Five questions with Ian Roberts, candidate for Brockville council in the 2026 municipal election

Editor’s note: To help voters to be better informed, Brockvilleist will be asking the same five questions of all council candidates in advance of the municipal election, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Questions were sent to all candidates on Sept. 4, 2026. We will publish their responses as we receive them. Below are the responses from candidate Ian Roberts.

1) Tell us a little bit about your professional background, including any prior municipal or other political participation, as well as about you personally. What made you want to run for council?

As an introduction, I am a Brockville native. I retired from the federal government in 2019 after 30 years service and moved back to Brockville to help my elderly parents. When I have spare time, I am researching my family tree and I am trying, with some success, to learn to play guitar. I have deep roots in the community. My ancestors include those who came from Ireland in the early 1800s escaping the rebellions.

My ancestors also include Loyalists, Home Children and entrepreneurs. In addition to being owner/operator of the Capital Theatre, my maternal grandfather, Jack McLennan, served on council starting in 1948. Like him, rather than complain from the sidelines, I decided to run for council in order to help change things for the better for everyone.

2) How would you describe your personal political ideology and/or affiliation?

I became a member of the Board of Commissioners for the St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) because of my interest in history and in developing tourism in the region.

I am not now a member of any political party, but it is no secret that I have been politically active in the past. I was president of the provincial PC riding association in Scarborough Centre. I worked as an assistant for Senator Bob Runciman (Ret.) when he was our MPP and minster of government services and minister of consumer and commercial relations. For those that want to pin me on some right-left spectrum, I am firmly a fiscal conservative but tend to be more liberal when it comes to social issues.

3) What are the three most common issues voters bring up to you as you campaign?

When it comes to campaigning, the top three things that people bring up while chatting, be they neighbours, family or people I meet on the street are taxes, taxes, and let me think, oh yeah, taxes. It is important as a council member to be open to input from community members.

4) What three issues are most pressing or important to address locally in your opinion?

It is also important to take a stand going in. The main plank for my campaign is to focus on ensuring council keeps taxes in check. That means no frills, no funding for pet projects, no money spent outside the community and no new projects without balancing those new demands with corresponding cuts to fund them. I will also be pushing to reinstate annual audits to ensure overall accountability and fighting to put a finance committee in place that will allow citizen input, thus improving transparency and council accountability.

Growing up, the downtown core was vibrant, but not so much anymore. I recently drove down King Street one late Friday afternoon and the whole area looked to be closed.

Any revitalization of the downtown core that will bring more people into the core will not start without addressing what to do with the Woolworth property. That façade has not changed much since the building became vacant in 2004. It has been an eye sore and white elephant since. I am recommending the formation of a citizen committee to develop proposals going forward.

For my part, I do not think revitalization necessarily means more retail. Making the Woolworth site an office complex that could attract private sector investment and bring white-collar jobs comprised of young people making six-figure salaries would be a boon to business. The same goes for the Brockville Shopping Centre. There has been lots of chin wagging about its future, but little evidence much is happening beyond some fresh asphalt around the Tesla chargers.

Finally, many people come to the Brockville waterfront for the views and to watch ships pass. Adding more seasonal dining options at the waterfront would be a boost. The waterfront is also a draw for divers who explore the nearby shipwrecks. What about those who do not dive? Why not explore private partnerships with tourist-style submarine tour operators? I have taken similar type tours in Honolulu and found them very interesting.

5) What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?

For myself, I have been trolled on Facebook by a couple people saying things like “great, just what we need, another old white guy.”

Well, that also comes with experience. I have over five years private sector experience coupled with 30 years in the federal public service. Just because I am not a spring chicken does not mean that I am afraid of change or do not have fresh ideas. I have always been ahead of the curve on innovation. I was pushing remote work and telecommuting for over ten years before COVID made it mandatory.

Age does not equal lack of imagination. And initiative does not go away at 65, like I say to young people at my guitar lessons when they suggest that us older guys don’t know how to rock and roll. They seem to forget that we invented it, and we’re still out there keeping the beat!