Watershed Guardians of Dufferin County to host ‘Ask the Candidates’ meeting in Melancthon

Melancthon residents can pose questions directly to municipal election candidates at the Watershed Guardians of Dufferin County's “Ask the Candidates” meeting on Oct. 14.

The meeting runs from 7 to 9 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. at the Horning's Mills Community Hall (14 Mill St., Melancthon).

The Watershed Guardians are hosting the meeting to give residents an opportunity to hear candidates outline their priorities, respond to questions and explain their positions on issues, especially those concerning the Strada Quarry Application and its repercussions.

All the candidates will get a chance to have a three-minute quick introduction. They will get to share their background and discuss the issues that are important to them.

Guests will have the opportunity to speak directly to candidates either by formal questions during the Q&A or informally before or after the meeting.

After the candidates introduce themselves, the meeting will then move into a short period of quarry questions followed by a period of question-and-answer session with the audience.

Audience members posing questions are invited to address them to a particular candidate. Once that person has answered, all the other candidates are given the opportunity to answer the same question, so everyone is heard.

Candidates will generally have one to two minutes to answer each question before the meeting moves on.

Each candidate will have two minutes at the end of the meeting for closing remarks.

The Watershed Guardians are expecting 11 candidates to participate. Candidates who have been acclaimed have also been invited to this meeting.

This meeting is intended to give voters an opportunity to hear from candidates in person and make their own decision about who they want representing their communities.

For residents, this event also provides an opportunity to raise questions about issues directly concerning the Strada Quarry Application and how it would affect day-to-day life in Melancthon and beyond.

Topics expected to come up include water supply and quality, protection of the rural environment, farmland, municipal roads, air quality, fly rock and setbacks.

With local government having a direct impact on many aspects of residents' lives, organizers of the candidates meeting say it's important for voters to learn about who's running and where they stand on key issues issues before casting their ballots.

The newly elected council will play a significant role in shaping the future development of Melancthon. Its members will engage with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), as well as other government agencies, on matters involving aggregate extraction and the long-term future of the region.

Watershed Guardians of Dufferin County is a small, grassroots organization.

The organization's goal is to keep residents informed about issues affecting our water, farmland, air, landscapes, traffic and the way of life that defines not only Melancthon Township, but Dufferin County and surrounding areas across Ontario.

“We have come to understand that these issues do not stop at municipal boundaries,” said Watershed Guardians of Dufferin County in a press release. “Water flows. Air moves. And the impacts of development can ripple outward, affecting communities far beyond the immediate site.”

The Watershed Guardians are encouraging residents to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the people seeking office and join the discussion ahead of the 2026 municipal election.