2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
East Zorra-Tavistock — Mayor
We asked. Phil Schaefer 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 a native of Tavistock and am a retired bank manager and financial planner (37 years). I am running to be re-elected as Mayor because there is still work to be done. Our secondary plan tops the list, and I want to lead this council in that process, as well as ensuring we have a strong balance sheet, and expanded recreation opportunities.
The most important issues facing our township is the lack of affordable housing and purpose-built rental housing, and the inadequacy of the municipal tax base in providing sufficient revenue.
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.
Municipalities are creatures of the provincial government, and therefore have very little discretion or influence on the province. Having said that, we can continue to lobby for various changes/funding etc. but are really at the province’s mercy.
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?
Our meetings are now recorded and livestreamed, and residents are welcome to also attend in person and/or request delegations to council. I am accessible via email and cell phone to discuss any and all issues and rationale behind decisions made.
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 enacts the policy, and staff carry out their duties in accordance with that policy on a day to day basis. It is up to staff to implement that policy.
When staff recommend a policy, it is up to council to decide if they are in favour of those recommendations, or wish to amend them or not approve them.
Knowledgeable and competent staff are extremely key to a well run municipality.
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.
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 want the tax rate increase to be as low as possible considering what we need to raise in the tax levy based on our needs for the next year. If something is making the increase too high in council’s opinion, they will have to cut. Our FTE has been flat over this term, and we have been operating under the approved complement. To reduce the tax increase, I am not in favour of raiding reserves in one year to present an artificially low increase, which will have to rectified in a later year by a tax increase.
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.
First off, I feel the growth projections are a bit on the high side. Having said that, there will still be growth. We need to respect our prime agricultural land, and where we must use it, we need to ensure it is used efficiently with higher density than we have seen in the past. Also, to preserve land , we need to encourage infill, ARU’s, and building up not out.
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.
Our township declared EZT as an unwilling host for wind turbines this term, and I am fully in favour of that position. I don’t have an issue with roof mounted solar panels , but not in favour of prime agricultural land being used for large scale solar projects.
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.
Large scale data centres are a relatively recent issue, and would require serious discussions regarding electricity use, water use, noise, infrastructure, and most importantly, land use planning policies. Prime agricultural land should not be considered for them.
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.
Property rights need to be balanced with environmental protections.
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 climate is changing, and I support efforts to mitigate the effects of that (storm water ponds etc.), although this mitigation does cost money
I am far less interested in spending taxpayer money in an attempt to reduce emissions without a corresponding savings or net benefit to the taxpayer.
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.
Using DEI policies in the hiring process can help to cast a wider net to increase the amount of qualified candidates. The most qualified candidate should be the one hired, and no group or groups should be favoured, or excluded.
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.
Municipal councils should be accountable to their local residents, for local issues. Not the UN. Please see my response to number 11.
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 ALPR systems used by law enforcement in locating stolen vehicles, abducted children and crime suspects, as long as the technology is not misused.
In today’s society, surveillance cameras are already everywhere.
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.
Elected councils will have to defer to public health guidance in determining how to proceed.
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 17, 2026
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