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← Township Councillor - Ward A/Ward 1

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Township Councillor - Ward A/Ward 1 · Muskoka Lakes

4 candidates for 1 seat

Everyone is compared on the same 16 issues, in the same order. Candidates are listed alphabetically, and the order of issues is not a ranking. Each candidate's bio appears at the top, above the issues. How this works.

Bio

Jeff Bird

Jeff Bird is running for Township Councillor for Ward A/Ward 1 in Muskoka Lakes. He is a professional accountant and auditor with CPA, CGA and CIA designations, a BA in Economics and an ICD.D, who says he wants to bring financial accountability and good governance to the township's budget. A resident of Torrance who has been coming to Muskoka since before he was born, he is married with two daughters and two grandchildren.

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No bio on record. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

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Housing

Will I be able to afford to live here?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Taxes & spending

What happens to my tax bill, and where does the money go?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Emergency services

When I call for help, will it come fast enough?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Transit

Can I get where I need to go without driving?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Government

Will decisions be made in the open, and will anyone answer for them?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Roads & infrastructure

Will the things I use every day actually get fixed?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Economy

Will our main streets and local jobs thrive?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Environment

Is the candidate protecting the nature we live in?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Healthcare

Will there be a doctor and a hospital when we need one?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Jeff Bird wants at least 60 beds, local obstetrics and says the Pine Street site is too small.

  • Wants at least 60 acute-care beds or more depending on local need.
  • Says local service is critical and transporting patients to Huntsville is a poor solution for South Muskoka.
  • Obstetrical care in South Muskoka is critical; the Pine Street site at 45 acres seems too small for future development.
  • Does not support the current MAHC redevelopment model; says lives are at risk without planning for growth.
Show their words & source (several paragraphs)
“At 45 acres, the proposed site seems too small for future development. 60 to 80 acres seems more appropriate to me.”

Source: SSMHC 2026 Municipal Candidate Questionnaire Results - Muskoka Lakes · October 15, 2026

Confidence:High

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Rick Flannigan demands full-service hospitals at both sites with a minimum of 60 South Muskoka beds.

  • Wants a minimum of 60 beds and full-service hospitals at both sites; anything less than full service is criminal.
  • Local access only; two sites only for ALC resources.
  • Obstetrics is a question of safety for mother and child.
  • Supports municipal funding because Muskoka needs a full healthcare model at two hospitals.
Show their words & source (several paragraphs)
“Anything less than full service is criminal.”

Source: SSMHC 2026 Municipal Candidate Questionnaire Results - Muskoka Lakes · October 15, 2026

Confidence:High

Growth & development

How fast should we grow, and who decides what gets built where?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Social & community services

Who looks after the most vulnerable residents?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Active transportation

Can I walk and bike safely around town?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Arts & culture

Does the candidate value what makes this place feel alive?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Data centres

Should energy-hungry data centres be welcomed here?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Water & waste

Is our drinking water safe and our waste handled?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Bylaw enforcement

Are the rules fair, and are they actually enforced?

Jeff Bird

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Leslie Orchard Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Mary Ellen McIntyre

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Rick Flannigan Elected (official result)

No website or social media listed

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

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