Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Haldimand County is run by an elected council of 7 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the town day to day.

Current council

• MayorShelley Ann Bentleysbentley@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 1 (Deputy Mayor)Debera McKeendmckeen@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 2John Metcalfejmetcalfe@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 3Dan Lawrencedlawrence@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 4Brad Adamsbadams@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 5Rob Shirtonrshirton@haldimandcounty.ca
• Councillor, Ward 6Patrick O'Neillponeill@haldimandcounty.ca

Names and official email addresses from the town's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.

• Partly
  Budgets posted online

  The 2025 and 2026 budgets are shown in an online budget book (web application), which we could not download; 2021 to 2024 budgets are PDFs and the 2026 draft operating budget presentation is a PDF. The 2027 budget key dates are tentative, to be approved by the new council on November 16, 2026. Source

• Yes
  Audited financial statements

  Consolidated statements for 2021 to 2025 are posted. The 2025 statements carry an auditor's opinion from Millard, Rouse & Rosebrugh LLP dated August 25, 2026, saying they "present fairly". The 2024 statements went to Council on August 26, 2025. Source

• Unknown
  Council pay and expenses (s. 284)

  The County's expense policy says the Treasurer reports it each year by March 31. We did not find the statement on the pages we read, and we did not fill in a pay table. Source

• Unknown
  Meeting agendas, minutes and video

  The County says meetings are streamed live and recordings are kept, and agendas and minutes are on an eScribe portal. The portal returned a browser check to our script, so we did not read any minutes. Source

• Yes
  Integrity Commissioner reports

  Five yearly reports and four complaint reports are posted as PDFs. Some are on the eScribe portal, which blocked our script. Source

• Yes
  Mayoral decisions

  Each written strong mayor decision is posted as a PDF with a number, date and subject. Source

• Haldimand County on YouTube

  The County links its YouTube channel from its council meetings page, which says meetings can be watched live and viewed later as recordings. We did not check which meetings are posted there.

1. Send the request in writing to the town clerk (the freedom of information coordinator), on the town’s form or in a letter, with the $5 application fee.
2. Describe the records, not the answer you want. Dates, departments and the kind of record (a list, invoices, emails) make a request quicker and cheaper.
3. The town has 45 business days to answer (the law changed in 2026; older guides say 30 days). It can charge for search time and copies, but must send an estimate first if the fees will be over $25.
4. Some parts can be held back, such as legal advice or personal information about other people. The town must say which part of the law it relied on.
5. If you are refused, or the fees seem too high, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner within 30 business days of the town’s decision.

The town's request form (on its Forms page) · The law · Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

• Schedule of investments held at December 31, 2025

  Note 4 groups $311,271,709 into six types, including $165,049,676 in equity-linked principal protected notes. A list by issuer, amount, maturity and return shows what the notes are. Related question: Why did Haldimand County have to correct its 2024 books for its principal protected notes, and how much of its savings now moves with the stock market?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the County's schedule of investments held at December 31, 2025, showing for each holding the issuer, type, amount, purchase date, maturity date and return basis, and the most recent investment status report to Council.

  Copy the wording

• Council remuneration and expenses statement for 2025

  The County's expense policy says the Treasurer reports this by March 31 each year. We did not find the 2025 statement. Related question: Where is Haldimand County's yearly statement of what council members were paid and reimbursed?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the report by the Treasurer on Haldimand County Council remuneration and expenses for 2025 (and 2024), for each member of Council, as required by the Council Eligible Expense Policy and section 284 of the Municipal Act, 2001.

  Copy the wording

The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the town says a request is too broad or too costly.

1. Integrity Commissioner

   The County has an Integrity Commissioner under its Council Code of Conduct. His yearly reports (2021 to 2022 through 2025 to 2026) and complaint reports (2024, 2025 and 2026) are posted. A formal complaint costs a $200.00 deposit, refunded if the Commissioner finds it warrants investigation. The page says complaints may not be made during the election period.

2. Closed meeting investigator: Ontario Ombudsman

   The County says complaints about a closed meeting go to the Ontario Ombudsman, and links the online complaint form. We did not look for Ombudsman reports about Haldimand County.

3. Registry of declarations of pecuniary interest

   The County says it keeps a public conflicts registry and shows it behind a button on the page. We did not open it.

4. Mayoral decisions (strong mayor powers)

   The County says strong mayor powers were extended to it on May 1, 2025, and posts each written mayoral decision as a PDF.