Chamber of Commerce event encourages voter engagement ahead of municipal election
Casandra Turnbull
Managing Editor
Chamber brings candidates and community together ahead of municipal election
With municipal voter turnout continuing to decline across Ontario, the County of Brant Chamber of Commerce is doing its part to encourage residents to become informed, engaged and, most importantly, exercise their right to vote.
The Chamber hosted a Municipal Candidate Meet and Greet at Sojourn Church on Wednesday, Oct. 7, bringing together mayoral, council and school board trustee candidates for an evening of conversation with residents ahead of the upcoming municipal election.
Rather than hosting a traditional debate, the Chamber opted for a more informal format, allowing candidates to set up individual tables, distribute campaign materials and speak directly with voters about the issues that matter most to them.
With 38 registered candidates in the County of Brant, the Chamber wanted to ensure everyone had an opportunity to participate.
"We chose to do a meet and greet due to the number of registered candidates running in the County of Brant (38 in total). We wanted to give all the candidates an opportunity to engage directly with the public, including the School Board Trustee candidates, as education is a hot button topic," said Susan Morton, Executive Director of the County of Brant Chamber of Commerce, in response to questions from The Paris Independent.
The format provided residents with an opportunity to move between candidates, ask questions and compare platforms at their own pace. Mayoral candidates were also given five minutes each to address those in attendance.
The Chamber's Advocacy Committee developed questions for candidates around issues including property taxes, changing economic conditions, transportation, natural heritage and the County's urban-rural character. Candidates were also encouraged to share their vision for Brant over the next 25 years. Those responses are shared on the Chamber’s website https://www.brantchamber.ca/. We encourage all readers to review the candidates’ responses and consider how their positions align with their own values, priorities and vision for the future of the County of Brant.
While The Paris Independent has spent the past six weeks providing extensive election coverage, including questions posed to all mayoral and council candidates about issues facing the community, events such as the Chamber's meet and greet offer something equally important: an opportunity for residents to engage directly with the people seeking their votes.
And with municipal election participation continuing to decline, those opportunities matter more than ever.
Across Ontario, municipal voter turnout has fallen from approximately 43 per cent in 2014 to a record-low 36 per cent in 2022. Interest in running for municipal office has also declined, with 553 council seats across the province acclaimed in the last municipal election.
Brant, however, has seen a healthy level of interest from residents willing to put their names forward. All mayoral and council positions are being contested, with no acclamations in those races.
The exception is the separate school board trustee position, where David Miller was acclaimed following the withdrawal of candidate Dan Dignard.
But having candidates willing to serve is only one part of a healthy democracy. Residents must also be willing to participate.
Consider the County of Brant's last municipal election in 2022.
Of the County's 30,786 eligible electors, just 8,438 cast a ballot. That represents a voter turnout of only 27.41 per cent.
In other words, nearly three out of every four eligible voters did not participate in choosing the municipal representatives responsible for decisions affecting their community.
Those decisions influence everything from roads, infrastructure and development to recreation, property taxes and the long-term direction of the County.
The Chamber believes opportunities for face-to-face conversations can help residents better understand those decisions and the candidates seeking to make them.
"An informed electorate makes for a stronger democracy. Municipal politics directly affect people’s everyday lives so it’s really important to get engaged, learn about the candidates, and vote!
If you don’t exercise your right to vote, you forfeit your right to complain,” said Morton.
The Chamber's event was not the only opportunity for residents to connect with candidates. On Friday, Oct. 9, the Brant County Federation of Agriculture hosted an all-candidates event at Paris Community Church, with a particular focus on agricultural issues affecting the County's rural community.
Both events offered residents an opportunity to look beyond campaign signs and social media posts and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of Brant.
The Chamber, which has organized candidate forums at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, said its role extends beyond supporting local businesses to helping strengthen civic engagement.
"As a Chamber of Commerce, we’re proud to be a bridge between government and the business community. We believe strong communities are built when business, government and residents work towards a better future. We are always encouraged when the community comes alongside us, and we’re committed to helping ensure people have the information they need before heading to the polls. An informed community is a strong community,” Morton explained.
The Chamber thanked Sojourn Church for providing the venue, along with event sponsors the Brant County Federation of Agriculture and Krista Hearn, owner of McDonald's restaurants in Paris, Cainsville and on King George Road in Brantford. Volunteers who helped organize and run the event were also recognized.
As election day approaches, residents have access to candidate platforms, local media coverage and opportunities to ask questions directly of those seeking office. In fact, the Chamber also asked each candidate questions in advance of the event and their responses are shared online at https://www.brantchamber.ca/
The question now is whether more residents will take advantage of it and make their voices heard at the ballot box.
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