Lauren Anderson
I am excited to represent my municipality in this campaign. I have been serving my community my entire life and these last 4 years on council has further affirmed to me how important it is to make good respectful relationships with all. That includes the community, council, administration, the province and various ministries, and the federal leaders. With an active forward thinking and respected leader guiding and working towards the best possible outcomes for all of CK.
As a nurse, I have mastered the multidisciplinary approach to care incorporating all disciplines to have the best possible patient outcomes.
I have used this approach to gain the respect, trust, and execute goals that are important and needed for ward one. Working with the community, administration, and the province (MNR) to secure millions of dollars of funding to support the exploration, resolve, and rebuild of Wheatley.
Further, Secure a new plan for reopening Talbot Trail that saves millions of tax payers dollars and will be open next year. This plan came together by community engagement with me, administration, and the support of council. Working with the Ministry of Culture regarding the delay due to indigenous findings and having support from our local MPP’s office throughout the process.
The future is a bright one with this new plan of care for CK and I’m honoured to be able to lead us into a future CK that’s thriving.
Michael Bondy
Michael Bondy is a veteran community leader with over two decades of dedicated service to Chatham-Kent, bridging the worlds of private enterprise and public governance. First elected to Chatham-Kent Council in 2010, Michael is currently serving his fourth term representing the residents of Ward 6 (Chatham). His tenure on Council has been marked by a steadfast commitment to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and a focus on essential municipal services.
Before entering public office, Michael was a cornerstone of the local business community as the owner and operator of Bondy’s Dry Cleaners for more than 20 years, from 1999 to 2020. Running a small business provided him with first-hand knowledge of the economic realities facing local entrepreneurs—including the pressures of managing budgets, navigating regulations, and meeting payroll. This experience honed his “no-nonsense” approach to financial oversight, which he brought directly to the Council table to champion smarter spending of taxpayer dollars.
A proud graduate of the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Michael has always believed that effective leadership requires understanding the needs of both urban and rural residents. In addition to his political roles, he is deeply involved in community service, having volunteered with the Rotary Club of Chatham, Operation Cover-Up for the United Way, and the Victorian Order of Nurses. As a father of five, Michael’s commitment to the future of Chatham-Kent is personal, driven by a desire to build a prosperous and sustainable community for the next generation.
Nelson Burm
My name is Nelson Burm and I am a 47 yr old full time farmer just south of WALLACEBURG where I’ve lived my whole life! Graduated from high school and went straight into farming full time raising beef cattle with my grandpa , dad and uncle and cousins!
I know farm on my own for the past 10 yrs or more and grow cash crops ! Corn, beans, beets , some times wheat and machine harvested Cumcumbers as well Also have grown other crops such as green peas, sweet corn , seed corn and beans for tofu overseas market!
In addition to farming I custom haul a bit of gravel , gravel and tomatoes and other products in the past!
I own a Krown rust protection business in town for 3 yrs now and that diversity opens new ventures and a whole new reality to me in the retail business!!
I love business and finance, negotiating deals and I am definitely a Leader more than a follower!!
With a strong mindset and business sense way of thinking I am creative and innovative with determination to achieve my goals with a can do attitude!!
My dad always taught me that there is always a way and always said you got to try and try harder until you succeed and that nothing comes easy, it’s you who has to make it happen!! My dad was never easy on me and showed me all the time that even the hardest of the worst challenges where nothing that I couldn’t achieve!! There was no option of it can’t be done!! He would help me it I needed help but only to teach me how it’s done , not to give me an easy way out!!
This is where I get my ambition and determination from and my big goals I set that I must accomplish and I always do, it’s just a matter of time that I always do!!
I want to become… cough cough , I will become the NEW MAYOR of Chatham Kent because it’s means a lot to me to oversee all of CK not just have a say in my own area !! My goals as Mayor of CK is to improve the lifestyles of our ppl in every community to create a much more brighter vision with better health and happier mindsets, more ambition and bring new jobs to support the lives we have here!!
Some of my goals are to lower taxes, improve hwys and rural rds , improve traffic safety , improve healthcare and solve the issues of homelessness and drug issue that are becoming a serious problem here in CK!!
I won’t have it !! We will not allow this lifestyle to form any further in Ck and I want to work as a team with all of CK to help the homeless and help addicts heal for the evils that came to them!! He can help with us working together with a goal!! TEAM stands for Together, Everyone, Achieve lbs , More , and we together will achieve great success as I am all about success and efficiency and productivity!!
I want to bring a whole new positive vibe with a bright vision that shows CK cares for its ppl in Every Single Community here in CK as we strive for growth and prosperity and happiness which we will attract new businesses and new friends who will come to nest seeing what a great municipal we have here!!
Thx to the more than 30 ppl who gave me their signatures to get me nominated into this position to campaign for Mayor as I put forth the effort to collect signatures from WALLACEBURG to Dresden to tilbury to Chatham to Blenheim!! Young and older men and women, I wanted to feel and see the ppls welsome of support for me and I greatly appreciate all of them very much!! Thank you and I cheer everyone on in the campaign runnings of Council and Mayor !!
Plz vote with your heart where it counts with the vision for our CK, to succeed and grow and prosper as we transition to a brighter healthier future come October elections.
Darrin Canniff
First elected as Mayor in 2018, Darrin Canniff says Chatham-Kent has undergone a significant transformation, reversing years of population decline and positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing communities in Southwestern Ontario. Since becoming Mayor, Chatham-Kent has seen a population increase of 8.1%, which is the municipality’s strongest period of growth in more than two decades.
Canniff says he will continue to focus on responsible growth throughout all areas of Chatham-Kent, including increased investments in rural infrastructure, road rehabilitation, community facilities, and housing development.
Throughout his time as Mayor, Canniff has strongly promoted community pride and positivity, frequently championing local events, businesses, recreation, tourism, and economic development initiatives. He says fostering optimism and confidence in the community has been a key part of Chatham-Kent’s recent success.
Canniff also pointed to the relationships and connections he has developed with provincial and federal leaders as critical tools in advocating for Chatham-Kent on major issues facing the community, including homelessness, mental health, addictions, healthcare, infrastructure funding, and economic development.
Canniff says his vision for the future remains focused on ensuring Chatham-Kent continues moving in the right direction.
Canniff is a chartered accountant and has applied this skillset to ensure that the Municipality is in a strong financial position. Under his leadership municipal debt levels have been reduced by approximately 100 million dollars. This has resulted in Chatham-Kent having one of the lowest debt levels of all Ontario municipalities.
One of Canniff’s significant accomplishments is the Councillor Ward Funding Program, which he negotiated funding through Hydro One. This program, at no cost to tax paying residents, has contributed to the development of the Wallaceburg Legion Branch 18 Memorial Wall honoring veterans, the Wallaceburg BIA “River of Light” holiday lighting project, the Downtown Chatham mural project and Canadian flags and brackets along King Street, the Taylor Park basketball court stencil project, the Ridgetown 150th anniversary commemorative trees, the Mary Webb Centre stained-glass dome rehabilitation, the Mitchell’s Bay kayak launch, the Dresden BIA cultural banner installations, the Wheatley Legion veteran banners, the “SheLeads” documentary celebrating women in Chatham Kent, the J.G. Taylor Park improvements, along with numerous art installations and recreational facility enhancements across all areas the municipality.