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Ward 1 council candidate Chris Rapin sees growth, infrastructure, health and recreation as key issues

October 8, 2026   ·   0 Comments

With the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 26, we invited each candidate to respond to the same four questions about their reason for running, priorities and vision for the municipality, qualifications, and contact information. Their responses are published below as submitted, subject only to length and standard copy editing for style, grammar and clarity.

Candidates were asked to keep their responses focused on their own qualifications, priorities and vision for the municipality.

1) What are the largest issues facing the Town of New Tecumseth?

As a council, we will need to determine our priorities together in a cohesive fashion. Split votes down the middle haven’t benefited our residents in the least. 

Now, with a council of nine being elected, that shouldn’t be happening. Hopefully, during the campaigning, councillors have determined the focus of their ward and are ready to represent it moving forward.  

Big issues on the horizon are growth, maintenance of existing infrastructure, the health/wealth of our community, and the establishment of new recreation opportunities.

2) With development being mandated by the province and causing concern among residents, how should council approach development and growth? 

As a council, we will hopefully come up with a sound policy that we can refer back to when making these decisions. 

If we decide that growth is to be vertical and more dense, that would be wise. I’d love to see that all developments build paths that connect with other paths, and that sidewalks are deemed a necessity on both sides of the street when there is a school. 

I would love to see our development reflect the wages available in our community. We need way more people living and working within New Tecumseth. Employment opportunities should be explored to the fullest.

3) What experience and leadership qualities do you have that make you the right choice for residents’ votes?
My goal is to do what’s best for New Tecumseth. I’m hoping that my actions throughout my time here (since 1999) have shown that. 

Whether as a teacher, coach, community organizer or councillor, residents should be able to see my passion and concern for our community. 

I also hope to show that my leadership isn’t complete, that I continually learn new things as well as take on new challenges. 

I recognize that as a leader, you’re only as good as those around you. So I’ll be sure to include them in our goals as a council. 

Open discussions and debates are extremely important when creating a cohesive team. It is my hope to be part of a hardworking, respectful team that accomplishes a lot in the upcoming term.

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