It is almost the new year. With the new year, we start afresh with hopes for many things to come. At The Leader, we have compiled a list of things we would like to see happen in 2026.
The new year is also a municipal election year. Municipal voters will head to the polls in October to elect mayors, deputy mayors, and councillors. We need to have a robust slate of candidates for all positions in every municipality. Voters in South Dundas were fortunate in 2022 as they had contested races for mayor, deputy mayor, and councillor. In North Dundas, a lacklustre campaign saw both the mayor and deputy mayor positions acclaimed. Citizens deserve to have that robust slate of candidates to choose from and real options before them.
An engaged electorate goes hand in hand with a strong slate of candidates. People need to pay attention to their municipal governments and who is running them, as municipal governance has the most direct — or at least the most noticeable — impact on daily life. Services such as snow plowing, garbage collection, roads, water, recreation programs and emergency services are municipal responsibilities or are managed by municipalities. After years of public disengagement, greater focus and attention are needed. Near-record property tax increases and service-level discussions — including South Dundas nearly implementing development charges — underscore the importance of early public involvement. People should not be reacting to municipal issues after decisions are made; they should be engaged from the start.
Housing is still an issue in Canada and locally in South Dundas. While it is great that 17 new low-income/geared-to-income rental units opened in Morrisburg in 2025, there is a need for more. There are two housing developments building more than 450 new homes for purchase here, and that is also welcome. There are few — if any — rental units being built. Meanwhile, our community grows. In 2026, we want to see more done to bring affordable housing here and in the region.
Area organizations continue to face a volunteer drought, with schools, sports, recreation and public service groups struggling to find even the minimum volunteers needed. In 2026, we want to see more people roll up their sleeves and help out.
Tied with housing is economic development. We do not want to only see new announcements of businesses and opportunities arriving, we want to see the work being done to market South Dundas as a place to build, to work, and to grow.
Lastly, specifically for the current South Dundas council, we challenge them to do more than just harvest the crop of ideas that was sown by past councils. We challenge them to plant new crops of ideas to continue progress for years to come.
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