2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
South-West Oxford — Councillor, Ward 2
We asked. Jennifer Young 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 had interest in my community for many years, and I have been involved with the Brownsville Board, and the BIA in Tillsonburg. I am a licensed Paralegal and Notary Public, and I want to learn more about our community and try to learn what areas people want improvement in. I also have been in the Horticulture Society for ten years, and I want to preserve the nature and beauty in our area, as well as making sure the community is safe.
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 know there are many areas that are strictly provincial versus municipal made decisions, and I would like to see the local communities getting to make decisions that affect their areas themselves. The people that live in the community know what they have lived, and this community is mainly rural, and farmers. There is such a difference in perspective that would come from someone in the city compared to someone who farms on a dirt road. I would like to think the community should get a voice before the province, and if there are discrepancies then address them individually.
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 would like to have an email designated for the public to allow communication with myself. I realize there are many varying opinions in our community, and there are some decisions that will not please everyone, but I would have to explain that on a case by case situation. I am a good communicator, and my varying work and life experiences will help give me further understanding of the differing views and opinions.
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?
I think the decisions themselves are a part of that varying factor. If there is something that a municipal staff member has the education and experience to deal with particular problems, then that would lead to the discussion of who should take care of that issue. If there are matters that are novel or controversial, using the elected members gives the various perspectives of the committee to try to make it open minded decision made by the people that the community chose.
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?
I have not deleted many posts, as I do not post many personal items on social media. I try to maintain privacy, and keep my political opinions to the minimum, as this is something that could affect me personally and professionally. If someone posts something, there is the immediate risk of misinterpretation or causing someone to be offended, and I chose not to carry on that way.
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 analyzing what the taxes are spent on would be required for me to fully elaborate that answer. There are some things that could have money used in a different way to mitigate problems, or possibly spend a little extra now to save more over years. I think if an increase is required, the reasoning should be explained to the community. Figuring out the largest priorities for safety, damage control, weather factors, accessibility, and being environmentally conscious is where I would want to learn more.
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.
There has been a lot of growth in the neighbouring areas, mainly Tillsonburg and Ingersoll. The South-West Oxford area has not changed as much, as it is largely a farming community and a lot of the community have been long standing residents even through generations of the families. Food production is a priority in this community, either for human or animal consumption. This area has fertile soil that has been utilized for agriculture for many years, and that is a large part of why the community enjoys the area. The clean air and lower temperatures compared to a city is a part of the pleasant atmosphere, and should be protected. There should also be more incentives for food to be sold at a reduced cost rather than going to a landfill. This would benefit the community by getting the discount for imperfect food, the farmers or stores would still get money and farm animals could benefit as well.
There also many conservation areas to protect.
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.
My perspective for industrial wind turbine developments would be to maintain the position of being an unwilling host. There are many factors to why I feel that way, and I know the community has very similar thoughts on this from recent events. As for solar projects, they are more passive to the area, but it is not worth taking prime agricultural land to use for sun harvesting, when using the land for agriculture purposes is the main priority. Solar energy is a high cost to initiate but does produce clean energy, which would be something worth learning more about for future possibilities.
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.
I don’t think a data center would benefit our community. We have limited space available for that idea, and I don’t think the community would find this purpose a high priority or very beneficial.
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.
There has to be a standard for environmental protection. The commission should have a right to privacy, but there should also be a right for the municipality to have involvement if there are complaints or obvious concerns of a citizen if they are being negligent.
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 the environment is always changing, and it is good to be proactive. Researching how much carbon dioxide levels are would show where we’re at, but in this county we do not have the extreme pollutants like a city would. I think having the biodiversity we have is a great regulator for this concern, and we need to be cautious about issues that arise, as well as the costs to address them.
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 think the local businesses should be promoting the open positions in a easily accessible manner. The local people should be prioritized for positions before going to further districts, to reduce commute costs and ease of travel due to weather even. I think gender equality is important, but skills, experience and disabilities are factors to be considered along side with this.
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.
The United Nations Agenda 2030 should be discussed with the community for thoughts in regard to how they consider it would affect them, and an option to share their opinions on it. Sustainable Development Goals are something that need to be analyzed and developed to suit our people’s interests and our local environment.
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.
I have considered having cameras in public places to be something that would enhance safety and security. This could protect people from vandalism, unreported accidents, assaults, and other criminal activities. There has to sensitivity for the public safety and the right to privacy, but on a public street there can be many things prevented or accounted for by more surveillance. The footage would have to have tight security to maintain confidentiality, and then the footage gets archived.
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.
I think if a public-health emergency occurs it would be best to communicate with the community over zoom and social media to address concerns if there was an exposure concern. There should be more remote options available in general, but in general I don’t think the previous solutions addressed things properly. Safety for health is a high priority, but mental health, education and access to services would need to be balanced properly.
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 22, 2026
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