Candidate Inquiries and Responses

Haldimand County staff cannot provide advice on campaign finances and/or how signs are designed.

We recommend referring to the Candidates’ Guide or seeking an independent opinion on related matters.

Question submitted by a candidate for Council

Eight gas wells have been identified on the Sandusk property. An "Historical Natural Gas Well Assessment" (prepared by Mike Dorland Consulting on May 5, 2023) was submitted as part of the Second Submission by Empire.

A couple of highlights from the report:

• “Section 8. Moving Forward (page 6) Application has been made for petroleum well licences for the three (3) historical gas wells. Once the petroleum well licences are approved, remediation efforts can begin. Each well will be investigated on a case‐by‐case basis to determine if they are plugged or need to be re‐plugged. All work will be completed following the Oil, Gas, and Salt Resources Act, related regulations, and the Operating Standards."
• “Section 9. Conclusions (page 7) The physical coordinates of on‐land historical natural gas wells and water wells are being used to direct planning of the residential development so that no buildings are constructed over‐top of the well locations, and if the well sites need to be visited in the future there will remain access.”

There is some mapping that shows the location of the gas wells in “EC Sandusk – Second Submission Gas Well Assessment.” Several of the gas wells are located within the Quarry Lake.

Based on the report, it appears additional work is/was to be done; however, that has not been provided to date.  

Planning staff continue to work on the subdivision file and can capture the matter through Conditions of Draft Plan Approval. 

As per s. 45 (7) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996:

Voting places in institutions, retirement homes

(7) On voting day, a voting place shall be provided on the premises of the following:

1.  An institution for the reception, treatment or vocational training of members or former members of the Canadian Forces.

2.  An institution in which, on September 1, 20 or more beds are occupied by persons who are disabled, chronically ill or infirm.

3.  A retirement home in which, on September 1, 50 or more beds are occupied. 1996, c. 32, Sched., s. 45 (7); 2016, c. 15, s. 34 (2, 3).

As such, the Haldimand County elections team will be providing voting services at all facilities that meet these criteria.

Question submitted by a candidate for Council

The main challenge with the use of CVF funds is that Haldimand County does not do annual reporting specifically on the use of these funds.  As such, there is no specific public reporting available. 

Having said that, Haldimand County can offer the following details on the CVF program as well as the Ward Specific Funding Program as follows.

Community Vibrancy Funding (CVF) Program

• Starting in late 2010, several contracts for the supply of Electricity were signed by various proponents with IESO.  These contracts, six in total, were all for 20-year terms.
• Starting in late 2011, five of the initial proponents entered into Community Vibrancy Agreements with the County, with one more added in 2018, requiring annual payments to the County, based on a fixed rate per MW, over the term of the contracts.  These payments started in the first year of “commercial operations”.
• Aligning with the timing of the anticipated first payments in 2013, a Policy was approved by Council to establish Project Prioritization and Principles, consistent with the provisions within the agreements enacted with the Proponents.
• See the 2013 Council report (PDF) and amending resolution (PDF).
• Essentially, the Policy establishes the principles for prioritizing and use of these funds:
  • The use of the funds must align with the restrictions of the agreements themselves, which essentially can augment capital plans/projects; may be used for events/festivals in certain circumstances; cannot be used for operating costs.
  • All uses are to be approved by Council, through the budget process, and limited to projects during the Term of Council.
  • Despite the Policy provisions, many projects were also approved by Council through reports to Council during the year.
  • Through Council resolution, Ward-specific funds can also be spent based on the Present Value (PV) of Future Payments, the availability of which is reported annually with the Tax Supported Capital budget.
• The Policy also establishes the distribution/allocation of these funds:  
  • 20% of all funds received were allocated to the Non-Ward Specific fund - these funds were used primarily for new Trails, funding the annual Community Partnership Program and, starting in 2023, funding the new Ward Specific Funding Program (see details below)
  • 80% of the funds received, based on the per megawatt installed in that specific Ward, were allocated to the Ward Specific Fund
• As such, only Wards with wind or solar developments received funding allocations specifically; only Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 4 and Ward 5 received funds for use within these wards.  Ward 3 and Ward 6 do not have any CVF funds allocated directly to these Wards.
• Annual reporting has been limited to the following:
  • Direct reporting to the proponents making annual contributions, as required under the terms of their agreements, as requested.
  • As noted in the Tax Supported Capital Budget, annual allocation, by Ward, based on both the Gross Value of the contributions as well as based on the PV of future payments (i.e., the balance of the Ward Specific funds available to be spent):
    • https://haldimandcounty.openbook.questica.com/#/budget-book/afcfe7d3-02e8-48e7-b4e9-d0391772360e/01c1a13a-1b55-41a2-8e64-2fbd08f55d11
  • The details of the actual projects themselves are reported in the annual Capital Status report to Council, as of December 31; however, the CVF-funded projects would be reflected under the division/functional area responsible for project management.  Capital projects are not presented or tracked by Ward.
• It should be noted that through report EDT-05-2024, Council passed a resolution directing Finance staff to develop a new Comprehensive Policy to outline principles and recommendations related to all community support contributions.  Staff has been working on developing this Policy and plans to present it to the new Term of Council in early 2027.

Ward Specific Funding Program

• Through report ECW-02-2022 Proposed Ward Specific Funding Program, each Ward was allocated $50,000 annually, through the Tax Supported Capital Budget, for capital projects within their specific Ward.
• These proposed projects, subject to the limitations outlined in the report, are to be approved by the Council through the Tax Supported Capital Budget.  
• The funds are restricted to the Term of Council (i.e., $50,000 per year, a total of $200,000 per Ward) and must be spent during the Term of Council.  The funds can be carried forward to the next year to accommodate larger-scale projects, but the total for the Term of Council is limited to $200,000 per Ward in aggregate, and any unspent funds do not carry over to the next Term of Council.
• The annual unspent allocations are reported by Ward, with the Tax Supported Capital budget:
  • https://haldimandcounty.openbook.questica.com/#/budget-book/afcfe7d3-02e8-48e7-b4e9-d0391772360e/01c1a13a-1b55-41a2-8e64-2fbd08f55d11
• Reporting of the details of the actual projects, similar to CVF-funded projects, is budgeted in the specific division/functional area responsible for project management.  The completed projects are also reported, in the same format, in the annual Capital Status report to Council, as of December 31.

Question submitted by a candidate for Council

Yes, you are still required to submit your Financial Statement - Form 4.

We have information listed on our website under Campaign Finance, and you can consult the Candidates' Guide for further details.

You can find a copy of the Financial Statement - Form 4 on the Government of Ontario website.

Question submitted by a candidate for School Board Trustee

The physical maps we provide to candidates during nomination appointments are the only physical copies provided by Haldimand County for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Elections. PDF versions of these maps can be printed by candidates from the Candidate Portal.

Haldimand County's website offers a variety of interactive maps where you can explore Haldimand County.

Question submitted by a candidate for Council

As per s. 36 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996:

Withdrawal of nominations

36 A person may withdraw his or her nomination by filing a written withdrawal in the clerk’s office,

(a)  before 2 p.m. on nomination day, if the person was nominated under subsection 33 (4);

(b)  before 2 p.m. on the Wednesday following nomination day, if the person was nominated under subsection 33 (5).  2009, c. 33, Sched. 21, s. 8 (18).

As such, all certified candidates will have their names on the ballot, and those results will be counted and recorded.

Question submitted by a candidate for Council

The County was recently informed by the operator of both the Caledonia and Hagersville concessions that they did not want to continue operating the two locations as of September. Staff have prepared an Expression of Interest bid document, which will be made available on the County’s website in early October, to seek new operators for the two locations.

While we appreciate this has been an inconvenience to residents and visitors to the two arena locations, we hope to have new concession operators in place as quickly as possible. In the interim, vending machines in Caledonia and Hagersville continue to be available.

Note: The question in the heading was shortened for space.

Full question: I’ve had several people mention to me that the concession booth at the Caledonia Arena is not operating and appears to have been closed for some time. There are concerns that this may represent a missed revenue opportunity for Haldimand County, as well as an inconvenience for parents and families who often spend several hours at the arena for practices, games and tournaments. Rather than speculate, I’d like to get the correct information. Is there someone at the County you could direct me to who could explain the current situation and whether there are plans for the concession booth?

Haldimand County follows the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, in regard to determining a voter’s eligibility to participate in the 2026 Municipal and School Board Elections.  All election staff will have received training on how to process revisions to the Municipal Voters’ List and how to confirm eligible electors.

In practice, the most common outcome is simple: the elector is asked to provide proof of eligibility, and if eligibility cannot be established, no ballot is issued.

Yes, renters are eligible to vote in municipal elections, provided they meet the voter eligibility requirements. To vote in the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election, a person must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years of age; and
• A resident of the municipality, or the owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant.

As we prepare for the upcoming municipal election, we recognize that some residents and candidates have questions about the security of Internet voting and the measures in place to protect the integrity of the election process.

Internet voting has been used by Ontario municipalities for many years and continues to be a widely adopted voting method. More than 240 Ontario municipalities have chosen to offer internet voting in the 2026 municipal election, providing qualified electors with a convenient and accessible way to cast their ballot. Haldimand County has used internet voting in previous elections, including the 2022 Municipal Election and the two subsequent by-elections.

For the 2026 election, Haldimand County has selected a voting platform that incorporates multiple layers of security, including voter authentication processes, encrypted transmission of voting data, secure hosting environments, and ongoing system monitoring to detect potential irregularities. In preparation for the election, Haldimand County has also partnered with other municipalities using the same platform to undertake penetration testing, where cybersecurity professionals attempt to identify and address potential vulnerabilities before voting begins.

In addition to the technical safeguards, the Municipal Elections Act establishes rules and penalties related to election offences, including voter fraud and other actions that could compromise the integrity of the election process.

Haldimand County is committed to conducting a fair, transparent, and secure election. Election staff continue to work closely with the voting service provider to ensure required procedures are followed and that any concerns raised during the election period are reviewed and addressed appropriately.

We encourage candidates and residents to seek information from official election sources and to contact our Elections team with any questions regarding election procedures or internet voting.

Note: The question in the heading was shortened for space.

Full question: I wanted to bring a concern to your attention regarding the upcoming online voting period. I have heard and seen certain candidates offering to visit residents and assist them with voting online using personal devices. I understand this may have already been brought to the County’s attention, but I wanted to ensure you are aware and ask what safeguards will be in place to monitor potentially inappropriate involvement in online voting. Will information such as IP addresses or other system activity be tracked so that any irregularities can be investigated? I appreciate any clarification you can provide regarding how the County plans to protect the integrity and privacy of the online voting process.

The budget shows 2.0 FTEs, with salaries of $550,680 in 2025 and $551,780 in 2026.

These amounts are the Office's total compensation budget, not base salaries alone. Along with the base salaries of the CAO and the Executive Assistant, they include the employer's share of benefits and pension costs. These are OMERS pension contributions, CPP, EI, Employer Health Tax, WSIB and group benefits, which the County budgets for every position on top of salary.

The budget also includes a corporate-wide provision of $53,000 for in-year job evaluations. It funds changes for positions anywhere in the organization that are reclassified through the County's job evaluation process during the year. The provision is held centrally in the Office of the CAO. It is not compensation for the CAO or the Executive Assistant.

Note: The question in the heading was shortened for space.

Full question: I've been reviewing the 2026 budget documents. In my review I have been looking at 2025 and 2026 FTEs. I attached a screen shot of the section I have a question about. In conjunction, I was also looking at the 2025 budget and 2026 budget (screen shot also attached). What's not adding up are the numbers for the CAO's office. FTEs = 2 but salaries for 2025 = $550,680 and 2026 = $551,780.

The CAO's office consists of the CAO and one executive assistant. Please update me on why we see over half a million dollars budgeted when the CAO's salary is under $300,000. How much is the assistant getting paid? My understanding is that is was under $100,000 based on the job posting. Where is the rest of that money going?

There are opportunities to raise concerns about OPP coverage when calls for service, traffic issues, crime trends, or other community needs suggest additional attention may be warranted. Haldimand County Council's role in this is primarily exercised through its representatives on the Haldimand OPP Detachment Board, rather than through direct discussions with the OPP Detachment Commander.

The Detachment Board meets regularly with the Detachment Commander, and can bring forward local concerns, share community feedback, and discuss emerging issues affecting specific areas of Haldimand County. While the OPP retains full authority for operational decisions, including officer deployment and patrol assignments, the Detachment Board serves as the formal mechanism for communicating local needs and advocating for policing services that are responsive to the needs of our local community.