Housing
Will I be able to afford to live here?
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Clive Woolner
Candidate for Mayor
In their own words
clivewoolner.ca — Clive Woolner’s campaign website, opens in a new tab
Where they stand
Every candidate in this race is shown against the same 16 issues, in the same order, whether or not we’ve found something for each one. Why we do it this way.
Taxes & spending
What happens to my tax bill, and where does the money go?
This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.
Woolner says Wilmot's 2024 and 2025 financial statements are unreleased, hiding the effect of an 18.1% tax hike.
- 2024 and 2025 financial statements not released
- 2025 statements reflect an 18.1 per cent property tax increase
- Would resource the CFO to bring filings up to date
“Currently the Township has not released its 2024 or 2025 financial statements which make it very difficult or impossible to really determine how well the township is doing.”
(several paragraphs)
Source: CBC K-W candidate survey — Wilmot Township · October 20, 2026
Confidence:High
Woolner promises fiscal discipline: minimal tax increases, up-to-date financial reporting, and a 2027 hiring freeze.
- Pledges to keep property tax increases as low as possible, directing increases to front lines and Reserve Funds rather than bureaucracy, and weighing lifetime costs and waste in decisions.
- Notes no candidate can guarantee a tax level, and points to payroll (+24.6%) and tax (+39.6%) growth far outpacing population growth (<1%) in 2023–2025, plus a council commitment to 9%/year tax increases for 2027 and 2028.
- Wants the 2024 and 2025 financial statements released and the ministry Financial Information Return brought current (2 years behind, which he says could affect grant eligibility).
- Proposes a hiring freeze with no new employee positions for the 2027 tax year (vacancies still filled), and a councillor committee to benchmark the top 19 sunshine-list salaries against similarly sized townships.
“I will provide strong financial leadership to ensure that your tax dollars are spent as efficiently as possible and tax increases are kept as low as possible.”
(a page or more)
Source: Fiscal Responsibility | Clive for Mayor · October 17, 2026
Confidence:High
Emergency services
When I call for help, will it come fast enough?
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Transit
Can I get where I need to go without driving?
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Government
Will decisions be made in the open, and will anyone answer for them?
This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.
Woolner would add a plain-English budget summary so residents can grasp Wilmot's true financial position.
- Plain-English budget summary for residents
- Fix the HTML/PDF agenda gap on the township website
- Opt-in mailing lists by functional area
“In the budget, a brief summary written in plain English, will make it easy for residents to understand the true financial position of the township.”
(several paragraphs)
Source: CBC K-W candidate survey — Wilmot Township · October 20, 2026
Confidence:High
Woolner commits to open town halls, public agendas, and information handed over freely rather than through FOI.
- Commits to a minimum of 2 open public town hall meetings per year as Mayor, and would encourage ward councillors to hold similar meetings (attended by other councillors or the Mayor by invitation).
- Proposes email lists to distribute public meeting agendas, and requires no difference between the HTML and PDF versions of council agendas.
- Wants township website information complete, current and accurate (notes some bylaws missing from the Bylaw page), and staff to provide information freely, with FOI used only when the appropriateness of the release is in question.
- Cites the Petersburg Water System redesign — a looped design changed to dead-end legs, with 26 properties learning of their obligations only at the Notice of Intent stage — as a transparency failure with no meetings held to explain the changes.
“As Mayor I will commit to a minimum of 2 town hall meetings per year.”
(a page or more)
Source: Transparency | Clive for Mayor · October 17, 2026
Confidence:High
Roads & infrastructure
Will the things I use every day actually get fixed?
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Economy
Will our main streets and local jobs thrive?
Woolner wants Wilmot's house in order on taxes and costs, then industries targeted to match its strengths.
- Argues attracting business requires getting the township's house in order, since businesses want stable taxes, a competent workforce, and easy access to their inputs.
- Proposes analyzing the township's strengths and weaknesses and seeking industries and companies that would benefit from its strengths, with incentives explorable to attract businesses.
- Wants inaccuracies in the township website's Development Charges section fixed, and discusses the Highway 7 bypass to Guelph and 401 access (Trussler Rd via Cedar Creek Rd) as transportation context.
Show their words & sourceHide (several paragraphs)
“I believe to attract investment we must analyze the townships strengths and weaknesses and seek out industries and companies that would benefit from our strengths.”
Source: Economic Development | Clive for Mayor · October 17, 2026
Confidence:High
Environment
Is the candidate protecting the nature we live in?
Woolner wants ecological, transportation and land-use factors weighed in decisions to minimize the impact on farmland.
- Says ecological, transportational and land use considerations must become part of the decision process to minimize the impact on farmland and the entire community.
- Frames this as part of 'responsible growth' that respects residents, community values, the environment, and end users.
Show their words & sourceHide (several paragraphs)
“Ecological, transportational and land use must become part of the decision process to minimize the impact on farmland and the entire community.”
Source: Growth | Clive for Mayor · October 17, 2026
Confidence:High
Healthcare
Will there be a doctor and a hospital when we need one?
Not reviewed yet. Know something?
Growth & development
How fast should we grow, and who decides what gets built where?
Woolner backs responsible growth: adequate parking, appropriate heights, and commercial uses fitting Wilmot's rural character.
- Defines responsible growth as growth that respects residents, community values, the environment, and end users.
- Says new residential developments must have adequate parking, appropriate building heights, and parks and walking trails; commercial and industrial developments must be compatible with the township's rural nature.
- Argues downtown-core parking is important for maintaining a healthy active downtown, since small towns lack the resident density that supports larger cities' cores.
Show their words & sourceHide (several paragraphs)
“New residential developments must have adequate parking, appropriate building heights, parks and walking trails.”
Source: Growth | Clive for Mayor · October 17, 2026
Confidence:High
Social & community services
Who looks after the most vulnerable residents?
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Active transportation
Can I walk and bike safely around town?
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Arts & culture
Does the candidate value what makes this place feel alive?
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Data centres
Should energy-hungry data centres be welcomed here?
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Water & waste
Is our drinking water safe and our waste handled?
Woolner flags independence concerns with water consultants affiliated with engineering firms: they may not give fully independent advice.
- Concerned that outside consultants affiliated with engineering firms may be reluctant to provide fully independent advice on water procurement
- From his verbatim answers in the Citizens for Safe Groundwater survey package (dated Oct 21 on waterlooregionvotes.org; no per-candidate submission date shown) — in-window discovery via live browser
Show their words & sourceHide (one sentence)
“One concern with using outside consultants affiliated with engineering firms is that they may be reluctant to provide fully independent advice.”
Source: Citizens for Safe Groundwater 2026 Regional Candidate Survey Package — Candidate Responses (Verbatim) — Clive Woolner (Wilmot mayor) · October 21, 2026
Confidence:High
Bylaw enforcement
Are the rules fair, and are they actually enforced?
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Think we got something wrong?
Candidates and members of the public can both report a correction. Every one is logged and answered, and corrections about a candidate’s own positions get priority.