Five questions with Chris Culhane, 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 Chris Culhane. You can view a full roundup of all our Brockville municipal coverage here.

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?

I’m someone who genuinely loves Brockville and the people who call this community home. Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to become more involved in our community. I took part in Tall Ships as a logistics coordinator, where I really enjoyed working alongside the committee members, volunteers, and everyone who helped make the event a success. Last year, I also had the opportunity to help with the Santa Claus Parade, and once again found myself really enjoying the experience of working with people throughout our community.

Those experiences made me start thinking more seriously about getting involved in municipal politics. With the next election approaching, I asked myself: why couldn’t I be a great councillor for the people of Brockville?

I hear people talking about wanting change, and I believe there is an opportunity to listen to those concerns and bring a fresh perspective to council. I want to be someone who listens to residents, understands what they’re going through and makes sure their voices are heard. For me, running for council isn’t just about holding a position — it’s about serving the community I love, working with people and making sure residents feel respected, supported, and understood. I believe Brockville has a lot of potential, and I want to be part of helping our city move forward.

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

I would describe myself as a practical, independent-minded person. I believe in listening to people, looking at the facts, and finding sensible, cost-effective solutions. My approach to politics isn’t about party politics or ideology — at the municipal level, I believe the focus should be on the needs of our community and providing good value for taxpayers.

I’m willing to listen to different points of view and work with anyone when it means achieving the best result for Brockville. My work experience has taught me the importance of reliability, hard work, problem-solving, and, most importantly, getting things done properly.

As someone who cares deeply about Brockville and its future, I want to see our city remain a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to live. I believe council needs to be accountable, make responsible financial decisions, plan for the long term, and address important issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, infrastructure, and responsible growth.

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

The three issues I hear most often from residents are homelessness, affordable housing and taxes. I also believe infrastructure needs to be a major priority for Brockville.

4. What three issues are most pressing/important to address locally in your opinion?

Homelessness is not just a Brockville problem — it’s an issue across Ontario. We need to work with all levels of government to develop better programs that help people who are struggling. People need a safe place to stay and access to the supports they need so they can work toward permanent housing and a more stable future.

That leads directly into affordable housing. We need to work with City staff and all levels of government to find practical solutions that will increase the availability of affordable housing in Brockville. I do have some ideas on this subject that I would bring forward if elected.

Infrastructure also needs to be a priority. We have infrastructure that needs attention, including roads, parks and facilities such as the gazebo at Hardy Park. I believe we need to take a serious look at where our money is going. For the next two years, I would be in favour of putting new projects on hold unless they are truly necessary, so we can concentrate on maintaining and repairing what we already have.

Taxes are another major concern for people in Brockville. I believe residents deserve responsible government and affordable property taxes. I don’t believe the answer is simply to cut services — we need our roads maintained, our infrastructure looked after, and our police and fire services properly supported. Before asking taxpayers for more money, council needs to make sure every tax dollar is being spent wisely. I would support a thorough review of City spending to identify efficiencies, unnecessary costs and opportunities for outside funding before increasing the burden on taxpayers. At the same time, Brockville needs to grow its tax base through responsible development, affordable housing, downtown investment and attracting new businesses. A growing tax base can help support city services without simply increasing the tax rate.

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

I’m not running to be a politician. I’m running to be a voice for the people of Brockville. What I bring to the table is a lifelong connection to this city and hands-on experience solving problems throughout my career — not just talking about them. I believe in listening, finding practical solutions and getting things done properly for the people of Brockville.