significantly increase property tax revenues without sewer and watermain, and the major expenses and space that we have currently got in the downtown [Paris].”
Stuart Braid was up next, saying that as an entrepreneur, one of his biggest priorities is to help local business owners.
“If elected, my top priority will be to restore some of the business that is being lost here in Paris, especially in the surrounding County due to the road’s mess. Also, one of my top priorities, if I am elected, will be a complete revamp of the roads and planning department because, let’s face it, it’s a disaster,” said Braid. “I have talked to a lot of business owners who have lost a tremendous amount of sales. It’s not acceptable these days when it’s hard enough to maintain business without having government interference come into play and taking a chunk out of your sales.”
Baird added that he was also against the idea of AI data centres, and that the future Council should work on filling vacant buildings rather than building new ones.
Current Ward 1 Councillor Jennifer Kyle then had the opportunity to speak at the podium.
“I’ve talked a lot about what I want the County of Brant to look like in the years ahead, and I keep coming back to one idea; I don’t simply want a bigger Brant, I want a stronger one,” she said. “A Brant where growth is supported by infrastructure and services we need. Where we have good jobs close to home, thriving downtowns, and a stronger industrial and commercial tax base to help take some of the pressure off of residential taxpayers. Where agriculture remains a major part of our economy, and we protect the farmland that makes it possible. Where people understand what their municipal government is doing, why we’re doing it, and what comes next.”
Kyle continued, “I’m running because I know how much potential we have, and because the decisions we make over the next four years will be felt for decades. I bring four years of current Council experience, 20 years of professional experience, deep roots in agriculture, strong relationships across our community and beyond, and a track record of showing up, doing the work, and sticking with it. I will ask hard questions. I will listen. I will explain my decisions, and I will own them. And when things get difficult, I’ll still be there doing the work. That’s the kind of mayor I will be, and that’s how I believe we build a stronger Brant together.”
And finally, former Ward 5 Councillor Christine Garneau Bisaillon stood to wrap up the presentations with her own speech.
“I believe our next mayor and Council needs to prioritize what matters most closest to home because that’s exactly what our community is asking of us,” she said. “I’m the only candidate opening realistic discussions about what we can do to better manage construction, improve public transit, ensure safer communities, and strengthen our local economy. The Council I seek to lead invests in ourselves by ensuring that our decisions broadly benefit residents, businesses, and farmers. We need to better manage municipal resources and assets so we all receive value for what we pay.”
Garneau Bisaillon continued, “Ultimately, I’m running for mayor because none of us can afford more of the same leadership that has defined recent years. …The next Council has an opportunity to get the property tax increases under control, better manage municipal construction so it finishes on time and on budget, and to take steps to create greater certainty for residents, businesses, and farms so we can all weather the storms that lie ahead. I believe in focusing on the everyday boots on the ground municipal issues that matter most closest to home. Council will better serve its community, and this begins with the mayor conceived beyond their own circumstances and their own priorities to help find the right path forward. Whether the County of Brant is your hometown or your chosen town, I’m here to work with you and for you.”
Following the presentations, those present took the opportunity to speak to the mayoral candidates, while others headed to the next room to speak with those running for councillor and board trustee.
Lynn Felker, one of the many residents who attended the meet-and-greet, said she had only recently gotten into following municipal politics after it was announced discussions would take place regarding the annexation of airport lands and the surrounding area.
“I started to realize that municipal politics really has a lot of impact on my life,” she said. “Everybody thinks about how the federal and provincial governments affect people, but the municipal level is affecting what’s happening right around me every day.”
When asked what her top concerns for the County were, and what she was paying attention to when trying to make a decision, Felker said there were many points of interest including the airport and surrounding lands, as well as if County candidates are willing to work to restore the relationship with the City of Brantford.
“I would like to see the municipal politicians stay focused on County issues and not align themselves with federal and provincial parties. They should be representing us in a nonpartisan way, so I’m watching for that,” she said. “I’m also concerned about the Strong Mayor Powers; I didn’t know about those before so I’m paying attention to the different candidates’ views towards that, and trying to assess if they’re telling the truth. And to be honest, I don’t want to see American-style politics anywhere in Canada, not at a municipal level or anywhere else. I find the only way to learn about that is to follow all of the candidates who have a social media presence to see how they’re all interacting and what they’re saying.”
Noting that she’s now retired and has some more time on her hands, Felker said she appreciated how many groups were stepping up to host various debates, meet and greets and forums, including the Chamber.
“I don’t think people realize how many events there are. It was nice to see that if I was busy one night, there would be another coming up,” she said. “You don’t have to go to them all, but it’s good to have an opportunity to come somewhere and speak to the candidates. I’ve voted in municipal elections before, but this is the first time I feel like I’m making a real informed decision and not just picking the one with the most signs. I feel confident in my decisions this year.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
