JSC Asked: Your Local Councillor Candidates – Ward 4

Paul Parete: I have lived in Caledon for almost 25 years.

For me, a sustainable future for Caledon means managing growth without losing the rural and environmental character that defines us:

Water and Ecosystem Security: Protecting our water table, drinking supply, and watersheds through evidence-based planning.

Balanced Growth: Directing expansion strictly within designated urban boundaries to safeguard our prime agricultural lands and green spaces.

Fiscal Sustainability: Investing in roads, fire services, and community infrastructure while keeping property taxes predictable and affordable through smart and disciplined spending.

Generational Vitality: Building a safe, well-connected community where our youth can grow, thrive, and afford to stay and raise families of their own.

Heather French: I have lived in Caledon for 50 years. A sustainable future for Caledon balances rapid population growth with the complete protection of our natural environment. This means ensuring all new developments are fully supported by essential infrastructure like roads, parks, and emergency services. We must also actively protect our local farmland, groundwater, and natural resources as the community grows. We need to ensure that growth is properly planned, funded and managed for our community.

Cheryl Connors: I have lived in Caledon for 25 years. I wasn’t born and raised here. I was born in Toronto and grew up in Scarborough. I went to university in Ottawa and in Toronto. When our son was born, we chose to live in Caledon because we wanted him to grow up playing outside, experiencing Caledon’s magical green spaces, rolling hills, trees and ponds. Coming from somewhere else has given me a broader perspective and a deep appreciation for just how special Caledon is. I know what drew our family here, I understand what could be lost, and I am committed to protecting the qualities that make people choose Caledon as their home.

A sustainable future for Caledon must be one in which residents are not forced to leave because they can no longer afford their property tax bills. We cannot ask today’s taxpayers to shoulder the costs of future growth.

New development must contribute its fair share toward the roads, water and wastewater systems, emergency services, parks and recreation facilities it requires. These must be carefully planned, properly funded and in place when they are needed—not years later.

At the same time, we must protect everything that makes Caledon special. We need to nurture and support our strong business and agricultural community while protecting our environmentally significant lands, our precious water resources and the air we breathe.

We can build livable, complete communities where residents have access to the services they need and well-paying jobs close to home—including well-maintained roads, reliable emergency services, recreation facilities, adequate parking and a realistic plan for public transit.

For me, a sustainable Caledon is one that remains affordable for current residents, manages growth responsibly, protects our natura environment, and supports our agricultural and business community.

Paul Parete: In no particular order:

1. Smart Growth & Farmland Protection
Development/growth can impact the very character of Ward 4. Development must be strictly directed within urban boundaries to safeguard our prime agricultural lands, green spaces, and drinking water table. Growth must pay for growth—not at the expense of our natural heritage or local taxpayers.

2. Infrastructure Maintenance & Road Safety
Our local roads, traffic-calming measures, and essential emergency services are struggling to keep pace. Residents deserve safe intersections, smooth transit routes, and modern community facilities. Prioritizing core asset maintenance today prevents costly, disruptive repairs tomorrow.

3. Fiscal Responsibility & Tax Affordability
Rising municipal costs put unnecessary strain on local homeowners and small businesses. Balancing the Town budget requires disciplined, value-driven spending and proactive pursuit of regional and provincial relationships and collaboration. With 25 years of experience managing public funds, I will ensure every tax dollar delivers transparent, measurable value.

4. Intergovernmental Collaboration & Leadership
Caledon cannot address regional transit, housing pressures, or major highway impacts in isolation. Outdated, confrontational tactics must be replaced with strong, collaborative relationships across Peel Region and the Province. Effective leadership aligns local Ward 4 needs with broader government priorities to secure our fair share of funding.

Heather French: Invest Responsibly: Caledon is facing massive growth pressure, and we must manage it, so it does not destroy our unique town. If we build recklessly, current taxpayers will be stuck paying the bill for expensive new infrastructure. We need to invest wisely by focussing on essential needs like safer roads, traffic control, and reliable emergency services.

Keeping Caledon Beautiful: Over 75% of Caledon is protected by Ontario's Greenbelt, making environmental conservation a top priority. Preserving these spaces safeguards our clean groundwater and keeps our rich farming heritage alive for the next generation. Our goal should be to guide new development thoughtfully so we can grow while fully protecting Caledon’s beautiful countryside.

Transparency & Accountability: A strong community relies on trust and open communication between residents and their elected officials. Council decisions should never feel hidden or rushed without the input of the people they affect. By keeping an open door policy and hosting town halls, we ensure your voice is heard before any final votes are cast.

Community Service: Our local service groups and volunteers are the true heartbeat of Caledon. Expanding our community events, public parks, and local recreation ensures that everyone especially our growing senior population, has spaces to stay active, social, and healthy. When we invest in these accessible, shared spaces, we reduce isolation and create a stronger, more supportive town for every generation.

Cheryl Connors: 1. Affordability and financial responsibility
Many residents—particularly seniors and those on fixed incomes—are worried that rising property taxes will make it difficult for them to remain in their homes. Even if most planned major new development will occur outside Ward 4, residents here could still be asked to help pay for the roads and services that development requires. Council must control spending, establish clear priorities, and ensure that existing taxpayers are not left carrying the cost of future growth.

2. Road safety and heavy truck traffic
Speeding, dangerous driving and heavy truck traffic are among the most immediate concerns for Ward 4 residents. Our rural roads were not designed for today’s traffic volumes or the number of large trucks using them. We need stronger enforcement, safer road design, timely maintenance and continued action on Caledon’s declared Road Safety Emergency.

3. Protecting Caledon’s rural and environmental character
Ward 4’s agricultural lands, villages, Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, forests, water and clean air are central to our identity and quality of life. These irreplaceable assets face growing pressure from aggregate operations, illegal land uses, large-scale commercial fill, data centres, and inappropriate development. We must support our agricultural community while ensuring that economic activity does not come at the expense of residents’ health or the environment.

4. Transparent, accountable and responsive local government
Ward 4 residents deserve to be heard before decisions affecting their communities are made—not after the fact. Town Hall must be more transparent about how and why decisions are reached, and elected officials must be accountable for those decisions. As Caledon changes, Ward 4 also needs a strong voice to ensure it receives its fair share of municipal attention, services and investment.

Paul Parete: The Role of a Councillor

The role of a Councillor is two-fold: to serve as an accessible, responsive advocate for local residents and to act as a disciplined, evidence-based steward of the Town’s future. It requires listening to Ward 4 constituents, translating their day-to-day concerns—like safe streets, reliable services, and fair taxes—into concrete policy, and making balanced, transparent decisions at Council that serve the long-term good of the entire municipality.

Why I Am Running

Having lived in Caledon for almost 25 years—raising my family here and planning to retire here—I am deeply invested in our community’s direction. Relying on the reactive, business-as-usual approach simply will not work against the complex growth and financial pressures we face today. After a 25-year career as a federal public servant, I have the experience needed to manage public funds responsibly, analyze complex data, and build constructive relationships across all levels of government. I am running to bring modern, evidence-based leadership and real accountability to Town Hall on behalf of my neighbours and community.

Heather French: As your Councillor, my role is to be your voice, manage your tax dollars responsibly, and make municipal government open and transparent. I am running for Council to be a reliable voice for the people at the council table because local government works best when it listens closely to the community it serves.

Caledon is at a pivotal crossroads, and residents need leadership that is focused on putting Caledon first. My priority will always be protecting our community's long-term health, managing growth responsibly, and ensuring that every decision made serves the interests of local families and taxpayers.

Cheryl Connors: A Councillor’s first responsibility is to represent residents and ensure their voices are heard before decisions are made—not after. The role requires listening, researching issues, asking informed and tough questions, carefully reviewing how public money is spent, and making decisions in the public interest. A Councillor must also be accessible, help residents navigate Town Hall and advocate strongly for the ward while considering what is best for Caledon as a whole.

I am not running on a slate, or to join a new voting block on Council. With every decision I am asked to make, I will ask:

Does it protect our water, air quality, and environment?
Does it promote the health and safety of residents?
Can our infrastructure support it?
Is it financially responsible?
Has the public been meaningfully consulted?
Is this decision in the public interest?

I am running because, after 25 years of living in Caledon and advocating for this community, I understand both the issues we face and how municipal and provincial governments work. I have helped stop an improper gravel-pit expansion, pressed for the cleanup of a toxic industrial dump that threatened local wells, advocated for stronger aggregate policies and air-quality protections, and helped secure Caledon’s declaration of a Road Safety Emergency.

Ward 4 deserves a Councillor who will be independent, prepared and unafraid to speak up. I am not running to begin learning about Caledon’s issues after the election—I am running because I have the knowledge, experience and commitment to be an effective voice for residents from day one.

Paul Parete: I have never been a politician, and I hold no affiliations with current or past elected officials. My involvement in Caledon has always been at the grassroots level as a 25-year resident, parent, and active community volunteer in local youth sports and watershed conservation. I am entering this race not to play politics, but as an independent, accessible neighbor who wants to bring practical solutions and real accountability to Town Hall.

Experience That Prepares Me for the Role

My preparation comes from 25 years as a physical scientist and public servant managing complex environmental policy and public funds:

Evidence-Based Leadership: Decades of evaluating technical data, assessing environmental risks, and making objective, fact-based choices ensure I will address development, water safety, and growth with scientific rigor rather than guesswork.

Fiscal Stewardship: Managing public money on budget and delivering cost-effective results has equipped me to safeguard municipal tax dollars.

Intergovernmental Collaboration: I have spent my career building consensus across multi-agency teams and different levels of government—a vital skill for securing provincial and regional funding for Caledon's priorities.

Heather French: My experience in Caledon politics includes serving on the Committee of Adjustment and the provincial Greenbelt Council, this has given me a strong background in local planning, bylaws and understanding the concerns of residents. As a local business owner, farmer and former schoolteacher I understand the direct needs of our families, youth, and agricultural community. My decades of leadership and service include supporting youth sports, 4-H, school councils, and the Bolton Fall Fair. With experience in both local and provincial government, I am ready to bring practical, common-sense solutions to our town.

Cheryl Connors: For decades, I have been a strong and persistent voice for Caledon residents. My advocacy has focused on responsible planning, environmental protection, clean air and water, road safety, government accountability and ensuring residents have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their communities.

I have been actively involved in Caledon politics as a resident, community organizer and relentless advocate. I founded the Palgrave Residents Association, served as a director of Gravel Watch Ontario and was a director of the Caledon Chamber of Commerce. I have regularly appeared before Council as a delegate and served on several Town planning committees and working groups. I have reviewed reports and bylaws, worked with municipal and provincial officials, and used the media to bring public attention to important community issues.

My advocacy has produced tangible results. Working with other committed residents, I helped stop an improper below-the-water-table expansion of the Brock gravel pit, pressed for the cleanup of a toxic industrial dump that threatened local wells, advocated for stronger aggregate policies and air-quality protections, and helped secure Caledon’s declaration of a Road Safety Emergency.

Here is a small sample of recent delegations:

https://cheryl4caledon.ca/council-advocacy/

Here is a small sample of my Caledon advocacy covered by national and local media.

https://cheryl4caledon.ca/media/

I am proud of what I have accomplished as a resident by doing the research, building support and refusing to give up when action was needed. I am running for Council because I believe I can accomplish even more with a formal voice and vote at the Council table. I want to put my experience, determination and knowledge of Caledon to work delivering meaningful results for Ward 4 residents.

Paul Parete: Yes. As a physical scientist with 25 years of experience in watershed health and ecosystem management, I fully support the use of an ecosystem approach for development applications.

An ecosystem approach is not about stopping progress; it is about making smart, science-based decisions that evaluate the entire natural system before ground is broken. In Ward 4, that means looking beyond isolated land parcels to assess cumulative impacts on our headwaters, natural corridors, agricultural lands, and drinking water table.

Applying this model ensures development happens responsibly by:

Protecting Water Security: Safeguarding sensitive recharge zones, rivers, and private wells from contamination or over-allocation.

Preserving Ecological Integrity: Maintaining contiguous greenbelt networks and wildlife corridors rather than fragmenting local habitats.

Preventing Costly Risks: Utilizing environmental data upfront to avoid flood hazards, erosion, and infrastructure degradation that end up costing taxpayers later.

A modern, sustainable community requires evidence-based planning. Integrating an ecosystem approach into our planning framework protects our environment and guarantees long-term resilience for Caledon.

Heather French: The Town of Caledon uses a strategic planning approach and maintains an official plan to guide long-term community planning. This approach is meant to resemble an ecosystem approach because it allows for thoughtful considerations of nature, present infrastructure and long term planning. I support this approach as it looks at the whole picture instead of only considering one project at a time. Both residents and Town staff have a role in this system to ensure future developments are well thought out and good for the community. This method balances building needs with nature to protect our water, wildlife and neighbours, which prevents long term damage and saves money on future repairs.

Cheryl Connors: Yes. Development applications should not be assessed in isolation, because water, wildlife, forests, farmland and natural drainage systems do not stop at property lines. An ecosystem approach considers how a proposal may affect the broader environment—including cumulative impacts from other development—before decisions are made.

This is particularly important in Caledon, where the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, headwaters, wetlands and agricultural lands form interconnected natural systems. Development must be planned around these systems, with decisions based on sound science and long-term protection of our water, air, environment and residents’ health.

I have frequently delegated to Council on planning applications and argued for this very approach. This is a principle I have consistently advocated throughout my years of community involvement, and one I will continue to champion as Ward 4 Councillor.

Paul Parete: To give a responsible answer, I will not take a definitive position until I have thoroughly reviewed the proposed text, technical specifications, and legal implications of new site alteration bylaw alongside the existing fill bylaw.

As a physical scientist who has spent 25 years making evidence-based decisions, I do not vote on major policy shifts without first analyzing the hard data, understanding the operational impacts, and consulting with affected residents and experts.

My core goal, however, is clear: Caledon requires the strongest, most enforceable mechanism possible to stop illegal dumping, protect our agricultural soil, and prevent contamination of our local water table.

I will support whichever option delivers the strongest legal protection, highest environmental safety, and most transparent enforcement for Caledon.

Heather French: I support strengthening the Site Alteration Bylaw, specifically by narrowing agricultural exemptions. In my experience, the current leniencies allow for land-moving practices that can weaken local environmental protections and land stability. Tighter restrictions are necessary to ensure these activities actually support farming, rather than serving as a loophole for unregulated fill or major grading.

Cheryl Connors: I strongly oppose the proposed Site Alteration Bylaw because it would increase Caledon’s current limit of 10,000 cubic metres limited to farm uses and allow large-scale commercial fill operations.

This is not a question of finding better ways to manage or mitigate these operations. There is no combination of studies, monitoring or permit conditions that can adequately protect residents from the risks created by massive volumes of construction fill and years of heavy truck traffic. Large-scale fill operations threaten groundwater, air quality, road safety, farmland, municipal infrastructure and residents’ quality of life.

As I explained in my May 2025 presentation to Council, the experience with large-scale fill operations elsewhere in Ontario demonstrates a consistent pattern of significant contamination and serious impacts on surrounding communities. Once groundwater is contaminated, the damage is virtually impossible to reverse. Caledon should not expose its residents and water resources to that risk.

Before any updated by-law is tabled, I would require:

Retention of the existing maximum limit of 10,000 cubic metres.
Removal of every provision that would permit large-scale commercial fill operations exceeding that limit.
No delegated authority for staff to approve exemptions or higher volumes.
Stronger enforcement powers and penalties to address illegal dumping and violations of the existing by-law.
Full recovery of the Town’s monitoring, inspection, enforcement and remediation costs from those undertaking permitted site alterations.
Clear and mandatory protections for groundwater, farmland, natural heritage features, the Greenbelt and the Oak Ridges Moraine.

I have participated actively throughout this process. On May 20, 2025, I delegated to Caledon Council against the proposal to permit large-scale fill at 0 Shaws Creek Road, known as Swan Lake. I also attended and spoke at the Town’s Site Alteration By-law public open house on September 29th, 2025 and participated in the subsequent public process, including the May 4th, 2026 open house. I repeatedly raised concerns about increasing the existing 10,000-cubic-metre limit, the risks demonstrated by large-scale fill operations elsewhere in Ontario, and the lack of meaningful public consultation.

My involvement in this issue goes back even further. I participated extensively in the consultation process arising from Caledon’s two-year Interim Control By-law in 2016, which examined how to modernize the Town’s fill by-law while protecting Caledon from large-scale commercial fill operations.

Paul Parete: Yes, absolutely. While Caledon offers great large-scale community hubs in urban centers like Bolton and Southfields, residents in our smaller villages and rural pockets like Palgrave often feel underserved. There is always room for improvement, and we need to ensure every corner of Ward 4 gets real value from their tax dollars.

My approach will be driven by both hard data and direct community feedback:

Direct Community Input: Rather than Town Hall deciding from afar what a village needs, I will actively consult local residents, youth, and seniors to identify missing programs—whether that’s youth drop-in sports, local outdoor fitness classes, or senior social activities.

Mobile & Satellite Programming: We should leverage local halls, school spaces, and parks to bring instructors, pop-up workshops, and mobile recreation equipment directly into smaller communities.

Data-Driven Evaluation: Using participation rates, facility usage metrics, and demographic trends to allocate recreation budgets fairly across urban and rural wards.

Every Caledon resident, no matter where they live, deserves convenient access to high-quality recreation close to home.

Heather French: Yes, population size should not determine your quality of life. Ward 4 residents pay taxes and deserve the exact same access to services as the rest of Caledon. Instead of centralizing everything in the south, we need to bring recreational programming, fitness classes, and community events directly into our smaller towns and villages.

Cheryl Connors: Yes. Rural residents deserve the same attention, services and respect as residents in every other part of our growing community. Bringing people together is one of my key campaign commitments. I will work with residents to improve our local parks and create more community events and recreational opportunities that help neighbours connect.

Our community was devastated when we lost the ability to skate on our beloved Palgrave Pond. The artificial rink at Palgrave Park is simply not an adequate replacement. Ward 4 has very few parks, and residents have frequently raised concerns about inadequate maintenance, underused spaces and the lack of new amenities.

I have already reached out to our new Wards 4/5/6 Regional Councillor-elect Tony Rosa to discuss how we can work together to create more meaningful events and recreation opportunities in our community. The best ideas will come from the people who live here, and I will ensure residents are directly involved in deciding how our parks, recreation programs and community spaces can better serve them.

Paul Parete: To provide an honest and responsible answer, my first priority will be to thoroughly review current municipal traffic assessments, peak-volume data, and speed study results alongside direct feedback from local residents before committing to specific measures.

Alleviating traffic safety and volume concerns across Ward 4—especially around school zones, residential streets, and major transit corridors requires an evidence-based approach rather than guesswork or reactive political promises.

When evaluating paths forward, I will focus on three core areas:

Data-Driven Diagnostics: Utilizing traffic counts, speed radar data, and collision histories to pinpoint exact problem areas and determine where speed reduction, physical calming measures, or active enforcement will have the highest impact.

Community-Led Feedback: Consulting directly with neighbourhood residents to understand daily safety pinch points that automated studies might miss—such as unsafe pedestrian crossings, sightline hazards, or bypass traffic.

Proactive Planning & Regional Collaboration: Partnering with Peel Region and neighboring municipalities to manage heavy-truck routing and regional transit flow, ensuring through-traffic stays on designated arterial roads and off our quiet local streets.

By pairing hard traffic science with real community input, we can deliver practical, lasting solutions that keep our streets safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.

Heather French: I believe we need both education and enforcement to fix our traffic issues. First, we must work directly with town staff and the OPP to increase police presence, helping us crack down on dangerous drivers and illegal vehicles. Second, we need to improve our infrastructure. Roads need to be designed and built to handle the current and future volumes. Third, we need to launch community education programs to teach safer habits on our roads and trails. By combining police enforcement, improved infrastructure and community awareness, we can keep our streets safe for everyone.

Cheryl Connors: Traffic safety requires more than reacting after serious collisions occur. I have advocated for safer roads for years and helped secure Caledon’s declaration of a Road Safety Emergency. That declaration must now be followed by sustained action and measurable results.

Our traffic-safety plan must be built on the fundamental belief that deaths and serious injuries on our roads are preventable and unacceptable. People will make mistakes, but those mistakes should not cost them—or someone else—their life.

Addressing this complex problem requires a coordinated approach involving traffic planners and engineers, police, emergency responders, public-health professionals, policymakers and residents. Meaningful collaboration among these groups has not always been the norm, and that must change. Road design, speed, driver behaviour, technology, enforcement and public policy all contribute to whether people reach their destinations safely.

We need targeted enforcement in known problem areas, safer road design, improvements at dangerous intersections, better maintenance and stronger controls on heavy truck traffic. Decisions should be guided by collision data, traffic volumes and the concerns of residents who use these roads every day. Clear goals must be established, progress must be measured and the results must be reported publicly.

I have also publicly advocated for a moratorium on approvals for new truck-dependent industries. Caledon has reached the tipping point where our roads and communities cannot safely accommodate an ever-increasing number of heavy trucks while still protecting residents. Until the Town has a credible plan to address truck volumes and road safety, it should not continue approving uses that will add hundreds more truck trips.

Every traffic fatality must be treated as a failure of our road-safety system—not as an unavoidable cost of growth. I pledge to be a Councillor who will be relentless in keeping road safety on Council’s agenda and pressing for meaningful, timely action.

Paul Parete: Yes. While Caledon has basic mechanisms like a public registry and code of conduct on paper, there is a clear difference between technical compliance and genuine, open-government transparency. Residents frequently express frustration over key decisions, major planning proposals, and administrative direction feeling pre-determined behind closed doors before ever reaching a public Council meeting.

True transparency is not just posting an agenda a few days in advance; it requires proactively inviting community oversight before major choices are locked in.

To build real public trust, Town Hall must improve in three key areas:

Clear, Evidence-Based Explanations; Early and Authentic Consultation; Proactive Public Updates.

Operating with openness and accountability builds community confidence and ensures every resident understands how their tax dollars and local interest are being represented.

Heather French: Yes, Council and staff should always be open and honest with the public. Working transparently builds trust and keeps everyone connected. This can be done by holding regular meetings to listen to residents and sending updates through social media, letters, or emails. Finally, answering questions in a timely manner and making information easy to find ensures that the town runs efficiently and truly serves its people.

Cheryl Connors: Yes. Restoring transparency and accountability at Town Hall is my top commitment to residents. Public engagement must be meaningful, and residents must be heard while they can still influence a decision—not after plans have effectively been finalized.

Residents have the right to know what decisions are being considered, what they will cost, what alternatives were examined and why a recommendation is being made. Reports and supporting information should be released early, written in understandable language and discussed publicly whenever possible. Closed meetings should be limited to circumstances where confidentiality is genuinely required by law.

Town staff must provide complete, objective advice, while elected Councillors must question that advice and remain accountable for the final decisions. I will ask informed and tough questions, explain my decisions and ensure Caledon has a strong voice at every level of government.

Paul Parete: Yes, absolutely. The Integrity Commissioner process exists to enforce ethics, accountability, and public trust. However, when it is weaponized as a political tool for minor disputes or personal friction, it wastes significant taxpayer dollars and distracts Council from delivering real results for Caledon.

Researching alternative resolution mechanisms is a practical, evidence-based way to protect municipal resources while maintaining high ethical standards. Council should focus its time and budget on infrastructure, smart growth, and community safety. Creating an efficient system to resolve minor issues quietly and fairly keeps the focus where it belongs—on serving the people.

Heather French: If elected, I will fully support a better system for handling everyday workplace disagreements. Our goal should be to solve problems early through open communication and teamwork, rather than jumping straight to costly, formal complaints. This common-sense approach will save taxpayer money, help staff work together more effectively, and keep our local government accountable.

Cheryl Connors: Yes. I have raised this issue through delegations to Council across multiple terms because I believe the Integrity Commissioner process has become increasingly politicized. Rather than resolving conflict and improving governance, it has too often contributed to divided, adversarial and dysfunctional Councils.

Serious ethical misconduct must always be independently investigated. However, not every disagreement, procedural mistake or lapse in judgment requires a costly formal investigation. I would support implementing a system that emphasizes Council training, confidential advice, coaching, mediation and facilitated resolution before a formal complaint proceeds, whenever appropriate.

Respectful disagreement and open dialogue are cornerstones of democracy. By balancing the punitive aspects of the Integrity Commissioner process with education and early intervention, Council members can learn to have more productive conversations, disagree without making conflict personal, and resolve appropriate issues before they escalate.

The goal is not to weaken accountability. It is to build a stronger culture of ethics, professionalism and mutual respect so that Council can spend less time managing internal conflict and more time serving the public interest.