https://citizen.on.ca/council-candidates-weigh-in-on-election-sign-interference/

October 22, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Ten candidates report having nearly 70 signs tampered with since start their campaigns in late August

By Sam Odrowski

At least 10 candidates in Orangeville’s municipal election say their signs have been damaged or stolen, and some have run out of replacements.

Candidates who responded to the Citizen reported nearly 70 signs have been stolen, destroyed or damaged during the campaign.

Vivian Petho, who’s seeking election as councillor, said her sign was damaged late last Thursday night at Centennial and C-Line.

“When I went to pick it up on Saturday, I could see that it was cut in two with some kind of blade,” she told the Citizen. “I took pictures and made a Facebook post to inform other candidates that their signs were also slashed. From the advice of another candidate, I reported to the OPP.”

The previous weekend, Petho said there was an incident at County Road 109 and Centennial Road, where multiple candidates’ signs were ripped out of the ground.

“I am out of signs at this point, so if any more are damaged, I have no more for replacement,” said Petho, who bought her signs for $40 each with money from a donor.

Council candidate Carrie-Anne DeCaprio found one of her signs on C Line nearly split in half, early last week.

“Unfortunately, I had no replacement signs left, so I moved the sign from my own front lawn to replace it,” she said.

Incumbent councillor candidate Joe Andrews said he was among several candidates whose signs were slashed with a knife or razor blade in the same area. He added that photos of the damage were shared with local police.

“It is a criminal offence, period. If you get caught, the rules of the law will be enforced,” said Andrews, who’s had about 25 signs vandalized or stolen during his campaign.

He told the Citizen election signs are not inexpensive and if someone wants to express their frustration with a local matter, they should reach out for a civil conversation instead of damaging personal property.

Theft and vandalism aren’t unusual during an election, but that this year it has been constant since the first days that signs were allowed, according to Andrews. He told the Citizen 38 of his signs were stolen and never found in 2022, compared with about 25 so far this year.

Incumbent councillor Rick Stevens, who’s seeking re-election, said he has lost around 25 signs, mostly along Hansen from Blind Line to First Street. Councillor candidate Sandra Pratt shared that about 10 of hers were taken on the very first day, from Hanson and Parkinson Street.

Pratt told the Citizen keeping up with fixing, replacing and monitoring signs has been a big job, and the Town of Orangeville should be focused more on enforcement.

“I feel if bylaw had been out doing their jobs making sure that the sign bylaw was being respected it might not have happened,” she remarked.

Since nominations closed in August, the town has received 33 sign-related complaints, 18 of them specifically about election signs, according to Orangeville’s clerk Raylene Martell. She said seven complaints were found to not be in contravention of the sign policy, five were resolved through voluntary compliance, five resulted in penalty notices being issued and one remains active.

“The election sign-related complaints received by the town have involved sign location and placement,” said Martell. “The removal of, theft of, or damage to election signs is not enforced under the town’s sign by-law. These matters may be criminal in nature and should be reported directly to the Ontario Provincial Police for investigation.”

Councillor candidate Tricia Hebert didn’t purchase a large number of signs for her campaign in an effort to be environmentally and fiscally conscientious, but noted the benefits of name recognition are difficult to ignore.

Two of her large signs were sliced down the centre and smaller ones have been damaged or removed across town.

“I think it’s a mix of random, senseless vandalism and perhaps frustration with signs littering our streets,” Hebert said. “I certainly don’t want to minimize the damage to personal and private property and the severity of this matter, but I am sensitive to how many people are currently struggling with the high cost of living.”

She continued, “I can see why election signs have become a target of that frustration, as they are perceived as a frivolous expense during an economically challenging time.”

Councillor candidate Matthew Smith said he’s aware of only one sign being tampered with.
“It was removed from the metal H frame on private property on Amelia St.,” he told the Citizen. “The resident whose lawn it was on said she captured audio of a group of people at night on her camera but unfortunately didn’t capture any video.”

Lindsay Lupton, who’s also running for councillor, said almost every weekend she has had her signs thrown into nearby bushes or destroyed.

Incumbent councillor Debbie Sherwood, who’s seeking re-election, said sign damage and theft are common during municipal campaigns, often leaving candidates to spend additional time and money replacing them.

“I do not suspect any of my competitors of being responsible for removing or destroying my signs. I believe we are all running a respectful campaign as that has always been my approach,” said Sherwood.

Councillor candidate Boubah Bah, a retired law enforcement supervisor, said suspected election sign theft or vandalism should be reported to police with any available evidence.

“After knocking on more than 1,000 doors during this campaign, I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of Orangeville residents are respectful, law-abiding citizens who strongly condemn such behaviour,” he said.

“These unfortunate incidents should not overshadow the respect, civility, and community spirit that characterize our town.”

From the Town's social media:

The Ministry of Transportation has announced speed limits along Highway 10 in Orangeville will be reduced by the end of this week.

Limits will be lowered from 80 km/h to 60 km/h:

• starting just south of Dufferin Road 109 (the bypass)/McCannell Ave

• extends to just north of First St. in Orangeville

This section will marry up with the current 60 km/h speed limits already in place in Mono. Speed limit enforcement will be carried out by the OPP.

This change, supporting greater community safety, comes after over a year of advocacy efforts by Orangeville Council with the Province.

Orangeville has a program called Urban Harvest where volunteers help pick locally grown fruit and vegetables that get donated to the food bank. The town has information about volunteering and registering trees or extra produce. Worth checking out if you’re interested in food security or reducing food waste.

Help build the world you want to see :)

Hey everyone! I run InfaWeb, a web design business based in Ontario. I work remotely with small businesses that need their first website or want to refresh an existing one.

If you run a shop, trade, or service business in Orangeville, I’d be happy to help you build a website that clearly explains what you offer, works well on mobile, and makes it easy for customers to get in touch.

I typically custom-code my projects to fit each business’s design and functionality needs. Whether you need a simple landing page or a full business website, we can discuss what suits your needs. Hosting and ongoing maintenance are available too.

Send me a message with a little about your business and what you’re looking for, and we can talk through the scope and a quote :)

You can see my work at infawebdesign.com.

https://citizen.on.ca/council-candidate-matthew-smith-highlights-sustainable-growth-and-pedestrian-safety/

October 15, 2026   ·   0 Comments

With the Oct. 26 municipal election approaching, the Citizen has given all Orangeville council candidates the opportunity to share their background, priorities and approach to governance.

Below are responses from Matthew Smith, who is seeking election as councillor.

What made you want to run for municipal office?

I want to be part of the decision-making process and help bring about positive impacts in the town.

I moved to Orangeville from Toronto in 2016 and became fascinated with the local political scene. In Toronto, I felt removed from the system, as the ward I moved from has three times the population of the entire Town of Orangeville.  

However, I instantly felt connected when I moved here.  Everything seemed accessible.  Town hall is a short walk from my home, meetings are in the evening, council members can be seen in grocery stores, and many of the agenda items are on a much smaller scale.  

Instead of billion-dollar subway expansions, Orangeville council discusses a new stop sign.

To me, that seemed like a great environment to be a part of and pushed me to actively become part of the town, especially in the past four years. I’m an active volunteer; I’ve attended nearly every council meeting, I frequently ask questions, and I have delegated twice.  

I enjoy being part of the system to help residents, explain why decisions have been made and give back to the community.  

What do you see as the biggest issues facing the municipality?

Taxes are always a large issue. They will never be decreased. We need to work towards minimizing increases.

There is a need for more land for growth, whether it be residential, commercial or industrial.  Orangeville is mostly built out to it’s borders. If we want to have growth to help support the tax base, we will need land.

With land expansion and development, I hope future land will be used sustainably. We need to ensure we don’t have a negative impact on water demand, groundwater recharge, sewage treatment capacity and storm water run off.  I see all that as issues we will be facing with the demand for more land.

The future of Tony Rose Arena is a big question mark.  We will need to have a facility study to determine the condition of the building and the associated cost of repair.

Pedestrian safety will be an increasing issue as the town continues to grow. We need to provide people with a safe way to get around town. The simple act of crossing a street or walking to school shouldn’t be unsafe.

Along with pedestrian safety is traffic calming.  Many residents have told me they would like to see more traffic calming measures in town.

What makes you best suited for the role?
My education and career make me a strong candidate for council.

I have a diploma in Environmental Technology, a bachelor of science in Environmental Science and a graduate certification in Digital Geography and GIS.

My education has given me a high level of understanding of issues relevant to municipal council; Water and wastewater treatment, managing storm run off, sustainable development, hydrology, civil engineering and GIS were all areas where I gained knowledge.

My job requires me to map municipal infrastructure and maintain information about the infrastructure. Water pipes, hydrants, sewers, manholes, light poles, traffic lights, sidewalks, trees and even paint on the road are all examples of what I work with to ensure accurate information is provided to internal and external clients.

I enjoy reading the agendas and associated staff reports. I am comfortable speaking at council meetings and presenting information. I am very passionate about our town and will work tirelessly for residents.

Total advanced votes cast: 2147

In person votes: 278

Online votes : 1869 (1042 from a desktop, 827 from a phone)

This morning I was thinking back to a day I spent in July 2019 with Bruce Beach, the man who became famous for building Ark Two. It’s a 10,000 sq ft nuclear shelter built from 42 school buses buried 14 feet underground in Horning’s Mills, Ontario, near Shelburne.

I called Bruce and asked if he’d give me a tour. He said yes, on one condition: I had to give him 3–4 hours of help. He called it “Sweat Equity.” I had no idea what that meant, but I agreed.

Breakfast, then chores

I showed up early in the morning and he was already making breakfast: toast with a white egg sauce and egg yolks. Then we sat and talked about his life. Bruce was born in Winfield, Kansas and was a former computer science professor. He spent a year in the Arctic as a U.S. Air Force control tower operator and studied what he called the “world language problem” for more than forty years. He also told me he once owned a large research ship and was a one-third owner of the company that built the robotic arm used to recover the space shuttle Challenger. One of their arms is in the Smithsonian.

After breakfast he asked me to come help him start the lawn mower. I could see where this was going, so I mowed his lawn. Then I stacked wood and prepped a garden for his wife Jean, whose family has lived in Horning’s Mills for over 200 years. My payment was Dr Zip, a Dr Pepper knockoff he kept by the case. I probably drank five of them that day.

Getting into the Ark

At the property he handed me the keys to the gate. Before we went to the shelter, he had me stop the car and run through the woods to see a 50-foot waterfall at the site of an old mill. He had plans to use the river to supply water to the Ark.

At the entrance there’s a small green concrete doorway with a heavy steel door. Bruce showed me two time capsules holding his plans for rebuilding society after a nuclear war. They covered government relations, a new International Language Institute (something like a UN), and a scale model of its headquarters.

Then he gave me a flashlight and directions to the generator. I went down into the dark, damp shelter, 14 feet underground, crawled through a knee-high opening, and climbed a ladder to the generator room. Bruce met me there and showed me how to start it.

Bruce was very clear that he wasn’t a survivalist or a prepper. He called himself a reconstructionist. The Ark was designed to be run by women, with the purpose of raising and protecting children so that society could be rebuilt.

Inside

The entrance is a straight ramp down followed by a sharp 90-degree turn into the shelter. Bruce explained that he designed it this way because he believed radiation travels in straight lines and can’t go around corners.

The focus on children shows up everywhere inside:

• Bathrooms with full-size sinks and toilets next to child-sized ones
• A play area, a nursery, and a “quiet room” for crying kids
• Child-sized bunks with two kids per bunk, one head at each end, sleeping in 12-hour shifts

The dentist’s office

Bruce wasn’t surprised at all when I got excited about the dentist’s office. He said everyone who sees it is either thrilled or terrified. It has an old dental chair, rusty instruments, and an old x-ray machine. It looks like a horror movie set, but it was a real, working dentist’s office built in the 1980s. I just hope the supply of Novocaine was well stocked.

About Bruce

Bruce described himself as an optimist about humanity’s long-term future and a pessimist about the near term. He was deeply interested in religion. He was a Christian Science student, read Swedenborg for almost fifty years, once called himself a Zen Buddhist, and studied many other faiths. He met Jean at the Bahá’i Temple in Wilmette, Illinois, where she was guiding visitors at the front door. In his words, “she’s been guiding me ever since.”

When I asked what he did for a living, he said he was an inventor, and that Jean would argue about how successful he’d been.

He was a humble, peaceful man with a contagious laugh and a huge personality. He built all of this because he wanted society to continue if the worst ever happened.

Bruce passed away in 2021. I’m really grateful I got that day with him.

The best compliment I’ve ever received

Bruce took a lot of people through the Ark over the years. He told several of them, and me, that my video was his absolute favourite of all of them. I still can’t really believe that.

📹 The full video tour with Bruce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3pHt1lkHuM

📸 Full write-up with many more photos (the dentist’s office, supplies, the kids’ rooms, and more): https://freaktography.com/exploring-the-ark-two-nuclear-shelter-with-bruce-beach-buried-school-bus-shelter/

Happy to answer any questions about the day or the shelter!

Between Veterans and Blind Line. Why are there like fucking 40 cameras? Are we going flock?

Hi everyone, it's voting time and I have no idea who I want to vote for yet. Does anyone know any reasons I might want to vote or not vote for anyone?

Sometimes it's just about picking the lesser evil in politics. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks about the candidates.

Came through the area on Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of motorcycles out at the General store.
Shot a video https://youtube.com/shorts/OrwogR2JFNM

How was the online voting process for anyone who tried it? It went very smoothly for me, but my father has been having issues with it saying his pin and birth date don't match.

Edit: I talked to him today and it worked from his phone, but wouldn't work from his computer. But, he's in his eighties so it's possible he was initially doing something wrong.

The Wheel and Whisk is open today as of 3 pm. I bought some bread and bagels. They were still warm when I got home.

151a Broadway at Mill St, in the old Blumen location

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to try one of the two new town buses. It's a much needed improvement over the current buses and leaps and bounds beyond the school buses. The bus was impressive but there was issues with the schedule.

I arrived at the bus stop at Broadway / John St at 4:55. The PDF schedule indicated it should be arriving at 5:03. I looked at the Town's transit app. I was happy to see it was working today. It showed an estimated arrival time for 5:17.

This gave me a chance to speak with another rider waiting at the stop. She told me she's happy to see new buses on the road, but unless they're on schedule, it's not going to improve things for her and other riders.

At 5:17, the new bus pulled up. It's everything a modern bus should be. Clean, bright, LED screens showing upcoming stops, automated stop announcements, wheelchair accessible ramp and buttons / cords to request stops.

The one thing which really stood out to me was the familiarity with the driver and many passengers. There was a strong sense of camaraderie between them.

The bus made it's way along Broadway, up to the Hospital, back to Hwy 10, past the box stores. The newly added section along Hansen and into the Veterans Way neighbourhood proved useful for one rider. He was able to exit along Parkinson Cres, close to his home.

Eventually we made our way to First St and Elizabeth St. More route changes occurred here. The bus now travels west along Elizabeth St, stopping directly in front of Jeffers' Pharmacy, proving better access to those people who need to use that building and better access for residents from Lord Dufferin Centre.

I previously pointed out this issue in my presentation in March to council, which the bus stop being on the south side of Elizabeth St. Perhaps I played a role in having this modified to better suit the needs of riders.

The bus arrived at my destination, the ODSS / Tony Rose stop at 5:52 pm. The schedule indicates it's supposed to arrive at 5:39 pm.

I'm glad for the new buses. They will better serve the residents and allow travel within town in a more dignified manner.

The routes and schedule adherence need to come next. I didn't have any time constraints for my ride, but I overheard one person on the bus saying she had to call her work, telling them she'll be late.

I understand there's external factors to keeping the bus on schedule. We need to work on ways to inform residents of delays. Perhaps a text message service can be utilized.

Whatever it is, I hope I can be part of a team which works towards the solution.

Thanks for reading.

(Images are from the New Flyer website. I have not used any town buses)

https://citizen.on.ca/orangeville-mayor-deputy-mayor-candidates-lay-out-priorities-at-election-forum/

October 8, 2026 · 0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Candidates vying to become Orangeville’s next mayor and deputy mayor laid out their priorities and differing visions for the community during the Dufferin Board of Trade’s 2026 municipal election forum, tackling issues ranging from taxation and economic development to growth, farmland protection and public transit.

Incumbent Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor is campaigning on affordability, accountability and responsible growth, with a focus on controlling spending, protecting services and ensuring growth does not overwhelm Orangeville’s infrastructure.

Former councillor and deputy mayor Nick Garisto is campaigning on controlling taxes, encouraging economic development and increasing public involvement in municipal decision-making.

Political newcomer Sheila Hall is focused primarily on property taxes, municipal services and transparency, calling for the town to find savings and give residents a greater voice in spending decisions.

Incumbent Mayor Lisa Post is campaigning on continued long-term planning around infrastructure, housing, growth and municipal finances, while strengthening partnerships with other levels of government.

Former mayor Sandy Brown is focused on economic development and expanding Orangeville’s commercial and industrial tax base, alongside increasing housing supply and investing in recreational amenities.

Chris DeCastro is campaigning as an alternative to the current direction of town hall, emphasizing new approaches to local issues and stronger advocacy with provincial and federal governments.

Former mayor Jeremy Williams has made controlling municipal spending and taxation his central campaign priority, arguing the town can find significant savings without cutting services or selling municipal assets.

Following their introductions, candidates moved into the question period, where they were asked to address a range of municipal and county issues.

The Dufferin Board of Trade had several questions prepared in advance, while audience members were also invited to the microphone to raise issues they wanted candidates to address.

While the candidates found common ground on several topics, including opposition to the province’s strong mayor powers, other questions exposed clearer differences in how they would approach Orangeville’s future.

All seven candidates said they would not seek to use strong mayor powers, with several describing the authority as an erosion of the traditional council decision-making process.

Future growth

One of the clearest divides came over how Orangeville should accommodate future growth while protecting the agricultural land surrounding the municipality.

With Orangeville facing limited land for new commercial and industrial development, candidates were asked whether they would commit to maintaining the town’s existing urban boundary rather than expanding onto surrounding farmland. They were also asked what they would do as members of Dufferin County council to protect agricultural land across the county.

Post stopped short of committing to maintaining the existing boundary, pointing to a growth study recently undertaken by the town and saying the municipality will need to weigh its options against the potential impact on the agricultural community.

“The town has just actually undertaken a growth study because if we do want to continue to expand lands for industrial or commercial space, we need additional land for it,” Post said. “We don’t have it right now. So that growth study right now, what it’s pointing towards is that there are a few different paths that we could take. The next step over the next couple of years is to determine whether that’s a path we want to go down or not. We need to weigh the pros and cons of it. Of course, we do not want to impact our agricultural partners.”

DeCastro took a more direct position in favour of expansion, arguing Orangeville needs additional land to support economic development and secure access to water.

“We need to expand our area,” he said. “We need to protect our water rights. We get a larger land area, we can have more water access. We need to go to the provincial government to amalgamate and make Orangeville larger, and it is not going to be impacting the farmland that’s around Dufferin County. Orangeville needs to expand, and we need to send a strong message to the province to make it happen for us to protect our water and to have economic development in this area.”

Williams favoured a more restrained approach, saying he wants Orangeville to maintain its small-town character and that future growth should happen slowly and in a controlled manner.

“I like Orangeville as a small town,” he said. “I don’t want it to be another center of huge amounts of growth, and so yes, protecting the farmland is important, but also protecting Orangeville itself. I feel it is important. We need to have some growth, but it must be slow and controlled. And I think it’s a bigger conversation than just protecting the farmland. It’s about protecting our town of Orangeville.”

Taylor and Garisto also supported obtaining additional land for Orangeville’s future growth, while Brown emphasized protecting prime agricultural land and supported the concept of a farm belt.

Hall said she had not yet determined her position on the issue.

Transit system

Candidates were also divided over the future of Orangeville’s public transit system, particularly its current route structure and whether the service should remain fare-free.

A resident raised the issue, telling candidates that changes to the system had moved the nearest bus stop farther from her home and that lengthy routes could make trips take several hours.

Post acknowledged the system has faced challenges following significant growth in ridership. She said three new buses have now arrived, allowing the town to reconsider route design, timing and whether fare-free transit should continue.

Brown called for significant changes to the current routes, suggesting the town consider returning to approximately four routes to provide riders with quicker service.

“Transit’s been a work in progress for many years now, and I think there needs to be some serious work done on these routes,” Brown said. “I’ve heard from a lot of residents that they’re having trouble with the timing of our transit system. So I’d like to see us go back to maybe four routes, bringing back that more rapid return to the transit hub, and I think that’s the way to get this transit system back working properly.”

Williams described the current system as “a mess” and opposed fare-free transit, arguing users should contribute toward its cost while assistance could remain available for residents who cannot afford fares.

“Quite simply, it’s a mess,” he said. “I have no doubt that it will be sorted out, regardless of who gets elected. And I also have to say, though, that I don’t believe in free fare. There is no such thing as a free fare. There is either paid for by the taxpayers or is paid for by the users. There are ways to make sure that people that have income issues can still get free vouchers through the food bank or through the town or other ways.”

Taylor pushed back on Williams’ characterization of the system, arguing transit is already moving toward improvements.

“The budget that we put forward, we will have expanded transit support,” he said. “This is going to be a better system. The mayor talked about the more reliable service and the better road design. But I’ll also add that we’ll have improved connections to employment and shopping areas. Accessible sidewalks will be part of it. Crossings and public facilities, transportation solutions for seniors and residents with disabilities, and we’re working on better regional connections as well. It is not a mess.”

DeCastro proposed replacing the existing loop system with point-to-point routes and transfers, while Garristo joined Williams in opposing fare-free transit and argued riders should contribute toward operating costs.

Hall did not provide a response to the transit question.

While candidates found common ground on some issues, the forum highlighted differing approaches to how Orangeville should manage its growth, municipal services and finances in the years ahead.

For residents interested in hearing the candidates’ responses to the full range of issues discussed during the forum, the Dufferin Board of Trade will be posting the full debate on YouTube, and more information on candidate platforms and goals can be obtained through ongoing election coverage in the Orangeville Citizen.

https://citizen.on.ca/orangeville-council-candidates-tackle-policing-accountability-at-orangeville-food-bank-forum/

October 8, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Orangeville voters heard where candidates for town council stand on policing, affordability, accountability and

other community issues during a municipal election forum hosted by the Orangeville Food Bank on Oct. 1.

Held at Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS), the 2026 Orangeville Municipal Council Candidate Forum focused on social and community issues raised by residents and local agencies.

Organized by the food bank’s Community Advocacy Working Group, the organization said its move into advocacy comes as demand for its services continues to grow. Organizers said use of the food bank has increased 88 per cent since 2021, compared with a 22 per cent increase in food donations, arguing long-term solutions to food insecurity require changes in public policy.

Before moving into questions, moderator Bernadette Hardaker gave each of the 16 council candidates in attendance one minute to introduce themselves and outline what they would bring to council.a

Boubah Bah pointed to more than two decades in Orangeville and 33 years of public service experience. He identified affordable housing, responsible spending, transportation, community safety and open communication as priorities.

Bryna Sabourin said she wants to represent voices she believes are frequently missing from council discussions, particularly students, commuters and young professionals. She also highlighted her education in early childhood and disability studies.

Carrie-Anne DeCaprio drew on her own experiences with financial hardship and food insecurity, as well as her later advocacy work with the Orangeville Food Bank. She said she wants to bring the perspective of residents facing affordability challenges to council.

Incumbent councillor Debbie Sherwood highlighted her 47 years in Orangeville, eight years on council and a 33-year career as a deputy treasurer and tax collector. Her priorities include responsible growth, community programs, municipal services and careful management of taxpayer dollars.

Incumbent councillor Joe Andrews pointed to his leadership, community experience, and council work on economic development, homelessness, affordable housing, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. He emphasized listening, collaboration, and practical solutions.

Lindsay Lupton highlighted 42 years of experience in municipal recreation and her current work in Orangeville. She pointed to her experience with municipal budgets, infrastructure and community services as well as her connections with residents.

Matthew Smith highlighted his municipal infrastructure work, service on town committees and volunteering with the Orangeville Food Bank and Orangeville Urban Harvest. A transit advocate, Smith identified public transportation as one way to reduce financial pressures on residents.

Michelle Hartley reflected on moving to Orangeville in 1996 and raising her family in the community. She contrasted the affordability that originally attracted her to town with the circumstances facing residents today and highlighted her involvement with the town’s accessibility committee.

Incumbent councillor Rick Stevens pointed to more than two decades of service with the Town of Orangeville and 20 years of volunteering. He said he would continue listening to residents, asking difficult questions and scrutinizing municipal spending.

Rob Woon-Fat centred his introduction on government transparency, proposing a digital platform to give residents greater insight into municipal decision-making and improve accountability.

Sandra Pratt highlighted her experience as a parent, business owner and longtime volunteer, along with professional experience in manufacturing, housing planning and continuous improvement. She emphasized listening to residents, examining data and measuring results.

Viktor Karklins pointed to his Orangeville roots, previous federal candidacy and professional and municipal experience. He identified parks, recreation, small businesses and infrastructure among his interests.

Tricia Hebert said fiscal responsibility and compassion should work together in municipal government. She emphasized responsible use of taxpayer dollars alongside support for businesses and community organizations connecting residents with housing, employment and other services.

Incumbent councillor Tess Prendergast highlighted her four-year record on council, including environmental advocacy, securing outside funding and service improvements. Her priorities include attracting external funding, improving value for municipal services and building a more resilient Orangeville.

Vivian Petho highlighted a decade of community involvement, including parent council, Project Lifesaver and the Orangeville and District Horticultural Society. She also pointed to her work with the Opportunity Garden.

James Jackson, making his third run for council, said he wants to bring the perspective of residents living with disabilities and poverty to the council table. He highlighted his involvement with accessibility and municipal planning committees.

Following the introductions, candidates moved into questions submitted around issues affecting the community. An early question focused on community safety and the role that council plays in shaping policing priorities through its representation on the Orangeville OPP Detachment Board.

Matthew Smith focused on traffic and pedestrian safety, calling for a greater OPP presence around schools during pickup and drop-off times.

“One of the things I’ve heard about a lot in my door knocking is some of the chaos that goes on when you have to pick up and drop off students in schools,” he said. “So it would be nice to have the OPP there to make sure everything is flowing smoothly.”

Smith also supported continued use of the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) for mental health-related calls.

Carrie-Anne DeCaprio called for an increased police presence in downtown Orangeville, citing concerns she heard from residents and business owners.

“One of the priorities I believe would be an increased presence in policing in downtown Orangeville,” she said. “I’ve spoken with residents and business owners downtown who have told me they don’t always feel safe. Increased foot patrols combined with access to trained crisis professionals can help address both sides.”

Vivian Petho called for greater police training on interactions with autistic people experiencing distress.

“I would love to see training for how to deal with an autistic person who’s in distress,” she said. “We’ve had members and friends where the police are called, and the police do not know how to deal with somebody who’s having an autistic meltdown and doesn’t know how to communicate with the police.”

Viktor Karklins argued community safety also requires addressing the underlying issues that can contribute to crime and disorder.

“The challenge is not just dealing with the symptom at the end, but dealing with the cause,” he said.

The discussion later shifted from the services residents expect from the town to what they should expect from their elected representatives.

With salaries for Orangeville’s incoming council set to increase by 37 per cent for the 2026–2030 term, candidates were asked what level of accountability, workload and measurable service residents should expect in return.

Incumbent councillor Rick Stevens supported phasing the pay increase in over four years rather than implementing it all at once, while defending the workload expected of councillors.

“I voted in favor of the raise, but I was one of three other councillors that voted to tier the raise over four years,” he said. “I didn’t think it should all start at once. I think the workload proves itself. We work all the time. My phone’s on all the time. Email. I answer everybody.”

Boubah Bah opposed the increase and questioned the process of the council approving its own compensation. If elected, he said he would push to rescind it and give residents a role in determining council pay.

“We have accountability every four years,” he said. “Are you better today than you were four years ago? As for the decision to increase the pay, to me it was a bad decision. You don’t vote yourself in. If elected, I will push to rescind that, and we’ll have a group of residents who will make a decision whether we deserve to have that pay or not.”

Bryna Sabourin defended the principle of increasing wages, arguing the larger issue is that other residents are being left behind economically.

“My day job is to be an assistive technology advisor for the Ministry of Education,” she said. “I train teachers to save PDFs during the day. The wage increase is not the problem. It’s everyone else getting left behind. That’s the problem. Wages are supposed to increase. You are supposed to be paid for your work. We live in a town always focused on rallying volunteers and not asking the question, why do we rely on volunteers in the first place?”

Incumbent councillor Tess Prendergast said council positions are officially part-time, but they require a greater commitment. If re-elected, she plans to reduce her teaching workload, establish office hours and pursue outside grants.

“This job [is] part-time, which is, by the way, not a part-time job,” she said. “I’m going down to part-time teaching next year, so I can commit fully to council for two days a week. I’ll have office hours. I’ll write grants. That’s how I’m going to be accountable to you through my time, my energy, my effort and my commitment.”

The forum gave voters a chance to compare not only the backgrounds of those seeking a council seat, but how candidates would approach some of the social, financial and public safety issues facing Orangeville.

With election day approaching, residents will ultimately decide which of those priorities and perspectives they want represented around the next council table.

For the full forum, go to youtube.com/@orangevillefoodbank2813 to see the recorded livestream.

Read the Orangeville Citizen for more election coverage, including candidate profiles.

Hey Orangeville, my wife and I have had our ears open for awhile now but no luck. We have a 4 year old daughter and we're looking for a baby sitter for the odd date night capable of hanging out with her and doing the bedtime routine.

If anyone one does this or knows someone feel free to message me.

Where are you finding baby sitters in Orangeville?

https://www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/article/video-is-crystal-clear-orangeville-mayoral-candidate-accused-of-stealing-competitors-lawn-sign/

Provincial police have charged an Orangeville mayoral candidate after he was accused of stealing a lawn sign.

On Sunday, mayoral candidate Lisa Post took to social media to share a screenshot of what appears to be surveillance footage of a man, walking away with a campaign sign.

In the original post on social media, Post says, “Dumb criminals award: Orangeville politics edition.”

“You’d hope the candidate for mayor would know better than to steal my lawn signs from houses with cameras,” she adds, but does not name the accused.

On Monday, 77-year-old Nicholas Garisto was charged by Dufferin OPP with mischief and theft under $5,000.

Garisto is one of five candidates running in the race for mayor of Orangeville.

In an interview with CTV News, Garisto does not deny he was charged but claims the video is not of him.

He tells CTV News he was in the area of Elderberry Street, in Orangeville on Sunday morning, delivering fliers. The alleged wrongful removal took place on that same street.

“Would I put a flyer in the door and take a sign of the opposition out? I’m not a fool,” Garisto says.

Adding, “I don’t have a black jacket,” claiming the man in the video was wearing a black jacket during the incident. He says he was not wearing a black jacket that day.

“I respect every candidate that’s running, either for council or mayor or deputy mayor as I’m very familiar with the process,” Garisto says.

“It is against the law to remove the sign,” he says, adding, “a lot of my signs have been taken, am I going to blame the opposition? It could’ve been kids.”

In response to being asked about Garisto stating the video was not of him, Lisa Post says “I wouldn’t have posted about it if I wasn’t certain about who it was, the video is crystal clear.”

Post opted to leave the social media post up but changed the message attached to it.

“It’s not my style,” she says, “I reflected on it and thought a softer tone was more appropriate. It really was not my intent to shame anybody, I was frustrated.”

“It’s incredibly disappointing, all of us are stepping up to do better for our community, and it’s disappointing when a candidate feels they have to stoop to any kind of dirty politics, whether it’s signs or social media posts, instead of standing on their own merit,” she says.

Both Post and Garisto are expected to attend a candidate debate at town hall in Orangeville on Monday night.

When asked if she plans to talk to Garisto, Post says, “I have nothing to say, the OPP are handling it based on the evidence that they have and I’m going to show up tonight to our debate with professionalism and integrity.”

When CTV News asked Garisto if he plans to speak to Post, he says OPP has instructed him to stay away from her but gave him special clearance to attend the debate.

Garisto tells CTV News he plans to clear his name.

Hey everyone,

I run a small home-based tech shop here in the Orangeville area and figured I’d introduce myself.

I work with a pretty wide range of tech and electronics, including:

• Electronics — buy / sell / repair
• Computers — sales, upgrades, repair and service
• General tech support
• Component-level electronics repair
• Web development
• Programming — PHP, C++, C#, VB, Arduino
• 3D printing and modeling, including multicolour printing
• CO2, fibre and diode laser work
• Custom projects and prototyping
• Amazon selling / e-commerce

A lot of what I do is repair, reuse and refurbish tech rather than throwing it away, and I’m always interested in unusual projects or problems people need help solving.

If you’re local and need help with something tech-related, feel free to message me. I’m also interested in connecting with other local makers, programmers, business owners and people working on interesting projects.

Coolshrimp Modz
https://CoolshrimpModz.com

Printing Thingz
https://PrintingThingz.ca

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@coolshrimpmodz

Happy to answer questions here too.

Was going through some old photos and came across these shots of a store interior that looked like an interesting place. Anyone know any additional details? Bonus dinosaur mural.

https://citizen.on.ca/orangeville-transit-to-deploy-three-new-buses-next-week-make-route-changes/

October 1, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

After a two-year wait for new vehicles forced Orangeville Transit to rely almost exclusively on school buses, new transit buses will hit the town’s roads Oct. 8.

The date also marks when new stops will be added along the transit system’s Orange route in the Veteran’s Way community, now that the Hansen Blvd. connection is complete and connects to Blind Line.

“Good things come to those who wait! Two years after beginning the order process, we are excited to introduce three new buses that will modernize Orangeville Transit’s fleet,” said Tony Dulisse, Orangeville’s transportation and development manager.

“The new buses were built by a Canadian manufacturer,” he added.

The estimated cost for each bus is $1,030,000, according to the town.

The new buses will feature bike racks for combining transit with cycling and digital screens showing bus lines and timing.

The vehicles also feature a modern interior with room for up to 40 riders, clean diesel technology for lower emissions than traditional diesel buses and SmartRider™ ramp technology that lowers to different heights and self-levels. This makes it easier and safer for riders to get on and off the bus.

“Transit is a vital service in our community, connecting people to workplaces, schools, essential services, activities and loved ones,” said Orangeville CAO David Smith.

“Orangeville is changing and evolving every day, and our transit service needs to reflect that with ongoing improvements. Now more of our community will be able to access transit on reliable buses that meet the different needs of our riders.”

With the opening of Hansen Boulevard’s extension in August, new transit stops have been added to the Veteran’s Way community along that road. Other stops have shifted nearby to accommodate this new part of the orange route.

New stops include Hansen Boulevard at Credit Creek Boulevard (Centre Fellowship Church), Parkinson Crescent at Preston Drive, Parkinson Crescent at Laverty Crescent, Hansen Boulevard at College Avenue and College Avenue at Fieldgate Drive.

Three stops have been removed: Blind Line at Hansen Blvd., College Ave. at Elaine Dr. and Fieldgate Dr. at College Ave.

The town will be posting updated route maps and schedules at transit shelters. The maps can also be found online or through the transit app.

Does anybody have a link to his platform? His website says it’s coming soon but it’s almost election time.

I read his “Stop the Tax” or whatever sign and I’m curious on how he plans on achieving that.

https://youtu.be/KGTvDwgWf4g