2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
Town of Tillsonburg — Councillor
We asked. Lindsey Ambrus Mejaski 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’m Lindsey Ambrus Mejaski, born and raised in Tillsonburg, wife and mom of three. I’m running for Council because I want to give back to the community that has given my family so much.
I believe Tillsonburg needs a voice on Council who understands what it’s like to raise a young family here. Currently, there isn’t someone on Council with a young family growing up in Tillsonburg, and I want to be that voice. Representation matters, especially when making decisions that will shape the community our children grow up in.
I would be guided by honesty, respect, listening and putting our community first. One of our biggest challenges is managing homelessness, while also managing Tillsonburg’s growth. I want to work with Oxford County and community partners on practical solutions to homelessness, while ensuring growth is responsible and we maintain the small-town feel, community spirit and sense of belonging that make Tillsonburg home.
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 meaningful local discretion to plan and choose the direction that best fits their community. The people who live and work here understand their community’s needs, priorities and challenges, and local decisions should reflect that.
Every community is distinctly different, so a one-size-fits-all approach from the provincial government doesn’t always make sense. I believe in the importance of local government because residents elect their municipal representatives to make decisions on their behalf and for their community.
Municipalities should work collaboratively with the province, but if provincial direction negatively impacts our community or doesn’t reflect our local needs, I believe Council should be willing to speak up, challenge that direction and advocate for a better approach.
Ultimately, local residents should have a strong voice in determining the future of their community, while working within the broader provincial framework.
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?
If elected, I will be accessible and accountable to the residents I represent. I believe residents should have full access to me, and I will never turn down a face-to-face meeting with a resident or a phone call. I will make it a priority to return calls, emails and texts the same day, even if it is simply to say that I am looking into the issue and will follow up.
I am being elected to represent the residents of Tillsonburg, and that means listening to their concerns, understanding different perspectives and making sure their voices are heard.
I also believe accountability means being honest about my decisions and votes. I may not always agree with every resident, but I will always be willing to explain why I made a decision, listen respectfully when someone disagrees, and stand behind my decisions while remaining open to learning and having a conversation.
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 believe Council and municipal staff each have an important role, and a strong relationship between the two is essential. Staff are the professionals with the knowledge, experience and expertise to manage the day-to-day operations of the municipality and provide Council with recommendations and information.
As someone who is new to running for Council, I know I have a lot to learn, and I would value the experience and knowledge of municipal staff. I believe in asking questions, listening and making informed decisions.
Council’s role is to set the overall direction, establish priorities and make policy decisions that reflect the needs of the community. Staff should be trusted to implement those decisions and manage municipal operations.
Ultimately, elected officials remain accountable to residents for the decisions they make, including decisions based on staff recommendations. I believe in working together respectfully while always keeping the community’s best interests in mind.
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 was concerned about how it might affect how voters viewed me or my candidacy.
We all have a past, and I’m proud of mine. That includes my fun high school and university years, as well as the experiences and lessons that have helped shape who I am today. Everyone grows and changes throughout their life, and I believe our past is part of who we are.
I have nothing to hide, and I believe being open and authentic is important when asking residents to put their trust in me. I am comfortable being accountable for my past, my present and the person I continue to become.
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 would love to aim for a 0% property-tax increase. No one wants their taxes to go up. I certainly don’t, everything is so expensive. I’m a Tillsonburg resident too, and I want to make sure I’m getting the best value for my tax dollars.
I also don’t want to see services cut. I truly believe there are opportunities to run a tighter, more efficient budget while continuing to provide the services our community relies on. If elected, I promise to ask questions, look closely at spending, find efficiencies and explore every opportunity to save before increasing taxes or reducing services.
I know a 0% increase may not always be possible, but it is something I would work very hard toward. My goal would be to make every tax dollar count and ensure residents feel they are receiving good value for what they pay.
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 believe Oxford should plan for growth, but we should carefully consider the rate and location of that growth. Development should never come before farming. We are a rural, farming community, and agriculture is a huge part of our identity.
People choose to live in Oxford County, and specifically Tillsonburg, because of our small-town feel, strong community and rural way of life. I want to protect those qualities while planning responsibly for the future.
Growth should be directed toward appropriate areas, make efficient use of existing infrastructure and services, and avoid unnecessary loss of productive farmland. When development competes with agricultural uses, protecting viable farmland should be the priority.
We need to plan for growth without losing what makes Oxford and Tillsonburg special, ensuring our farms, food production and communities can thrive for generations to come.
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.
I believe Oxford County’s rural and agricultural character should be carefully considered when looking at large-scale wind and solar developments. Renewable energy has a role to play, but I do not believe these projects should come at the expense of productive farmland or the character of our rural communities.
I would have to investigate this more, but most importantly, I would listen to residents and farmers who would be directly affected and make sure their concerns are genuinely considered.
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 believe data centres could bring economic opportunities to Oxford County, but any proposal should be carefully considered and evaluated on its own merits. I would only support one if the benefits to our community clearly outweigh the demands it places on our resources and infrastructure. Economic development can’t come at the expense of our community.
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 land should have a say in how they use it, and municipalities need to be careful about putting unnecessary restrictions on private property. At the same time, I understand that we have a responsibility to protect our environment, water, soil and natural areas for the future. When it comes to rural land, I think we need to be especially mindful of farmers and agricultural operations. Rules should be reasonable and based on actual environmental concerns, not just restrictions for the sake of having them.
To me, it comes down to finding a balance, protecting our environment while also respecting property owners and the important role agriculture plays in our community.
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 carbon dioxide emissions play a role in climate change, and I think we should take climate and environmental issues seriously. At the same time, I believe municipal government needs to focus on what it can realistically control and what makes sense for our community.
Municipalities have a role to play through things like responsible land-use planning, managing infrastructure, protecting natural areas and preparing for things like extreme weather. But I don’t believe every climate initiative needs to become a municipal expense or result in higher taxes for residents.
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 simply believe we should hire the best person for the job. The person with the right qualifications, experience and ability to do the job. A person’s race, ethnicity, sex, disability, newcomer status or any other demographic characteristic should not determine whether they are hired or how they are treated.
I don’t believe we need separate mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training for municipal employees. I believe treating people fairly and respectfully should be part of the training and expectations that come with any job.
Everyone should be treated the same, with respect and dignity, regardless of who they are or where they come from. I also don’t believe taxpayers should have to fund additional programs when these principles can be included in regular workplace training.
Simply I believe, hire the person who is best qualified and able to do the job, and treat everyone fairly and respectfully.
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.
I believe international policy frameworks like the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals are the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments, not municipal government. Municipal decisions should be focused on what is best for our local community and the needs of our residents.
If these frameworks influence a municipal decision, Council should be transparent about that and explain why it is being considered, what it will cost and how it will affect local residents. Ultimately, Council is elected by the people of Tillsonburg and should be accountable to them. Local residents should have a clear voice in decisions that affect their community.
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 support the use of Flock cameras and other licence-plate technology when they are being used for legitimate public-safety purposes. I think anything that can help keep our community safe is worth considering.
At the same time, there need to be clear rules around how the information is collected, who can access it, how long it is kept and what it can be used for. I would not support using this technology to unnecessarily track or monitor residents.
I believe Council should be transparent with residents about where cameras are being used, why they are being used and what safeguards are in place to protect privacy. There should also be regular review to make sure the technology is actually providing a benefit to the community.
For me, it comes down to finding a balance: using technology to improve public safety while respecting residents’ privacy and making sure it is not being misused.
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 believe people should have the freedom to make their own choices whenever possible. During a serious public-health emergency, a municipality may need to put some temporary restrictions in place, but they should only be used when truly necessary and should not go further than needed.
I believe elected Council should have a strong role in approving and overseeing significant restrictions so residents have accountability through their elected representatives. Any restrictions should be regularly reviewed and removed as soon as they are no longer necessary.
I would be very cautious about limiting people’s freedoms or access to municipal facilities and programs. Protecting our community is important, but so are individual choice, freedom and personal responsibility.
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 20, 2026
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