Owen Sound Mayor Election 2026

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Ray Botten previously ran for Mayor of Owen Sound in 2018 and has been publicly involved in faith-based outreach and homelessness-related advocacy.

Phone: 519-377-8492

Email: botten4mayor@gmail.com

Platform: Ray Botten has stated priorities including separating Owen Sound from Grey County, using strong mayor powers, and creating a drop box intended to give drug traffickers a way to leave the drug trade. In the October 13 radio debate, he emphasized daily contact with people living on the street, said rules alone would not change people’s hearts, and connected growth to the proposed pumped-storage project.

Interview: Watch interview; May 22, 2026 transcript.

Radio debate: October 14, 2026 summary; October 13, 2026 transcript.

Source: City of Owen Sound registered candidates page.

Documented issue positions

• Budget and administrative leadership: The interview attributes to Botten a proposal to reclaim strong-mayor authority, reduce property taxes, and prioritize the drug issue along with mobility and senior challenges. The complete budget and administrative framework remains unspecified. Source: Ray Botten recorded interview transcript (May 22, 2026).
• County leadership and coordination: The interview attributes to Botten a proposal for Owen Sound to opt out of Grey County and stand alone. This differs directly from the comparison outcome of representing Owen Sound and coordinating through Grey County. Source: Ray Botten recorded interview transcript (May 22, 2026).
• Housing and community safety: The interview attributes to Botten a focus on the drug crisis, therapeutic farms, low-input housing, communal land trusts, and community-based service. The detailed treatment, responder, enforcement, and measurement framework remains unspecified. Source: Ray Botten recorded interview transcript (May 22, 2026).

Last reviewed: September 5, 2026.

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Jodi King has described herself as a bouncer, giving her direct experience with front-line public safety, conflict management, and difficult interpersonal situations.

Phone: 226-568-6260

Email: kingjodi99@gmail.com

Platform: Jodi King has proposed using empty lots for transitional housing with crisis support, reserving 10-20% of future developments for low-income families, and ending closed-door political meetings in favour of more open governance. In the October 13 radio debate, she described her family’s past homelessness, called for more police presence and cameras downtown, supported a resident tax break, and called for longer bus hours and wheelchair-accessible service.

Interview: Read the HelpOS interview summary with Jodi King; June 2, 2026 transcript.

Source: City of Owen Sound registered candidates page.

Documented issue positions

• Transparency and open Council: The interview attributes to King a proposal to end closed-door political meetings and make governance more open to residents. It does not specify the full publication of rationales, votes, spending information, or results. Source: Jodi King recorded interview transcript (June 2, 2026).
• Public participation: The interview attributes to King a commitment to daily community interaction, making time for community members, hearing concerns, and working toward workable solutions. A complete public question and proposal process remains unspecified. Source: Jodi King recorded interview transcript (June 2, 2026).
• Local representation: The interview attributes to King a commitment to daily interaction and time with all community members. It does not specify wards, geographic responsibility, or a neighbourhood liaison structure. Source: Jodi King recorded interview transcript (June 2, 2026).
• Housing and community safety: The interview attributes to King a proposal for transitional housing on suitable empty lots with counselling and crisis support, alongside security, police, and behavioural expectations. The complete responder and measurement framework remains unspecified. Source: Jodi King recorded interview transcript (June 2, 2026).

Last reviewed: September 5, 2026.

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Carol Merton is a sitting Owen Sound councillor serving her second term. Her City biography describes her as a health care professional in private practice, with management and leadership experience across Grey Bruce and beyond. She co-produces and hosts Health Link and participates in committees, boards, and community groups concerning housing, community safety and well-being, and accessibility.

Phone: 519-477-8192

Email: cmerton@sympatico.ca

Official campaign website: Carol Merton for Owen Sound Mayor (opens in a new tab)

Official campaign Facebook page: Carol Merton For Mayor in 2026 (opens in a new tab) (Facebook may require sign-in to view the page.)

2026 platform: Carol Merton’s campaign identifies four main priorities: safe and welcoming neighbourhoods; a vibrant downtown and public spaces; affordable housing and local opportunity; and responsible management of tax dollars. She proposes reviewing operating and capital budgets while maintaining critical and core services, supporting affordable employment and non-profit housing through an Affordable Housing Action Working Group and additional financing tools, and improving downtown cleanliness, rapid response to issues, and business attraction and retention. Her flyer also states that she makes information-based decisions, has financial experience with organizations responsible for multi-million-dollar budgets, and supports relationships across rural municipalities.

Campaign flyer: View the high-quality scanned 2026 campaign flyer (PDF).

Questionnaire: Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (COST questionnaire response, questions 1–8 answered; question 9 pending as reviewed September 17, 2026).

Radio debate: In the October 13 debate, Merton called for public washrooms, more syringe drop-off boxes, faster encampment enforcement, stronger support for street-service agencies, core-service review, shared regional services, and expanded transit. She also said the City should understand dispatch and records-management revenue before comparing local policing with another model. Owen Sound Current summary; HelpOS transcript.

Previous positions: In her 2022 campaign, Merton emphasized effective use of tax dollars, a safe and inclusive city, Housing First and affordable housing for lower-income residents and seniors, and stronger municipal involvement in addressing homelessness. She supported active physician and health-care worker recruitment, including a regional recruitment working group and incentives. On economic development, she promoted aging-in-place services, arts and tourism, skills and trades development, and attracting green-energy industries. She also supported stronger short-term-rental regulation, including principal-residence requirements, licensing, a municipal accommodation tax, and enforcement.

Council record: During the 2022–2026 term, Council implemented short-term-rental licensing with a principal-residence requirement and operating limits, closely following the approach Merton advocated in 2022, while the City continued regional physician recruitment and provincial advocacy on access to primary care. Merton also continued arguing that the City has a role in homelessness and downtown safety, and in 2026 moved to restore the Police Service Board’s full requested budget increase. On public participation, she was one of two councillors who opposed the 2024 restrictions on public question period and again one of two who opposed the 2026 committee restructuring that removed public members from the committee overseeing budgets and internal operations.

Sources: City of Owen Sound registered candidates page; Carol Merton’s City biography; Carol Merton for Owen Sound Mayor campaign website (opens in a new tab); Carol Merton For Mayor in 2026 campaign Facebook page (opens in a new tab); Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan; Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab); Bayshore Broadcasting 2022 candidate profile; City short-term-rental information; Owen Sound Current report on the 2026 Police Service Board budget; Owen Sound Current report on the 2024 public-question-period changes; and Owen Sound Current report on the 2026 committee restructuring.

Last reviewed: September 17, 2026.

Documented issue positions

• Transparency and open Council: Her 2026 COST response supports regular Council highlights with decisions, impacts and actions, timely responses with supporting rationale, shared-cost reporting and public tender information, while her flyer adds information-based decision-making and fiscal responsibility.
  Sources: Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Public participation: Her 2026 COST response supports public input, regular Council highlights, timely answers to community questions and communication training for Council and staff.
  Sources: Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Budget and administrative leadership: Her 2026 COST response supports operational and capital budget review through core, essential and mandated-service priorities, regional efficiency, service evaluation, change management, accountability reporting and documented savings.
  Sources: Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• County leadership and coordination: Her 2026 COST response connects Owen Sound’s housing and homelessness needs with Grey County social-service coordination, regional community-safety planning, government partners and shared-service approaches.
  Sources: Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Housing and community safety: Her 2026 COST response supports Housing First with wraparound supports, affordable and supportive housing, mental-health and recovery resources, neighbourhood response, community partnerships and public-safety coordination.
  Sources: Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Infrastructure and municipal services: Her 2026 COST response supports information-based infrastructure decisions, asset-management and condition review, operating and capital budget analysis, service-cost allocation, regional/shared-service approaches and coordinated public reporting.
  Sources: Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Local economy and resident retention: Her 2026 COST response adds evidence of affordable development incentives tied to identified housing outcomes, while her flyer connects local employment, business attraction, downtown vitality and business retention.
  Sources: Carol Merton 2026 campaign flyer, high-quality scan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Carol Merton, COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026)

Other comparison areas are not summarized here because the reviewed sources did not provide sufficient attributable evidence.

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Mike's current campaign Resume (opens in a new tab) says he has worked in Grey Bruce since 2012, operated businesses in Owen Sound for 12 years, founded and operated four downtown businesses, and trained more than 50 real estate professionals. It lists him as Broker of Record and Owner/Operator of Century 21 In-Studio Realty Inc. from 2018 onward, and as Founder of Map.ca. The Owen Sound River District profile for an October 2022 episode identified him as owner of PZZLD Escape Rooms and owner/Broker of Record at Century 21 In-Studio Realty Inc. His Resume lists earlier owner-operator and independent-contractor work for Weston Bakeries from 2002 to 2012.

Phone: 519-375-6585

Email: mike@map.ca

Official campaign website: The City's current candidate record lists mikeseiler.ca (opens in a new tab). Relevant rendered sections include the Campaign (opens in a new tab), Resume (opens in a new tab), Business Plan (opens in a new tab), Salary (opens in a new tab) and Mike's Responses (opens in a new tab).

2026 platform: The Campaign page sets out three anchor commitments: tax growth below the current baseline funded by measured savings; stated public-use limits for strong-mayor powers through VoteMap; and quarterly scorecard nights publishing successes and misses. Its twelve priorities include downtown revitalization with Grey County, pothole response and an efficiency dividend, homes in every neighbourhood through suites and gentle density, small-business and new-founder support, labour partnership, safer streets, a formal relationship with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, events and local say, internet access, public mapping, data stewardship, and AgriHome Canada. The Business Plan adds a plain-language budget, public arithmetic and reviews of non-salary spending, grants, fleet and regional cost recovery. The Salary page proposes publishing the use of the mayor's salary for community initiatives.

Public safety response: In his published response to three CKNX questions, dated August 31, 2026, Mike supports obtaining a formal OPP costing, opposes replacing local policing with a full OPP takeover, and says a narrower comparison could examine specific OPP services alongside local policing using a public-safety scorecard. He also commits to publishing the costing, a service comparison, public meetings and written reasons before a final Council decision.

Radio debate: The October 14 Owen Sound Current summary records that Seiler did not attend the October 13 CFOS Open Line debate. Read the summary.

Documented issue positions

• Transparency and open Council: The campaign proposes quarterly publication of tax arithmetic, working documents and scorecard results. Recorded-vote publication is not specified.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Public participation: The campaign proposes public meetings before a major decision, quarterly scorecard nights, local say in events and venues, and public submission of route ideas. Its broader question-and-response process is not fully specified.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Local representation: The campaign uses geographic boundary and route mapping and emphasizes local say, but does not state a ward, councillor liaison-area or Local Representative model.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Budget and administrative leadership: The Business Plan proposes levy growth below the current baseline through measured savings, an all-lines-visible budget, quarterly arithmetic and reviews of costs, efficiency and regional recovery. Its senior-administration accountability process remains less detailed.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, Business Plan (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• County leadership and coordination: The campaign proposes City and Grey County cooperation on downtown revitalization, roads, alternate routes, housing and a joint case for infrastructure support.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Housing and community safety: The campaign proposes homes in every neighbourhood, safer streets and a public safety scorecard; treatment, responder routing and a detailed enforcement model are not specified.
  Sources: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) and Mike Seiler campaign, Mike's Responses (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Infrastructure and municipal services: The campaign proposes route demonstrations, a crossing feasibility and routing study, public numbers files and City-Grey County coordination, while a complete lifecycle-planning framework is not specified.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Local economy and resident retention: The campaign prioritizes downtown businesses and new founders, local events and venues, homes in every neighbourhood, and a buying group with public pricing that does not exclude local suppliers. Repair capacity and public-value tests for incentives are not specified.
  Source: Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab) (2026)

Source links: City of Owen Sound current candidate record; Mike Seiler campaign Resume (opens in a new tab); Mike Seiler campaign, The Campaign (opens in a new tab); Mike Seiler campaign Business Plan (opens in a new tab); Mike Seiler campaign Salary page (opens in a new tab); Mike Seiler campaign Mike's Responses (opens in a new tab); and Owen Sound River District historical profile.

Last reviewed: September 6, 2026.

Candidates may submit sourced corrections or additional public sources through HelpOS's candidate information policy.

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Richard Thomas is a former Owen Sound councillor, local historian, communications professional, and 2022 mayoral candidate. Public candidate material also describes his service with the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board, the Hospital Foundation Board, local fundraising campaigns, and the Marine and Rail Museum.

Phone: 519-270-6513

Official campaign website: Richard Thomas’s campaign website (opens in a new tab)

Radio debate: In the October 13 debate, Thomas called the River District “job one,” proposed a rapid-response cleanup team and a one-stop action team, supported growing the tax base, and opposed revisiting an OPP switch. Owen Sound Current summary; HelpOS transcript.

2026 platform: Richard Thomas’s campaign platform addresses communication and engagement, delegation of strong-mayor powers back to Council, open budgeting, housing partnerships, taxation and service review, emergency services, infrastructure, transit, economic development, and regional service sharing. His separate Safety and Order policy (opens in a new tab) proposes coordinated work with service providers, police, Grey County, and community organizations, municipal standards for service facilities, stronger enforcement where unlawful activity occurs, and measurable results.

Sources: City of Owen Sound registered candidates page; Richard Thomas’s official campaign website (opens in a new tab); Richard Thomas’s 2026 platform (opens in a new tab); Richard Thomas’s Safety and Order policy (opens in a new tab); Richard Thomas’s campaign biography (opens in a new tab); Richard Thomas’s campaign team page (opens in a new tab); and Richard Thomas’s 2026 COST questionnaire response (opens in a new tab).

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026.

Documented issue positions

• Transparency and open Council: Richard Thomas’s platform proposes open budgeting and stronger public communication, including an Ask the Mayor portal. His COST response adds a Council Digest after each meeting with links to reports and says major spending, staffing, consultant and policy decisions are made publicly.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST question 4 response (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• Public participation: Richard Thomas’s platform proposes improved communication and engagement through an Ask the Mayor portal. His COST response proposes a linked Council Digest after every meeting and a direct way for residents to ask questions.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST question 4 response (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• Budget and administrative leadership: Richard Thomas’s platform addresses the mayor’s budget presentation, open budgeting, taxation, service review and administrative efficiencies. His COST responses support ongoing staff-led service reviews, an OSCARS savings-suggestion programme, performance-based senior-management accountability and possible 5–10% departmental savings reviews. He also proposes returning the budget process to a transparent Council-based process, leaving its relationship to the mayor’s statutory budget duty qualified.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST questions 1–3 and 7 responses (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• County leadership and coordination: Richard Thomas’s platform addresses regionalization, shared services and Grey County economic development. His COST response says the Mayor should bring service providers, police, Grey County and community organizations together on homelessness, addiction and downtown conditions.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST question 5 response (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• Housing and community safety: Richard Thomas’s platform addresses housing affordability, emergency services, community priorities and cooperation on regional services. His COST responses add a proposed licensing framework for emergency shelters and service facilities, stronger enforcement for criminal activity and bylaws, development-charge tools for affordable housing, and evidence, proportionality and public-interest safeguards for municipal prosecutions.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, Safety and Order | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST questions 5, 6 and 9 responses (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• Infrastructure and municipal services: Richard Thomas’s platform addresses municipal infrastructure, transit and related service planning. His COST responses state that the City uses internal cost allocation and support public explanations for water and wastewater rate increases and efficiency reviews that protect the water system.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST questions 7–8 responses (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)
• Local economy and resident retention: Richard Thomas’s platform addresses economic development, tourism, advanced manufacturing and local business activity. His COST response supports development-charge holidays, affordable-housing charge exemptions subject to Council definition, fee reductions, planning and density tools, and support for organizations building affordable units. Public-value measures for incentives remain to be specified, so this position is qualified.
  Sources: Richard Thomas, Platform | Thomas for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Richard Thomas, COST question 6 response (opens in a new tab) (September 12, 2026)

Other comparison areas are not summarized here because the reviewed sources did not provide sufficient attributable evidence.

Status: Registered candidate for Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Andrii Zvorygin runs LiberIT, an information-technology business, and Lyis Forestry, a plant-nursery farm. He is the founder and civic information publisher behind HelpOS, Treasurer of Grey Bruce Makers, and a former federal campaign treasurer. He has spent several years engaged in municipal and County policy, particularly rural planning, housing, productive land use, food security, local resilience, government transparency, and service delivery.

Phone: 226-256-1632

Email: andrii@zvorygin.ca

Official campaign website: mayorofowensound.ca (opens in a new tab)

2026 platform: Andrii Zvorygin’s campaign focuses on three resident-facing outcomes: affordable housing, lower property taxes, and improved neighbourhood cohesion. His governing approach is based on Transparency, Participation, and Compassion, which shape how the campaign proposes to achieve those results. In the October 13 radio debate, Zvorygin described the proposed mobile-meal service outside downtown, the approximately $60,000 civilian dispatch pilot, the draft 2027 budget below 2026, a new OPP costing beginning with staff comparison and outside review, a vacant-home tax, and a costed four-year transit plan. The platform is continually revised as residents raise concerns, offer suggestions, and contribute practical local knowledge.

On affordable housing, the campaign uses a four-phase approach: Help Now → Keep People Housed → Affordable Living → Voluntary Recovery. Phase 1 centres on Local Representatives, voluntary neighbourhood watches and a civilian crisis-response team: residents can identify concerns, organize shared observation and coordinate opted-in exterior camera coverage under clear privacy rules, while trained civilian responders handle screened lower-risk crises. A mobile meal approach with OSHaRE and other willing providers remains a targeted supporting service for people living at the edges of town, struggling seniors, and people with disabilities who face barriers to travelling to a fixed meal site. Prevention measures include a City tenant-rights resource and a vacant-home tax to return unused housing to active use and reduce avoidable displacement.

For long-term affordability, Zvorygin proposes working through Grey County on Affordable Rural Communities combining modest resident-owned homes, secure productive land tenure, and shared infrastructure where useful, supported by preliminary family-scale planning and costing. The fourth phase would develop one voluntary rural rehabilitation pilot with professional and peer support, meaningful work, community, and pathways toward stable independent living. This sequence connects homelessness prevention, affordable housing, recovery, and downtown conditions into one practical approach. Learn more: helpos.ca/arc

Each phase uses a distinct financing route: Help Now uses dedicated revenue and willing partners; Keep People Housed combines vacant-home revenue, prevention, and avoided downstream costs; Affordable Living enables household and community investment through planning; and Voluntary Recovery would use provincial, grant, and recovery-provider partnerships. The working 2027 scenario already costed the first-year Local Representation baseline at $52,605, the civilian crisis-response pilot at $60,000, and the supporting OSHaRE mobile meal pilot at $25,000. Its working operating levy is $37,881,851, $251,370 or approximately 0.66% below the 2026 existing-resident reference, with capital and rate-funded services shown separately. The working budget scenario explains these routes and figures.

On lower property taxes, Zvorygin proposes making service costs and results visible, reviewing City spending, debt, staffing and management structure, using periodic zero-based budgeting, identifying obsolete recurring costs, simplifying processes, and using modern software and local automation. His current work includes detailed review of City operating and capital spending, debt and interest, wastewater financing, staffing and management layers, service-level accountability, recurring legacy costs, and opportunities for process improvement. Learn more: helpos.ca/tax · Read the working budget scenario

On improved neighbourhood cohesion, the campaign proposes seven geographic Wards for Councillor responsibility within Owen Sound’s city-wide election system, smaller Local Areas, Local Representatives, voluntary neighbourhood gatherings, Shared Stewardship, and clearer resident-to-City Hall connections. Local Representatives can help organize voluntary neighbourhood watches, coordinate opted-in exterior camera coverage with clear access and privacy rules, and connect observations with the appropriate civic, crisis or police response. The aim is to help neighbours know one another, solve suitable local problems together, and strengthen local capacity. This also includes resident reporting and opportunities for local businesses, trades, makers, co-operatives, and residents to help meet local needs. Learn more: helpos.ca/wards

Transparency supports all three outcomes by making service costs, staffing, management, contracts, debt, Council decisions, implementation progress, and measurable results easier to follow. HelpOS is already a working example of that approach through accessible agendas, transcripts, meeting results, public documents, and civic information. Learn more: helpos.ca/clear

Current policy and civic work: Zvorygin has spent several years working with Grey County mayors, deputy mayors, councillors, and staff on rural planning, housing, productive land use, food security, and local resilience. His advocacy has included presentations, correspondence, and work through municipal, County, provincial, and federal channels.

In 2025, Grey County adopted Official Plan Amendment 23, updating parts of its Rural and Agricultural planning framework. Grey County has also approved project-specific approaches such as the Thornbury Acres residential farm co-operative. These developments overlap with rural-planning reforms Zvorygin had been advocating for and provide practical experience for his current Affordable Rural Communities planning work.

Zvorygin also spent several years advocating for local co-creation and manufacturing capacity. Grey Bruce Makerspace was later established at the Sydenham Campus with federal support and County-provided space. He now serves as Treasurer of Grey Bruce Makers and works on its financial, organizational, communications, and technology systems. His broader civic work has included engagement with provincial and federal representatives, government ministries, and organizations including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

His preparation for the Mayor’s role also includes work on affordable-housing planning, the Ward and Local Representative model, Shared Stewardship, evening-transit costing, infrastructure priorities, and strengthening local productive capacity.

Zvorygin organizes monthly discussions with international scientists and engineers on energy, resources, transition planning, and long-term community viability. Watch the discussions.

Campaign flyer: Read the Flyer

More information: Candidate profile · Full platform · Lower property taxes · Transparency · Wards and Local Representatives · Affordable Rural Communities

Interviews: Interview with James O · Interview with Zac Wiltzen

Radio debate: Owen Sound Current summary · HelpOS transcript.

Questionnaire: Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers · COST-hosted response (opens in a new tab)

Sources: City of Owen Sound registered candidates; The Most Relevant Experience for Mayor; Andrii Zvorygin, “Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers,” 2026; Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab); Grey County Official Plan Amendment 23; Grey County Thornbury Acres project; Grey County Sydenham Campus and makerspace announcement; Grey Bruce Makers; and the 2026 mayoral platform.

Last reviewed: September 3, 2026.

Documented issue positions

• Transparency and open Council: His 2026 questionnaire supports maximum legal disclosure of finances, staffing, services and decisions, including rationales, business cases, consultant information, procurement information, expected results and follow-up. His HelpOS civic-information work is part of the response's transparency example.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Government and Fiscal Transparency | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Council Communication | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, A Lean, Empowered and Accountable City Organization | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Lower Property Taxes Through Better Government | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Public participation: His response proposes at-large Councillors with primary responsibility for geographic wards, Local Representatives in smaller areas, an online public forum, early resident participation and visible official responses.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Participation and Local Capacity | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Council Communication | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Local representation: His response proposes keeping the seven Councillors elected at large while assigning each primary responsibility for one geographic ward, developing roughly 150-household Local Areas and creating Local Representatives.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Ward and Local Representation Plan | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Budget and administrative leadership: His answers propose a simpler administrative structure, measurable Council priorities, strong-mayor budget and organizational responsibilities, service-cost review, 5–10% departmental savings options, zero-based reviews, cost allocation and public accountability for the budget.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, A Lean, Empowered and Accountable City Organization | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Lower Property Taxes Through Better Government | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Government and Fiscal Transparency | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• County leadership and coordination: His published programme identifies the Mayor's role representing Owen Sound at Grey County, describes County responsibilities and regional services, and proposes open cooperation across member municipalities through coordinated County action and public written deliberation.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Community Safety & Policing | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Affordable Rural Communities | Cost Model and Implementation Plan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Council Communication | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Housing and community safety: His response defines affordable construction as lower-cost, livable, code-compliant housing designed around local household incomes, using total housing cost at or below 30% of relevant income. Conventional multiplexes and townhouses are market housing by default; proposals claiming affordability must demonstrate a costed, code-compliant delivery model with real units that underhoused Owen Sound residents can afford. The options also include secondary units, modest homes, cordwood construction, other owner-built homes and the costed code-compliant yurt-based example where planning and servicing allow. The yurt is the first detailed costed example because its design was easier to model consistently. Market housing remains welcome; incentives depend on affordable units actually being delivered, with the public benefit returning to the tax bill through lawful recovery or clawback terms if promised units are not delivered. Vacant-home measures return empty homes to supply while parks and public greenspaces remain available. The response also connects County-coordinated housing placement, treatment and voluntary recovery with a proposed 211 housing-loss prevention intake and four response streams covering civic matters, paramedic care, lower-risk civilian crises and police matters requiring police authority. Fire and rescue remains a separate emergency capability.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Community Safety & Policing | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Ward and Local Representation Plan | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Affordable Rural Communities | Cost Model and Implementation Plan (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Infrastructure and municipal services: His published programme combines evidence-based infrastructure and service planning with lifecycle cost analysis, complete service-cost and rate reporting, performance measurement, and practical coordination across transportation, wastewater, staffing, and related municipal systems.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Reliable Transportation Across Owen Sound | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Wastewater Infrastructure and Ratepayer Protection | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Open Government and Fiscal Transparency | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, A Lean, Empowered and Accountable City Organization | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026)
• Local economy and resident retention: His 2026 COST response and detailed HelpOS platform support predictable commercial approvals, targeted affordable development, local procurement, import replacement, local firms, repair and co-operative capacity, construction and manufacturing work, verifiable affordability conditions, and retaining young people who grew up in Owen Sound.
  Sources: Andrii Zvorygin, COST mayoral questionnaire response (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Responses to Concerned Owen Sound Taxpayers (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Participation and Local Capacity (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Platform | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor of Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Participation and Local Capacity | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Reliable Transportation Across Owen Sound | Andrii Zvorygin for Mayor (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Affordable Rural Communities | Cost Model and Implementation Plan (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Reliable Transportation Across Owen Sound (opens in a new tab) (2026); Andrii Zvorygin, Urban Affordable Development and Development Charges (opens in a new tab) (2026)

Status: Registered candidate for Deputy Mayor of Owen Sound.

Relevant background: Scott Greig is the sitting Deputy Mayor of Owen Sound and represents the City at Grey County Council. He is a long-time downtown business owner, co-owning Runner’s Den with his wife Tracy since 2006, and his public record emphasizes practical municipal experience, local business perspective, and careful attention to budgets and spending.

Phone: 519-377-8446

Email: scottgreig25@yahoo.ca

Platform: No public platform statement available at this time.

Previous positions: In his 2022 campaign for Deputy Mayor, Greig emphasized stronger financial oversight at both City and Grey County, resisting spending he considered unnecessary, reducing development-related fees where possible, and more closely scrutinizing development charges and water and wastewater rates. He proposed restructuring City Hall around two broad areas of oversight, budgetary and “growth and development.” He also emphasized getting approved housing built, renewed municipal involvement in physician recruitment, regulating short-term rentals to preserve housing stock, and leveraging Bruce Power-related economic opportunities.

Council record: During the 2022–2026 term, Council introduced short-term-rental licensing, and Greig specifically defended stronger restrictions as a response to the housing shortage, closely following his 2022 position. On affordability and spending, he attempted to reopen Council’s 40% garbage-tag increase for further consideration and at Grey County argued against a projected double-digit levy increase and expansion of committee membership on cost grounds. Owen Sound also undertook a service review expected to generate about $2 million in direct and indirect savings during the term, while the two-part City Hall structure Greig proposed in 2022 was never implemented; the City continues to operate separate Community Services and Corporate Services departments, with planning remaining under Community Services. Council approved municipal levy increases of 0.86% in 2023, 2.58% in 2024 and 2.57% in 2025, followed by a 4.72% overall property-tax increase in the adopted 2026 budget.

Sources: City of Owen Sound registered candidates page; Bayshore Broadcasting 2022 candidate profile; City short-term-rental licensing notice; Bayshore Broadcasting report on the garbage-tag increase; Collingwood News report on the Grey County levy; Collingwood News report on Grey County committee costs; City service review; City budget and finance records; and City 2026 budget notice.

Last reviewed: September 3, 2026.