Ward 1 Candidate Q&A: Ward 1 candidates answer questions from Paris Independent readers

8 hours ago

25 min read

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

All certified ward 1 candidates were contacted and invited to participate in this Q&A. Each candidate was provided with the same set of questions, which were developed from submissions received from Paris Independent readers. The goal is to give voters an opportunity to compare candidates’ perspectives on the same issues and learn more about how each would approach the role of county councillor.

We encourage readers to continue engaging with candidates throughout the election campaign. Those who have follow-up questions, concerns or would like to learn more about a candidate and their platform can find candidate contact information through the County of Brant’s certified candidates webpage: https://www.brant.ca/council-and-county-administration/elections/certified-candidates/

The Paris Independent’s candidate Q&A coverage continues in next week’s edition with candidates running in Ward 2.

Denise Louise Dyment

What is your position on the current and projected residential growth and development in the county? Do you believe the pace and scale of development are appropriate for the community, and what factors should Council consider when approving future development?

I support growth in our Brant County. Development needs to be planned, phased and matched to infrastructure, transportation, schools, recreation, emergency services and the financial capacity of the Municipality. I find myself aligning with the County’s newly approved Official Plan. Highlights call for managed, phased and sustainable development. Infrastructure that leads growth, fiscal responsibility and housing diversity that would protect our County’s unique traditional attributes is the desired direction.

By 2051, the projected population of the ‘Plan’ is 59,000 with 26,000 job opportunities. This should only be a guideline. The future pace and development should always be aligned with infrastructure delivery and fiscal sustainability.

Recent approval of a zoning change for properties in downtown Paris represents an important first step toward a significant residential development in the downtown core. What impact do you believe this type of development could have on downtown Paris? Please identify both the potential benefits and challenges.

I believe that the potential is very positive but the quality and scale of the development should enhance the existing heritage character of Paris. The benefits include more residents, economic growth, greater vitality downtown, additional diversified housing, efficient infrastructure, increased tax revenue and together it reinforces Paris as an attractive destination. Challenges are traffic/parking, infrastructure pressures, impacts on historical character, construction disruption, pressure on municipal services, affordability concerns, gentrification/ displacement and the loss of development balance.

How would you improve access to affordable public swimming facilities for County of Brant residents, particularly given the limited access to pools in Brantford? Would you support the development of a public swimming pool (a new one indoors or another one outdoors) in the County of Brant?

Yes, I would support a County-owned indoor pool. The answer is to create an affordable aquatic facility that the County can sustainably operate for decades while providing equitable access to residents across Paris, St. George, Burford and the rural parts of the County. Exercise, in the form of aquatics is so important, especially for our aging population. For the interim, I would first propose improved affordable access and transportation to the Brantford Gretzky Centre while commissioning for a County indoor aquatic space.

What are your views on establishing a public transit system within the County of Brant to connect communities such as Paris, Brantford, Burford and St. George and how should the County approach the costs and funding associated with implementing and operating such a system?

Having worked for Brantford City Transit, I can personally attest to the overall importance alternate transportation is for many. County wide public transit is a worthwhile investment for Brant. The most economical solution would be to evolve Brant Transit into a rural transit network. The pilot would be to schedule buses on the strongest corridors, supplemented by on-demand service in the lower density areas. Paris would be the County’s principal transit hub with community connections that hook up with Brantford Transit.

Provincial and Federal funding should be pursued aggressively. Ontario’s Dedicated Gas Tax program provides Municipalities with transit ongoing funding. The Canada Public Transit Fund now provides longer term transit infrastructure funding. Council would also establish a dedicated annual transit budget but should in good faith put a ceiling on the tax-supported subsidy.

What changes or improvements would you like to see made to Brant Transit to better meet the transportation needs of County of Brant residents?

Transit that would meet Brant County needs are as follows: more frequent and flexible service, same- day and short notice bookings, more predictable pickup times, better connections into Brantford, fixed routes in high demand areas, more service to rural communities, affordable fares/passes, improved accessibility, better integration with other transportation, more stop/pickup passenger infrastructure and of course public feedback.Transit should be a realistic option for people who work, go to school, attend appointments and/or participate in community activities/sports.

What specific outcome would you work toward regarding the proposed boundary adjustment involving the Brantford Municipal Airport and surrounding County-owned lands? Include key concerns you would address before supporting any agreement with the City of Brantford?

First of all, given that the process is currently paused, I would use this time to renegotiate the terms. The agricultural lands surrounding the airport with the inclusion of some homes/ businesses should be protected against development that is not strictly related to the airport. Land transferred should be completed on a as needed basis and only for the airport’s operation and related employment uses. Agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands should permanently be protected against development. Our County should be compensated for land use. The agreement should outline clear responsibilities for infrastructure and services going forward and make all terms legally enforceable.

Can you provide an example of a time you worked within a complex organization or with a diverse group of people to achieve a successful outcome? What role did you play in reaching that result?

In 1989 I was hired onto the Hamilton Wentworth Regional Police Services as a police constable. I applied for the position of Community Servies Officer in 1997. At the time, I did not understand the enormity of the tasked region, the diversity within the area and the overwhelming lack of police/community involvement. My responsibilities were three-fold; attend community events, provide Police education in the area schools and Neighbourhood Watch. The community events and school presentations were straight forward. Neighbourhood Watch was non-existent. I started by holding very large Community meetings between 100-150 in attendance. I explained the program and separated the participants into residential areas.

Each were given a list of positions to fill. I collected the lists and then made home visits to all the appointed coordinators. From here we developed ideas to set up boundaries for each area, mail outs to educate about the program and contact information to become a member.

Neighbourhood Watch areas popped up all over Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough and Waterdown. The focus of my attention was opening the lines of communication between the police and the public. After my four-year term, 134 Neighbourhood Watch programs were actively committed. Crime rates lowered because the community worked in conjunction with the police.

If elected to Brant County Council, will you propose a motion for Council's approval to impose a one-year moratorium on artificial intelligence data centers until the water, energy, pollution, and noise issues are thoroughly understood?

I believe we need to understand the potential impacts before approving major developments that could place significant demands on our water supply, electricity grid and local infrastructure. A one-year pause is not rejecting technology. There will be enough time in the future for technology takeover. Let’s get this right the first time. Investment in Brant County means taking the time to obtain independent technical studies by consulting experts and County residents. We need to establish what our County requirements at present are for water consumption, energy use, noise, emissions, emergency planning and environmental protection. What will the cost be for our communities? Caution, transparency and proper studies are the responsible approach.

The County has adopted a Long-Term Financial Plan to help guide its financial decisions and priorities over the coming years. If elected, how would you use that plan to guide your decisions at the council table, particularly when weighing new priorities, major investments and the long-term affordability of services for County residents?

This is a very in-depth question. Approaching this as a newly appointed Council member, I would treat the L.T.F.P. as a decision-making tool. Whatever decisions we make today, will change the County’s financial capacity and residents’ tax burden over the next decade or two. Any major financial decision that is going to impact the entire County far into the future would benefit by following a ‘template’ or ‘priority list.’ We can never forget or neglect underlying costs. A proposal to consider a 10-million-dollar aquatic facility. The question isn’t can we afford $10,000,000 construction cost. The reality includes annual operating budgets, staffing, maintenance, insurance, utilities and renewal costs.

My educational background did not include in-depth financial operations. Council would definitely benefit from a presentation detailing the aspects of Long-Term Financial Planning given by either the Treasurer or CAO. Knowledge is power. Understanding financials for County’s future should be the responsibility of both the Council members and the treasurer.

Mary-Jane Brown

Population is expected to reach 59,000 by 2051. Growth is a necessity for any community and Brant is considered a high growth area in Ontario. This pace of growth can be acceptable provided there is a balanced approach between residential housing and commercial/industrial development. Often municipalities approve residential growth at a pace exceeding that for industrial, resulting in bedroom communities.

Factors to consider when approving development are the percentage of jobs available to residences proposed, condition of roads near development, services available, and impacts on surrounding areas. The current Cainsville Employment Hub Strategy proposes to increase the job density from 15 to 30 jobs/hectare resulting in 7,600 jobs in the Cainsville area. I am supportive of the current and projected growth development as long as all these factors are appropriately addressed and the preservation of farmland occurs. The growth needs to occur in developed areas, minimizing settlement sprawl.

Potential benefits include more residents, thus increasing the tax base for services, more customers for the downtown businesses, various opportunities for small and unique businesses to start up to meet the needs of these new residents. I have not determined if some units will be considered affordable to lower income residents or offered as seniors’ housing as potential benefits. If developers make use of new building techniques like modular construction, the process can be completed in a timely fashion, thus minimizing disruption to downtown Paris.

Potential challenges include increased traffic, congestion, and parking limitations. It must be ensured that the marketing of this development to potential owners or tenants will consider the parking needs on a per unit basis. There will be further demands for services – garbage pickup and snow removal. Currently, no grocery store is available to the increased residents downtown. There will be a need for one to promote more pedestrian traffic as the closest ones are generally too far to walk.

I would support the development of a public swimming pool. Brant can collaborate and partner with a regional YMCA to establish a new swimming facility. Consider Brantford’s cost sharing with Wilfrid Laurier University which has been successful in establishing a YMCA. Within Brant there is a Community Partnership Policy in place which can be explored to possibly assist in bringing a new pool to the County. The Regional YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington Brantford is not currently listed as a Community Partner of Brant County. In the Engage Brant Parks & Rec Engagement Summary of 2023, an indoor pool was one of the top 5 desired amenities found in the 1100 responses. However, in collecting public input, it was clearly identified that an indoor pool was not an option for the expansion of the Sports Complex. The proposed expansion should not proceed without addressing the key demand of the residents. Perhaps other options should be explored. For example, can some of the proposed flooring areas in the new expansion be considered for a pool.

My focus is to ensure that projects adopted meet most residents’ needs in a cost-effective manner. In considering the KW-Cambridge area, public transit is only used for 5.3% of all daily trips. The use of personal vehicles in Brant County area is the primary means of transportation. Establishing a public transit system within the County would be very costly and may not address the needs of the majority of residents. Consistent with my response to question 5, I would support expansion of Brant Transit as detailed there. Currently, the County is partnering with Brantford Transit to pilot a service for employment areas near Paris.

As the County grows, there may be further demand for a transit system. Partnering opportunities with Brantford to offer fixed bus routes and potential cost sharing could be examined. Partnering with the Province to expand GO services can also be explored. A Business Case can be proposed followed with a cost-benefit analysis then put to the electorate for a vote before committing to a County wide transit system.

What changes or improvements would you like to see made to Brant Transit to better meet the transportation needs of County of Brant residents?

A public engagement initiative was undertaken to determine if changes/improvements were needed by the County from March 31 to May 2 2025. However, only 112 responses were obtained in the survey and only 190 people responded to a poll asking for recommendations. From that study, the primary wants were more wheelchair vans, ease of booking, and regularity of scheduling.

However, 63% of the respondents indicated that they have rarely or never used this service. This is a small sample to make a decision on. I would support expanding the service to include more accessible vehicles, along with improvements to the booking app, and possibly an expansion of the service should data support there is a need. In the 2024 Transit User Data, it was found that 91% of the rides provided met the rider’s needs. Unless a poll is conducted where respondents indicate significant dissatisfaction with the current service, major changes to existing service is not warranted.

The specific outcome I would work towards is to ensure that the minimal amount of agricultural land (only marginal if possible) is included. Key concerns I would address include ensuring that there is significant demand for this airport expansion. This proposal has mainly been driven the Brantford’s Economic Strategy.

While I understand that the proposal is mainly to provide services for smaller private planes, rather than larger passenger terminals, I question whether the land attached to the airport is insufficient to allow this expansion. Only if the existing land base will not support the proposed design expansion, will I consider that neighbouring agricultural lands be included in the project. Given that Brantford is situated roughly halfway between Hamilton and London, where full-service airports exist, it must be determined if there is a need to expand into the neighbouring land base. Detailed market data must be gathered to support this project.

When I attended a meeting in June, I was shown that the runway needed to be lengthened into an agricultural area. Since the proposal is not to accept larger planes, the need for a longer runway must be examined in addition to an expansion of servicing for repairs, training, and medical transport.

Can you provide an example of a time you worked within a complex organization or with a diverse group of people to achieve a successful outcome? What role did you play in reaching that result?

When I operated my accounting practice, I also worked in the educational program of the legacy CGA program before merging into CPA which is a large national and complex organization comprised of many diverse members. As part of this, at least twice per year, Professional Application Exam sessions occurred in Vancouver where I attended first as an assessor, then as a Team Lead Assessor, and ultimately as Examiner. Professional accountants from many different provinces across Canada were assembled in these sessions into teams where each team was assigned to assess a portion of the exam individually. With this process, many individuals brought their own views and perspectives into the assessing process.

As a Team Lead, the strategy was to develop consensus within the teams so that a consistent standard could be applied to that question. This required skills in negotiation, team building, and respect for divergent views. As Examiner, I managed a large team of assessors and staff from the Association to complete the process professionally and efficiently. For 14 years, I developed the skills of management, team building, and motivating others.

I would be willing to propose a motion for imposing a one-year moratorium on AI data centers. I don’t believe that such a large amount of resources should be devoted to a data center when they should be primarily allocated to existing businesses and residents. Because these centers can deplete water supply greatly, there can be many negative results to the surrounding area. Since my focus is to support agriculture which contributes over $50 billion to Ontario’s GDP and provides approximately 1 in 9 jobs, these centers should not occur in farming areas.

The LTFP is needed to address capital infrastructure and financing along with operating costs to support growth. Essentially 2 years have passed since it was first drafted and many risk factors have changed.

I would use the plan as a guide to ensure that the tax rate increases do not exceed which has been forecast in that plan. As of 2025, a special levy of 1% has been added to the property taxes for the new hospital. It is worth noting that the total operating expenditures from the 2024 audited financial statements indicate an 8.7% increase from what was budgeted. In the LTFP, operating expenditure was forecasted to increase by 9.9% in 2025.

It will be valuable to compare what the actual results for 2025 are compared to the original LTFP and related budget. The LTFP is a tool to be used to ensure that the actual costs of tax supported services do not exceed the percentage increases forecast at 4.5% per year from 2025 to 2034.

Steve Schmitt

There are many diversities in the County of Brant. Because of this, current and projected development differs greatly. Growth of any kind needs in-depth planning for each phase in each part of the County. Growth comes with financial costs, and each individual part of the County, whether it's agricultural lands, residential villages, or commercial areas, will have different needs and goals for expected growth. Each requires in-depth studies to demonstrate the viability, potential concerns, and financial costs before any growth should occur. Viable agricultural lands need protection. Land use must be strategized and prioritized very carefully. Especially those abutting all settlement and municipal areas.

Downtown Paris needs to be kept viable, but it also needs to retain its historic value and character. There are many reasons and dividing factors in this development. Two of the most glaring are parking and a safe flow of traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular. Any further development should take into consideration what currently exists and how future development benefits the historic value that the street scape has while recognizing the need for residential growth. Old and new can be made to complement each other. All long-range planning should take this into consideration.

An indoor pool facility would greatly benefit the County. Again, a costly item to build and maintain. Where would be the best location so that it is central for the County as a whole? Does the cost determine the immediate need or is it a long-range planning item? A hard and serious look fiscally, to see if this can happen in the near future. Partnerships would need to be explored, along with possible funding grants. At this time, it does not appear to be an immediate possibility.

As the population grows, transportation becomes more needful. However, I don't think a public transit system is something that the County of Brant could financially sustain. I believe it is something that would require investment from neighbouring municipalities as well as potential input from the Provincial and Federal governments. We have, I believe, the basic system with Brant Transit. The need to improve and enlarge that service is going to become more important.

What changes or improvements would you like to see made to Brant Transit to better meet the transportation needs of County of Brant residents?

We need to look closely as to who is using the Brant Transit service. Are there possible improvements for efficiencies in reliability, hours of operation and rider satisfaction? Is the system working as expected? As this is the only current public transportation system for County of Brant residents we need to ensure that it is operating as best as it can so that the needs of residents, who rely on the service for employment, educational, medical and recreational are met.

I would strive for an outcome that is fair to the County and its people. Especially those directly involved in land ownership. I am pleased that the boundary negotiations were paused so that more time can be given to such an important decision. It is my hope that when these negotiations resume, both the County and the City will let cooler heads prevail, and give more thought to the lives and livelihoods of those close to or directly involved with the boundary adjustment. These negotiations need to be taken slowly. Once the land is gone it cannot come back.

Can you provide an example of a time you worked within a complex organization or with a diverse group of people to achieve a successful outcome? What role did you play in reaching that result?

I have served numerous consecutive terms as councillor for the Township of South Dumfries and eight years as a County of Brant Councillor for Ward 1. I have served on numerous committees both as a Councillor, a rate payer and a community volunteer. My contributions were sometimes as a leader, sometimes as a listener, and sometimes as a motivator. I want to believe that in most cases the result was positive and resulted in successful outcomes.

I believe that with this process and the uncertainty about the services needed to cover such centres, a one year moratorium is fair. There is much to learn and numerous issues to thoroughly understand before we reach a decision. Not enough is known about the impacts on water, energy, pollution and noise. We must be responsible for the people of the County of Brant before making a decision of this magnitude.

There are and will be many new priorities in the new term of Council with this Long-Term Financial Plan. Will this plan continue to work given these new priorities and the potential for many new players at the table? That is yet to be decided. This question in itself brings up many concerns at to the long-term affordability of services for County residents. They are the people who have entrusted the members of Council to be responsible and use their tax dollars in the most financially responsible manner.

Mike Petrella

I believe the County has experienced too much growth too quickly, particularly in Paris and soon to be in the surrounding area. Growth itself is not the problem, but uncontrolled growth can place enormous pressure on infrastructure, services, and taxpayers.

Before approving future development, Council must ensure that roads, water, wastewater, emergency services and recreational facilities can support the additional population. We must also ask who is paying for that growth. Existing residents should not be expected to subsidize new development through continually increasing property taxes.

I support responsible and sustainable growth, but development must proceed at a pace the community can realistically absorb. Council must also listen more carefully to residents who are concerned about losing the character and quality of life.

Growth should pay for growth. Careful planning and fiscal responsibility must come before simply approving more development. Also, I believe most residence have little issues with low density housing and big issues with the high-density model.

Residential development in downtown Paris could bring benefits, including new customers for local businesses and additional housing opportunities. However, Council must carefully consider whether the potential benefits outweigh the costs and impacts.

Downtown Paris is one of the County's most valuable assets. Its heritage, character and small-town atmosphere cannot be replaced once they are lost. Significant development will also create new pressures on traffic, parking, infrastructure and municipal services.

My concern is that taxpayers should not be left paying for infrastructure upgrades or other costs created by private development. Before approving projects of this scale, Council must clearly understand the financial impact and ensure developers are contributing their fair share.

I support investment and revitalization, but not development at any cost. Growth must complement the community, respect its character and make financial sense for the people already living here.

Public swimming facilities can be valuable, but pools are extremely expensive to build, operate and maintain, while also creating significant liability and long-term costs for taxpayers. Council must carefully consider whether the demand justifies the ongoing expense.

I believe splash pads offer a more affordable alternative, providing recreation for families with significantly lower operating costs and liability. My priority would be ensuring residents have access to quality recreational opportunities while being responsible with taxpayer dollars. We should always look for practical solutions that deliver the greatest benefit at the lowest long-term cost. The current splash pad in St. George I believe does this well.

Transportation is important, particularly for seniors, students and residents without access to a vehicle. However, the County must be realistic about the cost of operating traditional public transit across a large rural municipality.

Before creating an expensive new system, I would want to see clear evidence of demand, projected ridership and a complete accounting of both capital and long-term operating costs. We cannot continue creating new services without considering how they will be paid for year after year.

Due to the unique geography of the County this may be a matter best left to the private sector.

What changes or improvements would you like to see made to Brant Transit to better meet the transportation needs of County of Brant residents?

Before expanding Brant Transit, I believe Council should focus on making the existing service as efficient and effective as possible.

We need to understand where demand exists, where service gaps occur and whether taxpayers are receiving good value for the money invested. Decisions about expansion should be based on ridership and demonstrated community needs—not simply the assumption that bigger government services are always better.

I would support improvements that make the system easier to use, more reliable and better suited to recurring needs such as employment, education and medical appointments. I would also encourage regular reviews of costs, ridership and customer feedback.

My approach to spending tax payer money will always be practical: improve what works, correct what does not and avoid creating unnecessary long-term expenses. Public transportation has an important role, but every taxpayer-funded service must be regularly evaluated to ensure it remains efficient, necessary and affordable.

My position would be straightforward: I would not support any agreement until it is clearly demonstrated that it protects the long-term interests of County of Brant residents.

Before transferring County lands, Council must understand the complete financial implications. What future assessment of revenue or development opportunities could the County lose? Who will be responsible for future infrastructure costs? How will agricultural lands and surrounding communities be affected?

I would also want complete transparency regarding what the County receives in return. Cooperation between municipalities is important, but County Council has a responsibility to protect its own taxpayers and assets.

Once land is transferred, the decision may be impossible to reverse. For that reason, Council must proceed carefully and negotiate from a position that protects County residents.

Any agreement with Brantford must be fair, financially responsible and provide a clear long-term benefit to the County of Brant.

Can you provide an example of a time you worked within a complex organization or with a diverse group of people to achieve a successful outcome? What role did you play in reaching that result?

I have been fortunate enough in my professional career to work with some extraordinary people over many different business ventures. In most cases multiple parties can win and better their positions when logical minds get together, and greed can be discouraged. I believe one of my strengths is the ability to remain independent while still working cooperatively with others. Agreement does not require abandoning your principles, and disagreement does not have to prevent progress.

My role in one form or another has always been the person who gets pen to paper and finishes the job.

Yes, I would support a temporary moratorium on approving artificial intelligence data centres until their full impact is properly understood.

This is not about opposing technology or investment. It is about responsible government. Before approving developments that could place significant demands on water, electricity and infrastructure, Council has a responsibility to understand both the benefits and the potential costs.

Residents also deserve answers regarding noise, environmental impacts and whether taxpayers could eventually be required to fund infrastructure upgrades necessary to support these facilities.

The Long-Term Financial Plan should be one of the most important tools guiding Council's decisions. Every new project, service or priority eventually has to be paid for, and taxpayers deserve a Council that considers the long-term consequences of every dollar it spends.

Before supporting a major investment, I would ask: Is it necessary? Can we afford it? What will it cost to operate and maintain? Are there less expensive alternatives? And are taxpayers receiving real value?

I believe governments must exercise the same financial discipline expected of families and businesses. We cannot continually add services, facilities and staff while expecting property taxes to remain affordable.

My priorities would be maintaining essential infrastructure, controlling unnecessary spending, limiting debt, and ensuring growth pays for growth.

A good deal of the current financial stress felt by many is not the fault of municipal council, however it would be our job to make sure we aren't adding to that stress.

John Kemp

Current and projected growth in the County of Brant has been predominantly dictated by the province. I believe that the previous Council has struggled with this and done a fair job of reconciling the issues for present and future development. We need to carefully consider how we balance future expansion of farmland versus urban areas on an ongoing and case by case basis.

Residential developments within a town core or city are common; they can add to the character of the community. They can provide benefits to business owners and residences. They can also provide challenges regarding the best use of space whether that be business or residential. Those decisions need to be carefully considered in every instance, and I will continue to do so.

Swimming facilities in the county of Brant need to be supported by public need. I have not yet seen a study indicating the demand nor have I seen a study indicating the cost of such facility or proposal for where it might be located when such reports are available, I will certainly consider them thoroughly. Swimming as a valuable physical activity for all ages, particularly valuable in the winter when other activities are less available.

Public transit within the County of Brant could be improved. I have received complaints from several residents. I have not personally used the service. I do intend to look into this more thoroughly. If the county were to advance the service, it would have to be carefully evaluated in terms of funding and available options.

What changes or improvements would you like to see made to Brant Transit to better meet the transportation needs of County of Brant residents?

I cannot comment on what improvements to make to transit until I study the issue.

Proposed boundary adjustment in the City of Brantford regarding the airport is something I haven’t studied carefully. It’s not in my ward - so that it’s not on my ‘top priority’ list. I have been somewhat disappointed in how the process has progressed. That’s my only contribution currently is regarding the process, not regarding the actual boundaries.

Can you provide an example of a time you worked within a complex organization or with a diverse group of people to achieve a successful outcome? What role did you play in reaching that result?

I established the Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project as an organization to coordinate the various land managers, land owners, and land users around the Grand River to minimize the human hazards caused by giant hogweed. In that capacity we have representations from 14 stakeholders organizations, six municipalities, and attempt to; educate the public, assist Landowners, and reduce the number of giant hogweed plants.

If elected to Brant County Council, I will carefully consider the artificial intelligence Data Centre proposed moratorium. There are many faces to this issue: infrastructure required to provide the power, and one water that may or may not be used for cooling systems - but the driving force is whether or not the community of Brant will benefit from that. There may be better opportunities to use Brant County funding and talent.

Brant Counties long-term financial plan is presently in place, was well developed, and well considered. I will continue to use that plan while we continue to evaluate its adequacy and its a applicability, and make adjustments as required. The importance of this plan is to manage the funding of the county appropriately - to respect and serve the residence of the county.

John Macalpine

Candidate did not respond as of press deadline.

Ward 1 Candidate Q&A: Ward 1 candidates answer questions from Paris Independent readers

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