Ward 1 councillor candidates

5 candidates · Two council seats

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5 Ward 1 councillor candidates across 15 comparison questions.
Candidate	01Offices held or sought	02Connection to Welland and the ward	03Education and credentials	04Work and leadership experience	05Municipal and public-service record	06Committee and community service	07Reasons for running and priorities	08Published priorities	09Budget and financial experience	10Council size and representation	13Prior election results	14Campaign contact details	15What is their position on Niagara amalgamation?
Kiron BondaleView candidate	Contested Ward 4 in the 2022 municipal election. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results	Moved to Welland in 2021 after 26 years in Mississauga. Volunteer with Open Arms Mission since November 2022, helping with food sorting and food-bank supplies. Advocacy on the Official Plan update and municipal amalgamation questions. SourcesCandidate biography LinkedIn — volunteer and board service	MBA from McGill University and Bachelor of Computer Science from Concordia University. Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2000. Earned PMI Risk Management Professional certification in 2011 and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner certification in 2017. SourcesCandidate biography WCP biography University of Waterloo instructor biography	Retired, with more than 30 years of leadership and project-management experience. Author of Easy in Theory, Difficult in Practice (2021). Past roles include Senior Consultant at World Class Productivity (WCP). Director, Corporate Project Management Office at Agricorp (2011–2013). Senior Manager, EPMO at TD (2013–2017), working on project funding and governance standards. Consulting and mentoring through Aksys Consulting Inc., including project-management consulting and practitioner coaching. SourcesCandidate biography Google Books record Author biography University of Waterloo instructor biography LinkedIn — professional experience		Treasurer/Secretary on the Welland Historical Museum board, January 2023–May 2026. Volunteered at Niagara regional spelling-bee championships. President of the Southport Condos (NSSCC #209) board since January 2025. SourcesLinkedIn — volunteer and board service Candidate biography	His campaign priorities are residents’ confidence in Council, development compatible with neighbourhoods, and careful use of tax dollars. SourcesBondale campaign	He commits to evaluating development proposals for compatibility with surrounding neighbourhoods. He calls for a council focused on results and cooperation. Identifies development-related loss of green space and tree canopy as a ward concern. SourcesBondale campaign Candidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)	Campaign funding policy: self-funded, with no donations or fundraising. Board financial experience includes preparing monthly museum financial reports and oversight of Southport procurement and annual budgeting. SourcesCampaign statement LinkedIn — volunteer and board service	Disagrees with retaining council’s existing size and composition. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)	Received 523 votes as a Ward 4 candidate in 2022; certified to run in Ward 1 in 2026. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results Certified candidates, August 24, 2026	Campaign: votekiron.wordpress.com · votekiron@gmail.com. SourcesCity candidate registry LinksCampaign website votekiron@gmail.com Personal blog LinkedIn profile	Opposes forced amalgamation of Niagara municipalities. SourcesCandidate biography
Jessica LaHayView candidate	Contested Ward 1 in the 2022 municipal election. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results	Has held volunteer leadership roles with the Welland Rose Festival. Grew up in Cooks Mills and has lived in Ward 1 for more than 15 years. Participated in community advocacy opposing the proposed expropriation of Marsha Rempel’s farmland in 2021; Council stopped the expropriation that March. Source: Candidate submission · 18/09/2026 SourcesCity of Welland Candidate biography ThoroldToday — farmland expropriation stopped, 19 March 2021		Founder of landscape-design business Visionary Garden Concepts. A decade of administrative and caregiving work at a local youth group home. SourcesCandidate biography	City of Welland minutes record Jessica LaHay presenting the Welland Rose Festival at the November 13, 2023 special council meeting, and record Council receiving the presentations for information. SourcesCity of Welland — Minutes of the November 13, 2023 Special Council Meeting	Listed as the Rose Festival’s first vice-president in a 2023 City record. Rose Festival president and former Welland Heritage Advisory Committee vice-chair. Member of the Welland Horticultural Society since 2022. Source: Candidate submission · 18/09/2026 Served as an Afro-Caribbean Festival event coordinator, including coordinating the media launch and securing a venue sponsor. Source: Candidate submission · 18/09/2026 Worked on grant applications and fundraising for the Welland Rose Festival. Source: Candidate submission · 18/09/2026 SourcesCity of Welland Candidate biography		Jessica LaHay’s candidate-owned community page lists traffic and road safety, neighbourhood growth, support for local small businesses, parks/trails/family spaces, and City Hall transparency/communication as areas guiding her Ward 1 action plan. Prioritizes upgrading aging infrastructure and managing growth within infrastructure capacity. SourcesJessica LaHay campaign — Your Voice \| Jessica LaHay for Ward 1 Welland City Council Candidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)			Placed fourth in Ward 1 in 2022 with 397 votes; certified to run again in 2026. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results Certified candidates, August 24, 2026	Campaign email: votejessicaward1@gmail.com. SourcesCity candidate registry Linksvotejessicaward1@gmail.com Campaign website Facebook Instagram
Adam MooteView candidate	Ward 1 councillor who served in the 2018–2022 term and was re-elected in 2022. SourcesCity councillor profile City annual report, 2018 Official 2022 election results Certified candidates, August 24, 2026	Ward 1 councillor for the 2022–2026 term. SourcesCity councillor profile Official 2022 election results		Adam Moote’s consulting profile identifies him as a Registered Professional Planner and elected City Councillor in Welland, Ontario. SourcesA.D. Moote Consulting — About Us - A.D. Moote Consulting	Serves on Welland City Council as a Ward 1 councillor. SourcesCity councillor profile	The City of Welland’s Ward One councillor page lists Adam Moote on the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and the Town & Gown Committee. School parent volunteer and volunteer coach with the Welland Soccer Club. SourcesCity of Welland — Ward One Councillors Candidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)		Prioritizes affordable housing and municipal infrastructure investment. Wants Niagara Region to improve its Ward 1 infrastructure or transfer it to the City with funding sufficient to complete the work. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)			Served in the 2018–2022 council term and was re-elected in 2022. SourcesCity annual report, 2018 Official 2022 election results Certified candidates, August 24, 2026	Campaign email: moote4ward1@gmail.com. City office: adam.moote@welland.ca. SourcesCity candidate registry City councillor profile Linksmoote4ward1@gmail.com City office: adam.moote@welland.ca
Josh SawatskyView candidate				30 years of experience as a 3D structural-steel detailer. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)		Has volunteered as a Big Brother. Source: Candidate submission · 15/09/2026 Nearly five years of volunteer firefighting service in Welland. Source: Candidate submission · 15/09/2026 Has sponsored families at Christmas and helped feed families experiencing food insecurity. Source: Candidate submission · 15/09/2026 Runs the Woodlawn Park neighbourhood watch group. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)	Identifies mental health and housing as major citywide concerns. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)	Supports preserving Welland’s green spaces, parks and recreation facilities as the city grows. Source: Candidate submission · 15/09/2026 A new pool, dog park and large children’s playground for new subdivisions off Quaker Road. Source: Candidate submission · 15/09/2026 Proposes improved traffic controls at Quaker and Rice roads and a left-turn lane at Clare Avenue and Woodlawn Road. SourcesCandidate questionnaire · Welland Tribune (13/10/2026)				Campaign: 905-324-2523 · josh4ward1welland@gmail.com. SourcesCity candidate registry Linksjosh4ward1welland@gmail.com 905-324-2523
Brad UlchView candidate	Contested Ward 1 in 2022. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results	Works at The Hope Centre in Welland. SourcesThe Hope Centre		Driver / Maintenance role at The Hope Centre. SourcesThe Hope Centre							Placed third in Ward 1 in 2022 with 518 votes; certified to run again in 2026. SourcesOfficial 2022 election results Certified candidates, August 24, 2026	Campaign email: ulchbrad@outlook.com. SourcesCity candidate registry Linksulchbrad@outlook.com