2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
Zorra — Ward 2 Councillor
We asked. Izabela Bielaska-Hornblower 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 am passionate about representing this community, determined to do the hard work of finding solutions, and dedicated to keeping you informed and involved. With your support, I will bring those values to the council table and work every day to make Thamesford and Zorra an even better place to live and raise a family.
While this is my first time running for municipal office, it’s not my first experience with municipal politics or community governance.
My experiences have shaped how I approach decision-making, procedure, and moving the issue forward.
The principles that would guide me as an elected official are straightforward:
- Accountability – You deserve to know how decisions are made.
- Integrity – I will base my decisions on facts, fairness, and what is best for the community as a whole.
- Accessibility – I will be available, responsive, and visible.
- Collaboration – with residents, surrounding communities and municipal staff.
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.
I believe municipalities should have a high degree of discretion over the decisions that directly affect residents’ daily lives.
Issues such as permits, land use and vacancies, local services, and accessibility should be decided at the municipal level, by the people who know the community best and are closest to the impacts of those decisions.
When funding is provided for these services—whether from the County, the province, or the federal government—I believe municipal councils should have the final say in how that money is allocated. Local representatives are in the best position to understand community priorities and to ensure that dollars are spent where they will make the greatest difference for residents.
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?
I plan to use social media and email as my primary tools for open communication with residents. For me, accountability is the foundation of trust. If I know something and have the full facts, I believe residents should know it too. No level of politics changes that.
Residents should feel comfortable reaching out to me for input or information—whether by email, phone call, social media, or meeting in person. My responsibility is to help you understand why certain decisions are made, and to do so with honesty and clarity.
I believe that by being consistent, transparent, and accountable, residents will find it easier to understand my position, even when they disagree, and to trust the predictability of how I approach every issue.
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?
The responsibility of municipal staff is to manage the day-to-day operations of the procedures and practices that have already been set out—ensuring that the services we rely on are running smoothly and being delivered effectively.
The responsibility of elected council is different. Council must look ahead and seek opportunities to improve and ensure that services meet or exceed the standards set out provincially and federally. This includes reviewing new applications for land use changes and making decisions that shape the future of our community.
Most importantly, elected officials have a fiduciary responsibility to the residents of Thamesford:
to spend public money wisely, to address as many community needs as possible, and to do so while respecting the budgets that have been set.
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 other publicly available online content because I believed it might affect how voters view me or my candidacy.
I believe accountability and transparency are key to building trust. If there is something in my past that raises questions, I would rather address it openly, explain the context, and share what I’ve learned, instead of trying to erase it.
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 consider inflation-level increases (1-2% over 4 years) to be a reasonable target for municipal property taxes over the next four years. If pressures push us beyond that, I would first look to prioritize core services, protect long-term value, and be fully transparent with residents about the trade-offs before asking for more from taxpayers.
I would not support large, unexpected jumps in the tax rate without a very clear, transparent explanation and strong evidence that all other options had been considered.
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.
I do not believe our role is simply to accept projections and react to them. I believe Oxford County and its municipalities should actively shape both the rate and the location of future growth, so that it works for our communities instead of happening to them.
- Direct it first to appropriate areas – existing settlement areas, places with services and infrastructure, and locations identified through proper planning.
- Avoid unnecessary sprawl – growth should be compact, efficient, and focused where it can be serviced responsibly, not spread out in a way that eats up farmland and drives up long-term costs.
- Use local decision-making – municipalities should have a strong voice in where growth goes, because we are closest to the impacts on roads, schools, services, and neighbourhoods.
I believe Oxford should plan to accommodate growth, but not surrender control to projections alone. We should actively shape where and how we grow.
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.
Oxford County has an important role to play in the transition to cleaner energy, but we also have a responsibility to protect our communities, our farmland, and our residents’ quality of life. My position on industrial wind turbines and utility-scale solar developments is that any large-scale project must be carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with the municipality having a strong voice in whether, where, and how it proceeds.
If my municipality were asked to determine whether it should be a willing or unwilling host for a large-scale wind or solar project, I would not give a blanket “yes” or “no.” Instead, I would base my vote on clear factors and principles, and I would only support being a willing host if those conditions were met.
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.
Oxford County, like many communities, is starting to see interest in large data centres. These facilities can bring investment and jobs, but they also place heavy demands on electricity, water, land, and municipal infrastructure. My position is that data centres should not be approved by default. They must earn community support by meeting clear conditions that protect residents, resources, and long‑term priorities.
It fits our land‑use and community priorities
It does not strain our electricity system
It uses water responsibly and protects the environment
It pays its fair share for infrastructure
It brings real, local benefits
It respects municipal discretion and community input
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.
Private property in my opinion, is the property in which you reside at, pay taxes at. When private property puts public spaces at risk to injury, land degradation, or breaking any municipal regulation, that is when the private space become a public issue.
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.
Balancing private property rights with municipal environmental regulation is one of the most important – and sensitive – responsibilities local government has, especially in rural areas.
I believe we need to respect that land is often a family’s biggest asset and livelihood, while also recognizing that what happens on one property can affect neighbours, groundwater, roads, and the broader environment. The goal is not to choose one over the other, but to set clear, fair rules that protect the community and the environment without placing unnecessary burdens on landowners.
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 support practical, common‑sense training that helps staff serve the public better—things like accessibility awareness, human-rights obligations, respectful workplace standards, and understanding how to communicate with residents from different backgrounds. I do not support training that is ideological, divisive, or that labels people based on group identity rather than treating them as individuals.
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.
International policy frameworks like the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can offer useful ideas and broad direction, but they should not replace local judgment or local priorities in municipal decision‑making.
Our first responsibility is to the residents, taxpayers, and communities we serve. We can learn from frameworks like the SDGs (for example, on sustainability, poverty reduction, or responsible use of resources). They can provide general guidance or best practices on issues like environmental stewardship, infrastructure, or social well‑being. They should not be treated as binding commitments that override local plans, budgets, or priorities. If they influence municipal decisions, council has a duty to be fully transparent, to explain the connection in plain language, to invite public input, and to ensure that every decision remains grounded in what is best for the residents of Oxford County.
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.
Automated licence-plate recognition (ALPR) systems and camera networks like Flock can be useful tools for public safety, but they also raise serious questions about privacy, data security, and government overreach. My position is that technology should serve the community, not quietly monitor it, and any use of ALPR or camera-based surveillance must be tightly controlled, transparent, and clearly justified. I do not support a “surveil first, ask questions later” approach.
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.
A future public‑health emergency would put real pressure on municipalities to act quickly, but also wisely. I believe our approach must balance protecting health with protecting rights, livelihoods, and community life. Municipal powers should be clear, limited, and accountable, not open‑ended. In a genuine public‑health emergency, I believe municipalities should be able to impose temporary, targeted measures on access to municipal buildings, facilities, programs, and community activities.
However, I do not support broad, open‑ended shutdowns of community life without:
- Clear evidence of necessity,
- A defined time limit, and
- Regular review by elected council.
Wherever possible, I would favour keeping facilities open with reasonable safeguards, rather than closing them entirely.
I believe municipalities should have enough authority to respond quickly and responsibly to a real public‑health threat—but that authority must be limited, transparent, and always accountable to the people we serve.
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 26, 2026
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