Community Candidate Survey: 2026 Municipal Election

You’re invited to contribute a candidate survey question

Get Involved Guelph (GIG) is inviting local community organizations to collaborate in the preparation of a community candidate survey of people running for the office of city councillor and city mayor in the 2026 municipal election.

We’re asking each organization to submit a question, based on your organization’s understanding of the issues and your values, that will provide voters with some information to help them make their vote.

Please note that GIG is a non partisan organization. We do not endorse candidates but we do hold strong values that we hope all candidates will support in their civic leadership.

Why a collaborative candidate survey?

• Voters need information on which to base their vote choice. Incumbent candidates (those currently on council, sitting as mayor, etc.)  have a track record that can be used to inform voters. New candidates do not. A candidate survey gives all candidates the chance to share their positions on the various issues voters care about
• Past experience has indicated that candidates are overwhelmed with the number of candidate surveys they receive from various local organizations. A collaborative survey will reduce  that burden
• A collaborative survey prepared through the work of many groups is likely to receive a higher response rate from candidates
• Candidate survey questions let candidates know what voters think is important

Important dates

Sample draft candidate survey questions

It can be challenging to prepare an effective candidate survey question. Here are some guidelines:

• Restrict questions to areas that have significant municipal responsibility associated with them. For example, national defense is not a municipal issue
• Allow for more than yes or no questions. Use a mix of question types, including short and long answer questions
• Address an issue that’s of significant importance to the community

Draft examples, for illustration only

• What are your top three priorities for addressing climate change in Guelph?
• New suburban growth at the edge of the city has been demonstrated to be a big cost driver for city taxes. Will you work to keep taxes down by reducing this kind of development and favour urban intensification? Yes    No      Undecided     25 word short answer
• Vehicle traffic has increased dramatically in the city. What initiatives would you support to address/alleviate this daily problem?
• The city has reduced the role of advisory groups. Are you in favor of reversing this so that citizens again have this means of communicating with city council?
• Are you a regular transit rider in Gueph? What would you work to bring about so that you would take transit in our city?
• Do you think that city water rates contribute to the affordability crisis? How would you change the current situation so that local water is more affordable and also conserved?
  

Submit or comment on GIG candidate survey questions

We invite groups and individuals to submit, suggest edits, or comment on candidate survey questions. Email us.