Council Watch: Is Bancroft Settling for the "Same Old, Same Old" in 2026?

Is Bancroft ready for fresh leadership? We break down the 2026 unofficial candidate list and ask: where is the vision for our town's future?

The unofficial list of candidates for the 2026 Town of Bancroft municipal election is officially out, and if you’re looking at the names, you might notice a very familiar trend.

Take a look for yourself:

• Mayor: Tracy McGibbon

• Councillor – Ward 1 (Bancroft): Brent Anderson, George Eastman, Tracy Stephenson

• Councillor – Ward 2 (Dungannon): Valerie Miles, Judy Edgar, Mike Dillabough

On one hand, experienced names mean a familiar routine. On the other hand, it looks a whole lot like the "same old, same old."

Where Are the Fresh Ideas?

When a community keeps running the exact same play on the ice or the field, the opposition figures it out pretty quickly. The same rule applies to local governance. Bancroft is facing unique, shifting pressures—from infrastructure demands to economic shifts—and navigating them successfully requires a willingness to chart a different course.

To get a different result, we need a variety of perspectives at the table. We need business owners, younger professionals, and community advocates who are willing to step up, challenge status-quo thinking, and throw their hats into the ring. If the candidate list stays exactly like this, we are essentially locking ourselves into a continuation of the past few years without a backup plan.

The Big Question: What is the Vision?

Here is the question every voter in Bancroft should be asking right now: Has any of these candidates actually given us a clear, concrete vision for Bancroft's future?

Saying you want to "support the community" or "manage the budget responsibly" isn't a vision—those are just baseline job descriptions. We need real, forward-facing strategies.

• What does Bancroft look like in 5, 10, or 20 years under your leadership?

• How are we protecting our local quality of life while encouraging smart, sustainable growth?

• Where is the roadmap?

Right now, the silence on long-term vision is loud.

If I were to run, here would be my vision for Bancroft:

A Town Built on Purpose, Not Politics

"Bancroft must transition from a town run by political self-interest to a community managed with a business mindset. We will stop balancing the books on the backs of ratepayers and start treating our town assets as engines for revenue, growth, and community service."

To move away from stagnant placeholder government and actually build a future, our leadership needs to focus on three core pillars:

1. Fiscal Responsibility & Asset Management

• Ratepayer Relief: We need a hard ceiling on increasing the financial burden on residents. No more survival via automatic tax hikes.

• Aggressive Revenue Generation: Instead of letting assets sit idle, we must actively manage and leverage municipal property to bring income into the town's coffers.

• Grant Capture & Efficiency: It’s time to hunt down every upper-tier provincial and federal grant available while maximizing the value of every dollar spent through a staff 100% aligned on public service.

2. Becoming a Destination (The 12-Month Calendar)

• Putting Bancroft on the Map: Launching aggressive regional promotion to close the awareness gap in neighbouring hubs like Peterborough and Belleville.

• Economic Tourism: Establishing a major event every single month—from hockey tournaments and winter competitions to cultural festivals—to bring in outside foot traffic, boost local business, and attract new investors year-round.

3. Open Communication, Engagement & Regional Partnerships

• Dismantling Old History: For too long, Bancroft has been held back by old history, personality clashes, and past grudges. When leadership refuses to move past yesterday's political baggage, nothing moves forward. New voices must come in to break that cycle.

• Cross-Border Partnerships: Bancroft doesn't exist on an island. We need open communication and active partnerships with our neighbouring townships to share resources, cut redundancies, and build a stronger, united region.

• Neighbour Over Power: Breaking down inside alliances and dismantling the old-boys'-club culture that makes residents feel "shut out" of local government decisions.

• Active Collaboration: Appointing dedicated coordination to engage the massive, untapped network of passionate locals who love Bancroft and want to volunteer, contribute, and build a vibrant community together.

A Call for New Voices

This is what a real platform looks like. It’s strategic, it’s measurable, and it treats the town like a vital organization rather than a personal political sandbox.

If we want a different course direction, we need different people at the table. If you have been sitting on the sidelines, complaining about municipal transparency, or wishing council would take a more proactive approach to our region's challenges, this is your wake-up call. We need more people running.

We need fresh blood, new perspectives, and candidates who aren’t afraid to rock the boat. The nomination period won't stay open forever. If you want to see actual leadership instead of a placeholder government, look into running. Let's give Bancroft the competitive, vision-driven election it deserves.

It’s Not Too Late to Change the Narrative

If you've ever sat through a council meeting or watched local decisions unfold and thought, "There has to be a better way to handle this," this is your wake-up call. The community needs people who aren't afraid to bring fresh energy and real debates to the council floor.

The nomination period doesn't last forever. If we want a dynamic future for Bancroft, we need a dynamic ballot. It's time for some new faces to step up and give this town the competitive, vision-driven election it deserves.

What do you think? Are you seeing the vision from the current lineup, or is it time for some fresh blood to step forward? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.