2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
Tillsonburg — Councillor
We asked. Deanna (Dee) Tosto answered. You decide.
Answers are published as submitted.
I. Candidate & Municipal Governance
1. Candidate Introduction
Please introduce yourself to the residents of Oxford County. Briefly tell us why you are running for municipal office, what principles or values would guide you as an elected official, and what you believe is the most important issue facing the municipality you are seeking to represent. What would you do about it?
I have lived in Tillsonburg for 3 years and have gotten involved in local organizations. I sit on 3 boards, am a member of several organizations and have enjoyed volunteering. While I may be newer to Tillsonburg, I bring a fresh perspective along with more than three decades of professional experience working with organizations, boards, senior leaders and multiple stakeholders. I know how to listen, understand complex issues, ask difficult questions and find practical solutions. I believe being newer to the community can be a strength because I bring both an outside perspective and the perspective of someone who chose Tillsonburg as home. Running for Council is the logical next step for me to support our community.
One important issue is managing growth responsibly. Growth can bring investment and opportunity, but Council needs to ensure infrastructure, roads, recreation, healthcare and housing are planned for while preserving what makes Tillsonburg special. I am not anti-growth, but I am pro-planning.
I believe that Collaboration Builds Community.
2. Local vs. Provincial Authority
Municipalities are increasingly affected by decisions, policies and requirements established by the provincial government. What degree of local discretion do you believe municipalities should have when provincial direction affects decisions within municipal jurisdiction? When, if ever, should a municipality challenge or oppose provincial direction? Please explain.
Good leadership starts with knowing what our town council can directly control. Some things are directly in the Town’s hands, such as our roads, infrastructure, budget, taxes, parks, recreation, planning and local services.
Other issues require us to work beyond Town Hall. Healthcare, housing, homelessness and regional transportation all involve other levels of government and community partners.
That’s where I believe collaboration matters.
Sometimes the answer is making a decision. Sometimes it’s bringing the right people together. Sometimes it’s building a relationship with another municipality or level of government.
And sometimes it means standing up for Tillsonburg and making sure our voice is heard!!! In my business career I have worked with all levels of government. I think that experience will be of benefit at the council table.
3. Accountability & Access
Once elected, how will you maintain open communication and accountability with your constituents? What level of access should residents have to you, and what responsibility do you have to explain and defend your decisions and votes, particularly when constituents disagree with them?
Residents should ask questions and receive a response from the Mayor and Council. My background is in communications, so I understand that good communication is not just about delivering information. It’s about listening, being accessible and making sure people understand the decisions that affect them.
I would be accessible via phone, e-mail and social media so that concerns can be brought forward by residences. Being accountable does not mean agreeing with every decision and I believe that it’s the responsibility of councillors to explain their reasoning if asked. I can promise to listen, consider their concerns seriously, understand the facts and make my decision based on constructive and collaborative discussion.
4. Staff vs. Elected Council
What do you believe is the proper division of responsibility between municipal staff and elected council? What decisions should be made by staff, what decisions should be made by council, and what responsibility should elected officials retain for decisions recommended or implemented by staff?
Council and municipal staff have different roles.
Governance in a municipal council is the system of rules, structures, and processes. Staff should provide professional expertise, implement Council’s direction and manage the day-to-day operations of the municipality.
Councillors shouldn’t micromanage staff but at the same time, elected officials can’t simply defer difficult decisions to staff. Council remains accountable for the policies, budgets and decisions it approves.
I would expect staff to provide objective information and recommendations, including identifying risks or concerns. Council’s job is to consider that information, listen to residents and make the final policy decisions.
Good government requires mutual respect, clear roles and open communication between Council and staff.
5. Candidate Social-Media History
Have you ever deleted, hidden or substantially altered past social-media posts or other publicly available online content because you believed it might affect how voters viewed you or your candidacy? If so, what did you change and why?
No. I have not deleted, hidden or substantially altered past social-media posts or publicly available online content because I was concerned about how voters might view me as a candidate.
I recently had a person post questions then delete their own questions. When that happened, I edited my responses by adding a paragraph above my original response to clarify that it was a response to a question that asked XYZ… and that my reply below will remain unchanged.
I also believe that social media should be approached responsibly. If I make a mistake, I prefer to acknowledge it, explain and add clarification.
As a candidate and, if elected, as a councillor, I would continue to communicate respectfully.
II. Taxes, Growth & Development
6. Taxes & Services
What annual municipal property-tax increase do you consider reasonable over the next four years? If maintaining existing services would require an increase above that level, what principles would you use to determine which services or expenditures should be reduced, delayed or eliminated instead? Please explain.
I think a 2% to 3% annual tax increase is a reasonable starting point, but I also know that every year is different. The bigger question for me is: what are residents getting for that increase?
Council has a responsibility to spend taxpayers money responsibly. I want Council to look at where we can be more efficient, review spending and contracts, and make sure we’re prioritizing the things residents need.
Growth also has a role to play. Well-planned residential and commercial growth can expand the town’s tax base and help share the cost of municipal services and infrastructure. But growth needs proper planning to ensure the costs don’t simply get passed on to existing taxpayers.
We need to acknowledge that there are funds required for maintaining our roads and infrastructure. Putting off necessary work just to keep taxes down today can leave us with a much bigger bill tomorrow.
I feel responsible budgeting means controlling what we can, proper planning for our future and up front communication about what things actually cost.
7. Population Growth & Agricultural Land
Oxford County’s current planning projections anticipate substantial population growth over the coming decades, creating increasing pressure on agricultural land. Should Oxford plan to accommodate the projected level of growth, or should the County and its municipalities seek to influence the rate and/or location of future growth? When development competes with agricultural and food-production uses, should agricultural land and food production receive priority? What principles should guide these decisions? Please explain.
Growth needs to be planned.
Oxford County has some of Ontario’s most productive agricultural land, and protecting that land should be a serious consideration in every growth decision. Once productive farmland is converted to urban development, it’s not replaceable.
That does not mean development should stop. Communities need housing, businesses, employment and infrastructure. But we should first consider where growth can occur efficiently.
Agriculture is not simply another land use. It’s important part of Oxford’s economy, identity and food system.
I will need to be a balance… to accommodate growth while protecting the agricultural foundation.
III. Energy & Major Development
8. Wind & Utility-Scale Solar
What is your position on industrial wind turbine and utility-scale solar developments in Oxford County? If your municipality were asked to determine whether it should be a willing or unwilling host for a large-scale wind or solar project, how would you vote, and what factors would guide your decision? Please explain.
Having worked in the Ontario innovation space, I have had the opportunity to see some very talented people developing new technologies across many different sectors. I believe innovation and renewable energy have an important role to play in our future.
I believe renewable energy has a role to play, but large-scale projects must be evaluated carefully and on their individual merits.
If Tillsonburg were asked to be a willing or unwilling host, I would want clear information about the location, impacts on agricultural land, nearby residents, environmental considerations, infrastructure requirements, community benefits and the long-term responsibilities associated with the project.
I would also look at reports from communities that have implemented these types of projects as part of the evaluation process.
Residents should have opportunities to understand it and provide input through public community meetings.
9. Data Centres
What is your position on approving data centres in Oxford County? Under what circumstances, if any, would you support one? How should council weigh its potential economic benefits against demands on electricity, water, land and other municipal infrastructure? Please explain.
Data centres can bring investment, construction activity and employment, but they also have significant infrastructure considerations.
Before supporting a data centre, I would want to understand its electricity demand, water requirements, land requirements, noise, environmental impacts, tax contribution and demands on municipal infrastructure.
Even a small data centre requires 1,000 to 10,000 liters of water per day for direct cooling of its technology.
I would also want to know who pays for infrastructure upgrades. It should not fall on town residents to carry costs for commercial development. Council would need to understand the full cost, impact and long-term benefit to the community.
I would support a data centre only if it demonstrated a clear net benefit to Tillsonburg, could be appropriately serviced, complied with environmental and planning requirements and did not compromise essential municipal resources.
Developments of all sizes MUST have careful due diligence and not automatic approval.
IV. Property Rights, Environment & Climate
10. Property Rights & Environmental Regulation
What principles should determine the balance between private property rights and municipal environmental regulation? What limits, if any, should municipalities place on environmental restrictions affecting the use of privately owned rural land? Please explain.
I believe people who own their property should have a strong voice in how they use it, especially in rural communities where land is often someone’s home, business and livelihood.
But this issue isn’t limited to rural properties. Even in town, there are properties around Lake Lisgar that fall under the jurisdiction of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority. That is a good example of how property ownership can intersect with environmental protection.
For me, the question is whether a regulation is actually solving a real problem. It should be based on fact and be reasonable and not create unnecessary burdens for property owners.
Property owners should understand why a restriction is being proposed and have a meaningful opportunity to be heard because good policy should respect property rights while protecting the resources we all share.
11. Climate Change & CO₂
What role, if any, do you believe carbon dioxide emissions play in climate change? What responsibility, if any, should municipal government have for addressing climate-related issues, and should municipal taxpayers fund those efforts? Please explain.
I believe climate change is real and that CO2 plays a role. At the municipal level, though, I think we need to focus on what we can do here in our own community.
We should be making sensible decisions looking at how the town uses energy, maintaining our infrastructure, managing storm-water or making sure our roads and public spaces can handle changing weather conditions.
We have a responsibility to be sensible and not jump on the “climate initiative” band wagon. Assess these types of initiatives before we spend. I want to know what problem we’re trying to solve, what it will cost and what benefit it will provide… Also, long term maintenance cost going forward.
For me, it comes down to making good decisions, preparing for the future and making sure we get real value from our taxpayer dollars.
V. Municipal Policy & Public Institutions
12. DEI, Hiring & Public Services
When municipal government makes decisions about hiring employees or providing services, what role, if any, should a person’s race, ethnicity, sex, disability, newcomer status or other demographic characteristics play? Do you support mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training for municipal employees, and should municipal taxpayers fund it? Please explain.
I believe everyone should be treated fairly and given the same opportunity. When the Town hires someone, the focus should be on qualifications, ability and doing the job well. The same applies to municipal services.
Most of the organizations I’ve worked for included DEI training as part of their annual workplace training. I understand its purpose and I support respectful workplaces where discrimination and harassment are not tolerated.
If the Town is spending taxpayer dollars on DEI training, I would want to know that it’s useful, relevant to staff and supports a respectful workplace.
For me, it comes down to treating people with respect & fair opportunities.
13. International Policy Frameworks
What role, if any, should international policy frameworks such as the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals play in municipal decision-making? If municipal policies are influenced by such frameworks, what responsibility does council have to ensure that those decisions remain transparent and accountable to local residents? Please explain.
If Council considers an international framework when developing a policy, residents should know about it and understand how it is influencing the decision. Council should be able to explain what we are trying to accomplish locally, what the expected benefits are, what it will cost and what other options were considered.
I’m all for learning from what other communities are doing successfully. There can be good ideas and useful information that come from outside our community.
But at the end of the day, decisions made by our Council should make sense for Tillsonburg and the people who live here. Being accountable to residents with decisions based on our local needs, priorities and circumstances.
VI. Public Safety, Privacy & Emergency Powers
14. Flock Cameras & Surveillance
What is your position on the use of Flock cameras and other automated licence-plate recognition (ALPR) or camera-based surveillance systems by municipalities for public safety? What limits, if any, should apply to their use, and how should council balance public safety with residents’ privacy? Please explain.
If there is a public area that has repeated safety issues, I believe we should look at practical ways to improve public safety. For example, I have heard from many people who no longer want to use the underground parking at the mall because they don’t feel safe there. That is a community safety issue that deserves attention, but a camera is not necessarily the answer to every safety problem.
For those who may not be familiar with Flock cameras, they’re automated license plate readers that can help identify vehicles connected to reported incidents. I would support considering this technology where there is a clear need and a demonstrated public-safety benefit.
Privacy is important to me. We need to use technology thoughtfully, with clear rules about what information is collected, who can access it and how long it is kept.
The right tools to address real safety concerns while respecting people’s privacy.
15. Public-Health Emergency Powers
If another public-health emergency occurred, what restrictions, if any, should a municipality be able to impose on access to municipal buildings, facilities, programs or community activities? What role should elected council have in approving or overseeing such restrictions, and what limits should apply to municipal authority during an emergency? Please explain.
COVID turned our world upside down. I still find it a little surreal when I think about how quickly our lives changed and how much we had to adapt. Things we once took for granted suddenly weren’t possible.
I think we learned a lot from that experience. We learned how important it is to be prepared, to communicate clearly. Not everyone has a smartphone or uses Facebook, so the Town needs to use different ways to share important information and make sure residents can access it.
Council should remain involved in important decisions whenever possible. And communication needs to reach everyone, including people who don’t use technology.
In many of the organizations I worked for, each department was responsible for developing a Disaster Recovery Plan that was submitted to the executive committee. That experience taught me that being prepared matters. You may not know exactly what will happen, but you can prepare for different possibilities.
Questionnaire sent: September 9, 2026
Response received: September 10, 2026
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