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Orangeville council candidates tackle policing, accountability at Orangeville Food Bank forum

October 8, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Orangeville voters heard where candidates for town council stand on policing, affordability, accountability and

other community issues during a municipal election forum hosted by the Orangeville Food Bank on Oct. 1.

Held at Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS), the 2026 Orangeville Municipal Council Candidate Forum focused on social and community issues raised by residents and local agencies.

Organized by the food bank’s Community Advocacy Working Group, the organization said its move into advocacy comes as demand for its services continues to grow. Organizers said use of the food bank has increased 88 per cent since 2021, compared with a 22 per cent increase in food donations, arguing long-term solutions to food insecurity require changes in public policy.

Before moving into questions, moderator Bernadette Hardaker gave each of the 16 council candidates in attendance one minute to introduce themselves and outline what they would bring to council.a

Boubah Bah pointed to more than two decades in Orangeville and 33 years of public service experience. He identified affordable housing, responsible spending, transportation, community safety and open communication as priorities.

Bryna Sabourin said she wants to represent voices she believes are frequently missing from council discussions, particularly students, commuters and young professionals. She also highlighted her education in early childhood and disability studies.

Carrie-Anne DeCaprio drew on her own experiences with financial hardship and food insecurity, as well as her later advocacy work with the Orangeville Food Bank. She said she wants to bring the perspective of residents facing affordability challenges to council.

Incumbent councillor Debbie Sherwood highlighted her 47 years in Orangeville, eight years on council and a 33-year career as a deputy treasurer and tax collector. Her priorities include responsible growth, community programs, municipal services and careful management of taxpayer dollars.

Incumbent councillor Joe Andrews pointed to his leadership, community experience, and council work on economic development, homelessness, affordable housing, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. He emphasized listening, collaboration, and practical solutions.

Lindsay Lupton highlighted 42 years of experience in municipal recreation and her current work in Orangeville. She pointed to her experience with municipal budgets, infrastructure and community services as well as her connections with residents.

Matthew Smith highlighted his municipal infrastructure work, service on town committees and volunteering with the Orangeville Food Bank and Orangeville Urban Harvest. A transit advocate, Smith identified public transportation as one way to reduce financial pressures on residents.

Michelle Hartley reflected on moving to Orangeville in 1996 and raising her family in the community. She contrasted the affordability that originally attracted her to town with the circumstances facing residents today and highlighted her involvement with the town’s accessibility committee.

Incumbent councillor Rick Stevens pointed to more than two decades of service with the Town of Orangeville and 20 years of volunteering. He said he would continue listening to residents, asking difficult questions and scrutinizing municipal spending.

Rob Woon-Fat centred his introduction on government transparency, proposing a digital platform to give residents greater insight into municipal decision-making and improve accountability.

Sandra Pratt highlighted her experience as a parent, business owner and longtime volunteer, along with professional experience in manufacturing, housing planning and continuous improvement. She emphasized listening to residents, examining data and measuring results.

Viktor Karklins pointed to his Orangeville roots, previous federal candidacy and professional and municipal experience. He identified parks, recreation, small businesses and infrastructure among his interests.

Tricia Hebert said fiscal responsibility and compassion should work together in municipal government. She emphasized responsible use of taxpayer dollars alongside support for businesses and community organizations connecting residents with housing, employment and other services.

Incumbent councillor Tess Prendergast highlighted her four-year record on council, including environmental advocacy, securing outside funding and service improvements. Her priorities include attracting external funding, improving value for municipal services and building a more resilient Orangeville.

Vivian Petho highlighted a decade of community involvement, including parent council, Project Lifesaver and the Orangeville and District Horticultural Society. She also pointed to her work with the Opportunity Garden.

James Jackson, making his third run for council, said he wants to bring the perspective of residents living with disabilities and poverty to the council table. He highlighted his involvement with accessibility and municipal planning committees.

Following the introductions, candidates moved into questions submitted around issues affecting the community. An early question focused on community safety and the role that council plays in shaping policing priorities through its representation on the Orangeville OPP Detachment Board.

Matthew Smith focused on traffic and pedestrian safety, calling for a greater OPP presence around schools during pickup and drop-off times.

“One of the things I’ve heard about a lot in my door knocking is some of the chaos that goes on when you have to pick up and drop off students in schools,” he said. “So it would be nice to have the OPP there to make sure everything is flowing smoothly.”

Smith also supported continued use of the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) for mental health-related calls.

Carrie-Anne DeCaprio called for an increased police presence in downtown Orangeville, citing concerns she heard from residents and business owners.

“One of the priorities I believe would be an increased presence in policing in downtown Orangeville,” she said. “I’ve spoken with residents and business owners downtown who have told me they don’t always feel safe. Increased foot patrols combined with access to trained crisis professionals can help address both sides.”

Vivian Petho called for greater police training on interactions with autistic people experiencing distress.

“I would love to see training for how to deal with an autistic person who’s in distress,” she said. “We’ve had members and friends where the police are called, and the police do not know how to deal with somebody who’s having an autistic meltdown and doesn’t know how to communicate with the police.”

Viktor Karklins argued community safety also requires addressing the underlying issues that can contribute to crime and disorder.

“The challenge is not just dealing with the symptom at the end, but dealing with the cause,” he said.

The discussion later shifted from the services residents expect from the town to what they should expect from their elected representatives.

With salaries for Orangeville’s incoming council set to increase by 37 per cent for the 2026–2030 term, candidates were asked what level of accountability, workload and measurable service residents should expect in return.

Incumbent councillor Rick Stevens supported phasing the pay increase in over four years rather than implementing it all at once, while defending the workload expected of councillors.

“I voted in favor of the raise, but I was one of three other councillors that voted to tier the raise over four years,” he said. “I didn’t think it should all start at once. I think the workload proves itself. We work all the time. My phone’s on all the time. Email. I answer everybody.”

Boubah Bah opposed the increase and questioned the process of the council approving its own compensation. If elected, he said he would push to rescind it and give residents a role in determining council pay.

“We have accountability every four years,” he said. “Are you better today than you were four years ago? As for the decision to increase the pay, to me it was a bad decision. You don’t vote yourself in. If elected, I will push to rescind that, and we’ll have a group of residents who will make a decision whether we deserve to have that pay or not.”

Bryna Sabourin defended the principle of increasing wages, arguing the larger issue is that other residents are being left behind economically.

“My day job is to be an assistive technology advisor for the Ministry of Education,” she said. “I train teachers to save PDFs during the day. The wage increase is not the problem. It’s everyone else getting left behind. That’s the problem. Wages are supposed to increase. You are supposed to be paid for your work. We live in a town always focused on rallying volunteers and not asking the question, why do we rely on volunteers in the first place?”

Incumbent councillor Tess Prendergast said council positions are officially part-time, but they require a greater commitment. If re-elected, she plans to reduce her teaching workload, establish office hours and pursue outside grants.

“This job [is] part-time, which is, by the way, not a part-time job,” she said. “I’m going down to part-time teaching next year, so I can commit fully to council for two days a week. I’ll have office hours. I’ll write grants. That’s how I’m going to be accountable to you through my time, my energy, my effort and my commitment.”

The forum gave voters a chance to compare not only the backgrounds of those seeking a council seat, but how candidates would approach some of the social, financial and public safety issues facing Orangeville.

With election day approaching, residents will ultimately decide which of those priorities and perspectives they want represented around the next council table.

For the full forum, go to youtube.com/@orangevillefoodbank2813 to see the recorded livestream.

Read the Orangeville Citizen for more election coverage, including candidate profiles.

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