Kyle enters mayoral race, cites ‘pivotal moment’ for Brant’s future

Christine Garneau Bisaillon and Jennifer Kyle both announced their bids last week for mayor of the County of Brant, joining the race as nominations officially opened for the 2026 municipal election.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Ward 1 Coun. Jennifer Kyle has officially entered the race for mayor, saying the next few years will be critical in shaping the community’s long-term future.

Kyle, a farmer and community advocate, filed her nomination on May 1, positioning her campaign around managing growth while maintaining financial sustainability.

“Brant is on the right path,” Kyle said in her announcement. “We’ve made real progress as a County, but being on the right path doesn’t mean we can stop steering. This is a moment that calls for steady, practical leadership to guide what comes next.”

Kyle said her decision to run comes as the county faces increasingly complex pressures tied to growth.

“Brant is at a point where the decisions we make over the next few years are going to shape the community for decades to come,” she said. “As growth accelerates, the decisions become more complex, and that’s where steady leadership really matters.”  Having served on council in her first term from 2022 to 2026, Kyle said she has seen firsthand both the opportunities and challenges facing the municipality, including infrastructure demands, financial pressures and the balance between development and farmland protection.

“Serving as a Ward 1 Councillor has given me a front-row seat to both the opportunities and the pressures we’re facing,” she said, adding the experience has reinforced the importance of long-term planning and collaboration. 

Kyle’s platform centres on what she describes as “thoughtful growth,” with a focus on ensuring development is supported by infrastructure such as roads, water and wastewater systems.

She said a key priority is strengthening the commercial and industrial tax base so growth can help fund itself, rather than placing added pressure on residential taxpayers.

“It’s about getting that balance right — supporting growth in a way that is both economically strong and fair for the people who already call Brant home,” she said.

Reflecting on her time on council, Kyle said one of the most important lessons has been the complexity of municipal decision-making.

“Good decisions don’t happen in isolation. They come from strong information, open discussion and a willingness to look at both the immediate impact and the long-term consequences,” she said. 

She added that collaboration, both at the council table and with staff, community partners and other levels of government, is essential to moving projects forward.

Kyle said her leadership approach as mayor would focus on planning ahead, clear communication and bringing people together.

“What I’m hearing from residents is that they’re looking for leadership that is clear, consistent and grounded in the realities they’re experiencing day to day,” she said. 

Transparency and public engagement are also central to her campaign, she said, noting that helping residents understand complex issues builds trust in local government.

“When people understand the context behind decisions … it builds trust, even when not everyone agrees with the outcome,” she said.  Kyle said there are also opportunities to improve how the county engages with residents across both urban and rural areas, ensuring people feel included in the decision-making process.

“At the end of the day, people shouldn’t feel like decisions are happening around them. They should feel like they’re part of the conversation and part of the process.”  Kyle said she will be sharing more details about her campaign priorities in the coming weeks.