September 21, 2026
86
Incumbent Huron-Kinloss mayor Don Murray is facing competition from newcomer Shawn Plante in the Oct. 26 municipal election.
Here is an opportunity to meet both candidates and learn about their platforms.
An all-candidates will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m., at the Lucknow Community Centre, hosted by the Lucknow and District Chamber of Commerce.
DON MURRAY
Don Murray has lived in Huron-Kinloss Township his entire life. He and his wife, Barb, own and operate a farm which includes a cow/calf beef herd, backgrounding cattle, operating a custom haying business, and a small livestock trucking business. They have four grown children and six (soon to be seven) grandchildren who mostly all call Huron-Kinloss home.
"Growing up in Huron-Kinloss, I learned at a very young age how to work hard," he says. "Farming is not a nine-to-five job for five days a week, and neither is being mayor. Both are 24/7 responsibilities that I take great pride in.
"It's been my privilege to serve on Huron-Kinloss council since 2006, first as councillor, then as deputy mayor in 2018, and in 2022, I was elected mayor. I also bring two years of experience as deputy warden of Bruce County.
"I have developed the skills, commitment, and the leadership needed to keep our community moving forward. I understand the priorities that matter to local families, farmers, businesses, seniors and youth."
Murray is running for re-election because he loves this community, and ultimately, because he still believes he can make a positive difference.
"I care deeply about Huron-Kinloss and the people who call it home, as well as those who come for a visit," he says. "Leadership is not about promising that every problem can be solved or that everyone will always agree. Leadership is being willing to listen, having honest conversations, making informed decisions and accepting responsibility for those decisions after they’re made.
"Affordability, infrastructure and responsible municipal spending, are three things that are facing not just Huron-Kinloss but every municipality in the province. Like most families across Ontario, residents of Huron-Kinloss are dealing with higher costs of living. The municipal government cannot control the price of groceries, fuel or housing, but it can control how responsibly it manages taxpayers' money at the local level."
Murray says roads, bridges, drainage, water systems, buildings and other infrastructure require significant investment.
"Delaying necessary maintenance can, ultimately, cost taxpayers more," he says. "My solution has been a disciplined, long-term approach to municipal spending. Before new expenditures and projects are approved, council should clearly understand the long-term cost to taxpayers over the lifecycle involved. Major projects should have realistic budgets, timelines and ongoing operating costs and those should be clearly understood up-front.
"At the same time, we cannot simply defer infrastructure maintenance to keep taxes artificially low. Responsible financial management means making the necessary investments while looking for efficiencies and external funding and partnerships, wherever possible."
He says that residents deserve to know where their tax dollars are going and why.
"I have supported greater public communication around major municipal expenditures, infrastructure priorities and long-term financial planning," he says. "This is why I started 'Morning Break with the Mayor” which has been held in all corners of the township over the past four years. I have always been approachable. I will continue to have conversations with the residents about a concern, and I will continue to work hard to find solutions. As mayor, my approach has been straightforward: listen, investigate, explain and decide.
"Huron-Kinloss does not need to choose between growth and preservation, or between responsible spending and maintaining essential services. With thoughtful planning and accountable leadership, we can do both.
"Our community has a strong foundation. The responsibility now is to protect what we have, address the challenges ahead and make decisions that our children and grandchildren will be proud of for years to come.
"Huron-Kinloss is worth protecting, it is worth investing in, and it is worth leading with integrity. If residents give me the opportunity to serve another term, I will continue to bring energy, experience, honesty and a commitment to maintaining open and transparent governance. I will continue to listen. I will continue to show up. And I will continue to work for the future of all of Huron-Kinloss. I believe experience matters. This October, I ask for your support."
SHAWN PLANTE
Shawn Plante lives in Point Clark where he and his partner run a merchandise printing company and are building their home.
"Although I've called the township home for years, my roots in Bruce County run deep — having grown up throughout Walkerton and the Riversdale area before eventually returning to the community I considered home. I also have two adult sons, who resided in the city."
He is running for mayor to bring transparency and accountability to the people of the township and give them a voice in a time when trust in government is declining.
Plante says his background in continuous improvement and process engineering — combined with real-world experience as a butcher, factory worker, and transport driver — gives him the ability to apply analytical, data-driven solutions to everyday challenges, problems and large-scale issues, alike.
He says the top three issues facing the township are:
Infrastructure and the cost to maintain it
The tax burden and long-term financial stability
Trust, accountability, and transparency — decisions must be transparent, growth must be responsible, and residents need to know their voices are actually being heard
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
Related Stories
No related stories.