CENTRE WELLINGTON 2026 ELECTIONS – Current mayor Shawn Watters is looking to retain his position after the upcoming municipal election and is campaigning for a continuation of the current council’s efforts.
Watters spoke with The Grand @ 101 in a series where Centre Wellington’s mayoral candidates are interviewed about their platform and their vision for the Township.
As a longstanding member of Centre Wellington’s council Watters is looking to expand on the efforts and work completed by the current council and to continue fostering the relationships with other organizations and upper-tier government.
Growth
In every single mayoral candidate interview, so far, growth is at the forefront of the conversation.
Watters said adapting Centre Wellington for its mandated growth targets is a challenge, but the Township must be ready for the future.
Although part of maintaining Centre Wellington’s heritage, historic areas and significant environmental assets Watters said local farmland has to be protected.
He also said preserving farmland also bolsters local economic interest.
On the topic of economic growth Watters is encouraging more businesses flock to the Fergus Business Park and said Centre Wellington is in a great spot to expand on its agriculture sector.
Housing
Despite the Township of Centre Wellington setting itself up for its future Watters said housing needs to be addressed by the local government, despite the responsibility typically falling onto the laps of upper-tier government.
For Watters this property purchase is just the start of his vision; with a 25-year background of landscape architecture Watters wants to push an affordable housing pilot in Centre Wellington.
Watters did not disclose the exact details during the interview, but after the mic turned off, he revealed a concept to construct multiple homes on a single lot, ranging from around 600 to 1000 square-feet and using shared Township services to reduce utility costs per person.
To ensure an accessible market for Centre Wellington residents Watters said a mixture of housing must be built, including dedicated rental units.
Transit
Watters said transit is an important community service and at this time Centre Wellington is in the position to be making a decision on providing public transit for its residents.
He said transit goes both ways; it’s not only important to be moving the local population, but connecting residents from other communities could be a valuable asset.
Infrastructure
Every day thousands of residents travel between Centre Wellington and regional cities, mostly being Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo.
Watters is looking to continue working on addressing the amount of traffic entering Fergus.
While bridge maintenance was a major project of the preceding term and Watters said the benefits are still there, he is not looking to construct any new bridges due to the associated cost and time investment.
Tourism
Watters said tourism has always played a part in Fergus and Elora but has recognized it as another modern challenge in Centre Wellington.
He said it will be important to continue focusing on the paid parking system, bolstering transit connections and utilizing the Centre Wellington Economic Development and Tourism Municipal Services Corporation.
Communication and Transparency
If elected, Watters would continue to host Mayors’ Meetings and meet and greets with staff.
Strong Mayor Powers
Despite Centre Wellington receiving strong mayor powers last year, Watters has every intention of continuing to work with council in a collaborative manner.
Even in moments of disagreement Watters said he is not moving a decision unless support exceeds 75 per cent from council.
Ultimately in four-years time, Watters is hopeful Centre Wellington will expand its efforts into affordable housing, develop a robust paid parking system for Elora as part of a larger plan to address tourism.
To ensure a fair and equitable publication process The Grand @ 101 has reached out to every candidate (Bronwynne Wilton, Kelly Linton, Neil Dunsmore, Shawn Watters and Stephen Kitras) and ensured all avenues have been opened for an opportunity to speak with reporting staff. Publications will be released and broadcasted on weekdays based on a first-come first-serve basis.
Stay tuned with The Grand @ 101 for coverage on the mayoral debate (Sept. 23, 2026).
