A candidate for Owen Sound City Council in the October 26, 2026 municipal election. Learn about Thomas's experience, priorities and plan for Owen Sound.

Candidate Questions & My Responses

Throughout the 2026 Owen Sound municipal election, community organizations, local media, and residents have invited candidates to share their views on important issues facing our city.

I appreciate the time and effort they have put into asking thoughtful questions and helping voters make informed decisions.

I believe in transparency and accountability. That is why I am sharing my responses publicly, so residents can understand my positions, priorities, and the reasoning behind them.

I encourage everyone to read the questions, consider the responses, and make their own informed voting decisions.

Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (C.O.S.T) — My Responses

Bayshore Broadcasting — Candidate Q&A

Candidate Comparison -HELPOS.CA

The Owen Sound Current Q.A

Robert Maher- Q.A

Climate Action Q.A

DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE All Candidate-Q.A

District Chamber of Commerce All-Candidates Meeting Q&A. OCT 6-2026My Responses to the 2026 Owen Sound All-Candidates Meeting Questions

October 7, 2026 | Thomas Arakal — Candidate for Owen Sound City Council

Thank you to the Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce for organizing the October 6 All-Candidates Meeting, and thank you to everyone who attended and participated.

I was in Group 2, where we were asked three questions with limited time to respond. I answered the questions I felt knowledgeable about and openly acknowledged when I did not have enough information to give a complete answer.

I believe residents deserve honesty. I would rather acknowledge that I need more information than make promises without understanding the facts, costs and consequences.

During the meeting, I emphasized public involvement, reviewing how municipal services are managed, improving affordability and making council more accessible to working residents.

Now that the Chamber has shared all nine questions, I would like to provide more detailed responses. These include the questions I was asked and the questions directed to the other groups.

GROUP 2 — SUMMARY OF MY STATEMENT

Priority: More public involvement. Wants council and committee meetings held when working people can attend, and quarterly town halls on Saturdays.

Snow removal: Doesn’t have all the answers and would set priorities through town halls. Suggested comparing city staffing levels from 10 to 15 years ago with today’s, including management.

Downtown: Taxes are already high and fall mostly on residents. I didn’t have an answer on tax breaks for businesses at the moment.

Housing: Builders who get city discounts should have to include attainable homes. Also supports co-operative housing. “Not everybody can afford $2,000 rent.”

Affordability: Reliable transit would cut household costs.

GROUP 1

1. What concrete steps should Owen Sound take to protect the local environment, safeguard the harbour and watershed, and improve municipal climate resilience?

Owen Sound's harbour, rivers, waterfront, parks and natural environment are valuable assets. Protecting them is important for residents, businesses and future generations.

I support practical environmental measures that deliver measurable results.

My priorities would include:

Reviewing stormwater drainage, flooding risks and infrastructure maintenance.
Working with the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority and other responsible organizations to protect our waterways.
Improving maintenance of catch basins and drainage systems to reduce pollution entering the harbour.
Protecting trees, parks and green spaces while supporting responsible development.
Considering extreme weather and climate resilience when planning infrastructure investments.
Reviewing existing environmental programs to understand their costs, responsibilities and results.

I believe we should first understand what programs are already in place, how effectively they are working and where improvements are needed.

Where possible, we should use existing municipal staff and partnerships rather than automatically creating new administrative positions.

I would also support clearly identifying who is responsible for each initiative and reporting measurable progress to residents.

Environmental responsibility and financial responsibility should go together.

2. If you had to distill your platform to one key idea or issue, what would it be?

Accountability and meaningful representation for residents.

I believe residents should have a stronger voice in municipal government, and councillors should be accountable for following up on their concerns.

My proposal is to retain seven councillors elected citywide while assigning each councillor primary responsibility for a geographical area.

Residents would know whom to contact about local concerns while continuing to have access to all councillors. Every councillor would still represent the entire city.

I also propose:

Holding council and committee meetings after supper so working residents have a better opportunity to attend.
Organizing quarterly Saturday town halls where residents can raise concerns directly.
Improving financial transparency through regular public reporting.
Reviewing spending, management structures and service delivery.
Providing residents with clear explanations of council decisions.
Establishing better follow-up and accountability for concerns raised by residents.

I work full-time and understand that many residents cannot attend meetings during normal working hours.

Public participation should not be limited to people who are available during the day.

I believe local government should be accessible to everyone, not just those who have the time or resources to participate.

My guiding principle is simple: Make tomorrow a little better than today.

3. What is your vision for sustaining and growing the River District, and how will you address business retention, safety, and downtown vacancies?

I want downtown Owen Sound to be safe, clean, welcoming and economically active.

A successful downtown benefits the entire community through employment, tourism, investment and a stronger local economy.

I support a long-term downtown revitalization strategy developed with business owners, residents, property owners and community organizations.

My priorities include:

Improving downtown cleanliness, lighting, sidewalks and public spaces.
Addressing safety concerns through cooperation with police and community organizations.
Understanding why commercial properties remain vacant.
Encouraging responsible redevelopment of underused properties.
Supporting existing businesses while attracting appropriate new investment.
Encouraging residential development above commercial spaces where appropriate.
Supporting events and activities that bring people downtown, including evenings and weekends.
Improving connections between the River District and waterfront.
Reviewing existing business improvement incentives and measuring their effectiveness.

Public safety and homelessness must be addressed thoughtfully. I believe we need compassionate support for people experiencing homelessness while also ensuring that residents, employees and business owners feel safe.

I would like to see measurable goals for reducing vacancies, attracting investment and improving public spaces.

A downtown improvement plan should not simply be another report. It should identify responsibilities, costs, timelines and measurable results.

We should strengthen downtown while respecting the financial challenges facing taxpayers.

GROUP 3

7. If you don't have a car, it can be really hard to get around. Our buses don't run Sundays, and they stop pretty early. Would you improve transit, and if so, how?

Yes. Reliable, affordable and accessible public transit is one of my campaign priorities.

Not everyone owns a vehicle. Many residents depend on public transit to get to work, attend school, shop and access medical appointments.

I believe transit should serve residents based on when they actually need transportation, including evenings, Sundays and shift-work hours.

I would support:

Reviewing options for evening and Sunday transit service.
Improving reliability and connections between routes.
Exploring free or reduced-cost transit passes for high school students through partnerships with school boards and other organizations.
Examining regional transit connections with nearby communities.
Reviewing ridership, operating costs and service performance.
Comparing the existing contracted transit model with the possibility of bringing transit operations back under City management.
Investigating whether Owen Sound could operate its own transit service using leased buses instead of purchasing them outright.

I believe leasing buses is an option worth examining because it may reduce the initial capital investment required.

However, we must compare the full long-term costs, including leasing, maintenance, insurance, staffing, administration and vehicle replacement.

I would also want to consult transit users, employees and unions representing relevant municipal workers to better understand the operational implications.

I am not suggesting that bringing transit in-house would automatically save money. I want council to examine the available options and determine which model provides reliable service at a reasonable cost.

I cannot promise that every route can be expanded immediately. Any improvements must be supported by realistic financial planning.

My goal is better transit for residents without placing an unnecessary additional burden on taxpayers.

8. If faced with budget constraints or unexpected revenue drops, what areas of city spending would you prioritize, and where would you look to find efficiencies?

Responsible spending, affordability and financial accountability are central to my platform.

I have proposed a two-year municipal property tax freeze as a goal, supported by a comprehensive review of spending and service delivery.

Residents are already facing significant financial pressure.

Before asking them to pay more, I believe council must demonstrate that existing tax dollars are being used efficiently.

My priority would be protecting essential services, including public safety, roads, sidewalks, water and wastewater infrastructure, and other core municipal responsibilities.

I would review:

Management and administrative structures.
Frontline staffing levels compared with service demands.
Consultant and external service contracts.
Procurement and purchasing practices.
Program performance and measurable outcomes.
Underused facilities and duplication of services.
Opportunities for cooperation with Grey County and neighbouring municipalities.
Debt obligations and long-term infrastructure costs.

I would like council reports to provide multiple practical options for major decisions, including their costs, benefits, risks and long-term consequences.

I believe we should look for efficiencies in administration, procurement and management before considering reductions to essential frontline services.

Financial transparency is equally important.

I have been looking for the City of Owen Sound's 2025 audited financial statements and want clarification on their publication status.

If they have not yet been released, I believe residents deserve to know why, when they can expect them and whether any outstanding matters are affecting their completion.

I would support timely publication of audited financial statements, clearer budget information and quarterly public financial updates.

A two-year tax freeze would require careful financial planning. I would not support ignoring essential infrastructure needs or reducing legally required services simply to achieve a political target.

Taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going, how decisions are made and what results they receive.

9. Businesses, residents, and visitors have raised concerns about litter and waste management in Owen Sound. What specific actions would you support to improve garbage collection, cleanliness, and the overall appearance of Owen Sound?

Clean streets, parks and public spaces are important for community pride, public safety, tourism and business activity.

I would begin by reviewing existing waste collection and public-space maintenance services.

My priorities would include:

Reviewing public garbage bin locations and collection schedules.
Identifying recurring litter and illegal dumping areas.
Improving cleanliness downtown, at transit stops, in parks and along the waterfront.
Providing residents with an accessible way to report problems.
Improving follow-up and accountability for service requests.
Reviewing waste management contracts, staffing and operational efficiency.
Supporting community cleanup initiatives.
Improving public education about waste disposal and recycling.
Ensuring appropriate enforcement of existing dumping and property maintenance bylaws.

I would also examine whether seasonal adjustments are needed in areas with increased tourism and public activity.

I believe businesses, community organizations and residents can play a valuable role in identifying problem areas and participating in cleanup initiatives.

Before introducing new programs or additional spending, I would review whether existing resources are being used effectively.

The City should establish measurable service expectations and review whether complaints and recurring problem areas are being addressed.

The goal should be a cleaner city through better coordination, service delivery and accountability.

My Closing Message

I entered this election because I believe residents deserve a stronger voice in the decisions that affect their everyday lives.

I am a taxpayer, a husband, a father, a Canada Post rural mail carrier and Vice President of CUPW Local 582. I have also worked in operations management and have a background in technology and financial planning.

These experiences have taught me the importance of listening, teamwork, financial responsibility and understanding problems before making decisions.

I do not claim to have every answer.

However, I believe a good councillor should be willing to ask difficult questions, listen to residents and frontline workers, examine the facts and make informed decisions.

I want to make council more accessible by holding meetings after supper, organizing quarterly Saturday town halls and giving residents clearer geographical representation.

I want to improve services while respecting the financial challenges facing taxpayers.

I want housing that working people can afford, a safer and stronger downtown, more reliable transit and greater accountability for municipal spending.

I am an independent candidate, and I believe public service should come before personal interests.

Lets make tomorrow a little better than today.

Thomas Arakal
Candidate for Owen Sound City Council
https://sites.google.com/view/arakal