Shawn WATTERS for Mayor

Centre Wellington is mandated by the province to grow. As Mayor, I have worked hard to ensure that growth is managed responsibly and serves our community — growth that meets our needs, not growth for growth’s sake. 

As we chart Centre Wellington’s future, there are many assets we can draw upon. We are strategically positioned in Southwestern Ontario, close to some of the province’s most important economic and natural assets. These include the Grand River watershed, world-class colleges and universities, and some of the most productive agricultural land in North America.

Protecting this land, while supporting the farmers and agricultural businesses that depend on it, will remain one of my top priorities. Farmers not only feed us, but they are also major contributors to our local economy.

Our future is full of possibilities. We have an opportunity to attract new businesses, expand manufacturing, strengthen tourism, and create stable local jobs with living wages.

Through my leadership and a balanced approach to growth, tourism, agriculture, and economic development, Centre Wellington can expand its economy while ensuring that its residents benefit. My experience, professional relationships, and knowledge of the Township put me in a strong position to lead Centre Wellington through this next stage in its development.

I am committed to: 

• Continuing to build a strong local economy by working with the new CW Municipal Service Corporation to attract investment, support local businesses, strengthen tourism, and create good local jobs.  
• Putting the 2025 Economic Development and Tourism Strategy into action and building on the work already underway. 
• Implementing the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) to generate new revenue to support tourism and community priorities. 
• Advancing the Fergus bypass with the Ministry of Transportation and Wellington County while improving transportation infrastructure. 
• Planning for the future of the South Fergus and Elora employment lands to attract investment and create good local jobs. 
• Growing our commercial tax base by marketing and selling the remaining spaces in the Fergus Business Park.
• Keeping our downtowns vibrant and accessible by completing the CW Parking Strategy, and working with local businesses. 
• Supporting local agriculture and agricultural manufacturing while protecting our prime farmland. 
• Continuing to work with the BIAs and Chamber of Commerce to support local businesses and strengthen our economy. 
• Completing the Belwood Hall renovation and supporting its role as a community hub. 
• Supporting a future location for the Belwood Post Office and access to essential services in our smaller communities.
• Working with the Inverhaugh community on the future of the former Blondie’s Lunch site, with a focus on local needs and community character.

Centre Wellington needs more housing — but the right housing for our community, our demographics, and different income levels.

As Mayor, I have worked hard to make sure growth is planned responsibly and that it serves the people who already call Centre Wellington home. That means starter homes for first-time buyers, affordable housing for families and seniors, and communities designed with greenspaces and active living in mind. We need our kids to be able to buy homes in our community. I believe in a balanced approach to intensification and greenfield development while protecting our prime agricultural land.

We have already taken important steps forward. We completed the Housing Needs Assessment, initiated a comprehensive Housing Action Plan, and hired a Senior Policy and Housing Planner. Tools are in place to address affordability, appropriate density, and the loss of long-term housing to short-term rentals.

Our urban boundaries were established through Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 126 and approved by the province. I have been clear that new housing should be accommodated within those boundaries — not through sprawl onto valuable farmland. I have also stood up for our community’s decisions when developers challenge them at the Ontario Land Tribunal. Major growth decisions involve developers, staff, and the CAO, and residents deserve a Mayor who is informed, independent, and at the table without conflicts of interest.

I am committed to:

• Defending our municipal autonomy by working to limit developers' ability to appeal urban boundaries to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
• Building more affordable and attainable homes for first time buyers, families and seniors by working with the county and the development community. 
• Incentivizing developers to build more diverse options such as secondary suites, multi-residential suites, low rise apartments, and accessible housing.
• Revising the Township's Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw to address the housing needs of community members. These revisions will include establishing clear land-use rules, managing growth responsibly, supporting appropriate new development and updating the definition of affordable housing.
• Completing the CW Housing Action Plan and implementing its recommendations
• Finalizing and implementing a responsible Short-Term Rental Licensing Regulation to protect our long-term housing supply from being depleted. Residents come first!
• Moving the Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) forward.
• Limiting new settlement boundary expenses by directing 40% of our new housing construction to existing urban infill areas. 

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As Mayor, I have worked with Council to put long-term plans in place for our parks, recreation, trails, and active transportation network. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Active Transportation and Mobility Plan give us a clear roadmap to guide investment as our community grows. We invested in 90 acres of land beside the Centre Wellington Sportsplex for a proposed Multi-Use Recreational Facility. Fostering and supporting athletics and leisure activities for all ages is a priority.

With more than 130 festivals and events each year, a thriving arts and culture community, the Grand Theatre in Fergus, the Elora Centre for the Arts, and a host of supportive arts programs, galleries, artists, and cultural organizations, we have created a community where people want to live, work, and visit.

I will provide steady, experienced leadership and continue to deliver on these plans, investing wisely in recreation, trails, arts and culture, and making sure residents of all ages have opportunities to participate and grow.

I am committed to:

• Following the recommendations of the CW Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
• Implementing recommendations from the CW Active Transportation and Mobility Plan.
• Developing a revised site plan for the Sportsplex, which includes the proposed Multi-Use Recreational Facility (MURF) and ensuring public input. 
• Supporting future upgrades to Confederation Park in Fergus and Bissell Park in Elora. 
• Reviewing and monitoring the Recreation Priority Registration Policy to ensure it is meeting the needs of residents. 
• Revisiting the 2024 CW Cultural Action Plan and Work Plan. 
• Creating a more robust committee system that allows for better and more actionable input.
• Sustaining and investing in the Pierpoint Nature Reserve. 
• Maintaining the Community Investment Fund which provides grants and financial backing for vibrant downtowns, local arts, culture, festivals and inclusive community programming 
• Seeking ways in which the Provincial and Federal government can partner financially with projects

Centre Wellington relies on local aquifers and we must manage growth responsibly, protect our groundwater, and ensure we have a safe, sustainable water supply for the future. 

Water has been a flashpoint for community engagement in Centre Wellington for many years. As Mayor, I made protecting our water a priority. Working with Council and our community, we secured the Middlebrook well for the public good — protecting a vital future water source for the citizens of Centre Wellington. 

By encouraging intensification, infill development and the efficient use of existing urban lands, we can accommodate growth while limiting urban sprawl onto productive farmland. This makes the most of what we already have. It is also the most cost effective, adding to the tax base with less burden on the system to help keep rates down. 

Centre Wellington’s immediate challenge is the upcoming Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearings this fall. Developers are seeking to expand our boundary, potentially resulting in the loss of close to 1,000 acres of prime agricultural land. I am deeply opposed to this. We cannot afford to lose this valuable farmland. Our prime agricultural soils must be protected — not only for the farmers who depend on them, but to safeguard our local food supply for future generations.

I am committed to:

• Enforcing our intensification targets to lock in growth within existing borders and protect farmland from sprawl. 
• Safeguarding 100% of our local groundwater resources and municipal aquifers by implementing strict watershed monitoring. 
• Protecting our municipal wells and their recharge areas to ensure clean water.
• Ensuring the protection of our prime agricultural land through intensive engagement with, and lobbying of, our local MPP, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Agriculture. 
• Recognizing farmers are important economic drivers and support countless businesses in our community.
• Working with the Wellington Federation of Agriculture to advocate for strict provincial and municipal land-use policies.
• Protecting against urban flooding and runoff by investing in upgrading our below-grade infrastructure. 
• Applying the County of Wellington’s Climate Action Plan to guide responsible and sustainable decisions in Centre Wellington.
• Keeping our community self-sufficient and structurally sustainable by ensuring major builds utilize low-impact development stormwater infrastructure.

Under my leadership as Mayor over the past four years, we have set in motion concrete actions to build a strong and sustainable future for Centre Wellington. We turned our Strategic Plan into action — delivering major projects, advancing housing and growth planning, investing in infrastructure and recreation, and supporting our downtowns.

We have made significant progress on the commitments in our Strategic Plan, with major initiatives completed or well underway across economic development, housing, recreation, infrastructure, environmental protection and community services. We also followed through on items from the previous Council. We are growing diverse revenue sources, investing in strong infrastructure, delivering efficient and innovative services, and keeping taxation fair and responsible.

With more than $1.2 billion in municipal infrastructure — including roads, bridges, water networks, and community facilities — our Asset Management Plan provides a clear roadmap for maintaining and renewing these assets. It will help prevent infrastructure deficits that can affect taxes years down the road while ensuring we have the capacity to support future growth.

Just as important, I believe strong communities are built by listening to the people who live here. 

I have always made myself available to residents, hearing directly from you about what matters most. I believe in open dialogue, transparency, and giving residents a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape our community. We’ve strengthened that foundation, and I will continue to build on it.

I am committed to: 

• Keeping taxes between 2.5 and 3.5% based on inflation.
• Investing 2% annually in asset management.
• Managing our infrastructure by prioritizing the financial targets in the Asset Management Plan.
• Building on the success of our multi-platform community engagement strategies, including mayoral town halls, community meetings, township surveys, Key Township Project Open Houses.
• Generating sustainable and diverse revenue sources for long-term financial planning, including the Municipal Accommodation Tax, naming right opportunities, paid parking and partnerships and sponsorships with businesses. 

• Continuing to advance the bridge replacement program, with a focus on timely repairs and replacements of rural bridges.  
• Continuing to maintain over 500 kilometres of road network, including sidewalks and bridges, using environmentally sustainable materials.  
• Informing residents with ample notice regarding major projects in order to minimize disruption and inconvenience.
• Allocating Strong Mayor powers back to Council and Staff.
• Maintaining respectful Council relationships with open dialogue that builds consensus.
• Applying the recommendations from the Community Engagement Charter and Strategy.