2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
Tillsonburg — Councillor
We asked. John Gilvesy 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?
Raised on the local family farm, I appreciate my good fortune and the importance of hard work. After an engineering degree from Western and MBA from UBC, I built a career in real estate and construction. “I have been trained to solve problems, broker transactions, build, and protect.”
I have been committed to community service including President-Tillsonburg Real Estate Board, Director-Goodwill Industries, Chair-Tillsonburg Hydro Inc., and Governor for Rotary International.
I am running for Town council to be part of a uniquely skilled, collaborative team that promotes community interests by focusing on six core priorities that 1) keeps our community safe, 2) provides smart, financially responsible growth, 3) fosters conditions that attract quality industries, developers, retailers, services, and citizens, 4) spends taxpayer money wisely while mitigating risks, 5) provides exceptional community health educational, recreational, and cultural services, and 6) finds practical alternatives that create dignity for those struggling to manage.
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.
My understanding is that the province has jurisdiction over municipalities, with municipal authority delegated through provincial statutes. As councillor, I would respect such authority.
Municipal councils are therefore responsible to govern within their delegated jurisdictions. If provincial direction threatens said jurisdictional best interests of the community, municipal councils should challenge such direction, making clear the concerns and providing alternatives and/or solutions for reconsideration at the provincial level.
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?
My plan is to have an email account available to all residents for addressing municipal related matters. Further, and in addition to traditional access at council meetings, I plan to be available by cell phone, text, and by appointment at my place of business in Tillsonburg.
Councillors should listen to constituent concerns and then be fully responsible and transparent when answering questions that pertain to respective decisions and votes at open council.
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?
In accordance with respective bylaw and legislation, council’s role is to govern within its jurisdiction in a manner that provides for the best interests of the municipality including strategic planning, developing and updating respective policies, programs and services, setting budgets, mitigating risks, delegating action, and providing oversight.
In my opinion, staff should 1) manage the operation of the municipality as delegated by council including the provision of requested and/or necessary research to best advise council and mitigate risks, 2) provide respective administrative services, and 3) promote the interests of council … all without political bias.
Staff should be accountable for their actions but ultimate responsibility for outcomes should rest with council.
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?
Other than a Facebook account managed by staff for sharing information about our company and an account for Rotary information because of my role as Governor, I have been a relative non-user of social media… and in a learning mode. A candidate account has recently been created for providing information about me and the campaign… but with my other commitments, I do not actively follow posts.
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.
The quick answer might be a target around the rate of inflation. Before deciding, I would seek recommendations from heads of departments and committees. I would ask that attention be put to finding efficiencies, including reduction of duplication and bureaucracy. My preference is that the Mayor would work with council to take advantage of the diversity of experiences. Perhaps reallocation of budgets will be necessary to balance affordability against emerging service requirements, risks, economic development, and infrastructure investments.
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.
Canada is fortunate to be the second largest country in the world by area with only +/- 42 million people. In my opinion, population growth is inevitable. Provincial policy sets our regional expectations. My comments are specific to growth in Tillsonburg.
As a Realtor, the most common response heard from sellers for moving away from Tillsonburg was job related or to move closer to children. Not surprisingly, our children prefer available activities including restaurant options in larger communities. Personally, the traffic in large cities is a huge deterrent.
Raised on the local family farm, I came to appreciate the importance of location, land, property rights, and freedoms. Planned growth will allow us to create better conditions to provide attractions and jobs so our children may prefer to move to us.
Based on most recent growth and land needs projections, it is estimated that the boundary in Tillsonburg would need to expand by +/- 1,000 acres over the next 30 years … or roughly expanding our total land area by 20%. In my opinion, such growth is manageable and with good planning, that growth can occur to minimize the impact on our more productive agricultural land.
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.
In my opinion, climate action and demand for electricity (including data centres) will increase the need for renewable energy. Research suggests that solar generation is the preferred alternative and I would not endorse industrial wind turbine development in Oxford County.
I think we should Investigate solar options on underutilized lands, former landfills, and roof structures… a smart growth initiative making us less dependant on the Ontario Hydro feeder.
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.
Presumably, Oxford County does not currently have the infrastructure and resources to support large scale data centre development. Accordingly, any decision should be deferred until more information is available (including social, economic and resource impact) and plans for accommodating future regional requirements and infrastructure are approved.
Such development if approved should not negatively impact our environment and quality of life and preferably be located on marginal lands… and not permitted on our more productive agricultural lands.
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.
Municipalities should stay within powers granted by higher levels of government and place limits on overreaching private property restrictions. Environmental regulation should fairly and reasonably balance ecological protection, legitimate public purpose, and landowner rights.
Restrictions should rely on proven science that confirms consequential lasting harm rather than social perception. Regulation should be limited to the environmental goal and not otherwise control quiet enjoyment of property and respective rights … including the right to make fair market return on investment. Property limits should not unduly erode confidence and freedom to innovate, plan, build, and operate.
Agriculture should be supported for the economic, social, and environmental benefits provided and nobody should be hampered by unreasonable and costly administrative oversight. Property owners should have legal and cost-effective mechanisms for protecting interests against restrictions that create unfair limits and hardship.
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.
Scientific research suggests that carbon emissions do cause climate change and, in my opinion, municipalities should be involved with efforts to reduce emissions including increased reliance on renewable energy, carbon capture, electric vehicles, etc..
Municipalities should be supportive of respective federal and provincial climate action initiatives to reduce emissions. It makes good sense to plan for a climate changing environment, expand EV infrastructure, and consider carbon reducing technologies and methods when undertaking municipal projects. Also, as previously indicated, we should investigate solar options on underutilized lands, former landfills, and roof structures. I support smart growth initiatives to reduce our dependence on independent system operators.
As a good global community, it is in the best interests of future generations to reduce our carbon footprint and help protect our increasingly fragile environment.
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.
In my opinion, effective municipal government benefits from a diverse “skill matrix” with members bringing their own unique abilities and experiences… independent of race, ethnicity, sex, disability, newcomer status or other demographic characteristics.
The employment screening process should be capable of determining the diversity, equity and inclusion attitudes of prospective employees so that in a perfect world, mandatory training should not be necessary. However, federal and provincial laws and safety regulations require employers to prevent workplace harassment, discrimination, and violence, and DEI education is recommended for proactive compliance.
Cost for such training should be relatively small and should be included in the municipal budget.
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.
As previously indicated, the province has jurisdiction over municipalities, with municipal authority delegated through provincial statutes. Although international policy frameworks may aid in providing background information on changing social attitudes, municipal policies should take their lead from provincial and federal initiatives. Council should be fully responsible and transparent for their respective policy decisions and actions.
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.
It is unfortunate that trespassing and crime have become far too common for our policing body responsible for maintaining public order, keeping people safe, and enforcing laws. Since camera-based surveillance can aid in the policing effort, I support it’s use in public areas provided recordings are not used for purposes other than public safety.
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.
Municipalities should have authority to impose restrictions on access to municipal facilities and activities for purposes of public safety … all in accordance with learned best practice recommendations and governing authority directives.
Municipalities should be careful not to overreach their authority and ensure that decisions for public safety initiatives are transparent and proportional to the risk.
Questionnaire sent: September 9, 2026
Response received: September 24, 2026
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