Town of Cobourg Candidate Responses
Mayoral Candidates
Nicole Beatty
Answer: Undecided
Additional comments:
My honest answer is that it’s too early for me to take a firm position for or against a nuclear energy station at Wesleyville, and I want to explain why. The federal impact assessment only began in January, when OPG filed its Initial Project Description for up to 10,000 megawatts at the site. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada issued its final guidelines in July, and OPG now has to produce a full Impact Statement to address each of their concerns. OPG hasn’t even publicly selected a reactor technology yet, and there is no confirmed cost estimate. I’m not prepared to commit Cobourg to a stance before we’ve seen what that process finds on cost, ratepayer impact, the environment, and the health of neighbouring communities.
Cobourg cannot sit on the sidelines of a decision this size. Port Hope has rightly had a seat at the table, but such a project at Wesleyville has the potential to affect our residents, our infrastructure, our housing market, our ecology, and our electricity bills too. In August, I brought forward a motion directing Town staff to take the initiative and get Cobourg into those conversations. I was inspired by the leadership Hamilton Township has shown on this.
Being at the table early means we can ask the hard questions you’re raising, including whether alternatives like solar, battery storage, and offshore wind are being fairly weighed. It also means drawing on the knowledge already in our community. Local groups like the Willow Beach Field Naturalists have years of active work at Wesleyville, and that expertise should inform how the Town understands the impact on Cobourg.
As Mayor, and as a member of Northumberland County Council, I’ll make sure Cobourg’s voice is in this process and that residents have the information they need as it unfolds.
Deputy Mayor Candidates
Adam Bureau
Answer: Undecided
Additional comments:
The proposed Wesleyville nuclear project is located in the Municipality of Port Hope, not Cobourg. We also have to recognize that we live in a two-tier municipal system, and many of the broader regional planning and growth issues are dealt with through Northumberland County.
However, that does not mean Cobourg should simply sit back and wait to see what happens.
A project of this potential size could bring significant economic opportunities to Northumberland County, but it could also bring significant pressures. If thousands of workers and their families are attracted to this area over the construction and operating life of the project, Cobourg could experience some of those impacts through increased demand for housing, roads, transportation, recreation, health care, emergency services and other community infrastructure.
As Deputy Mayor, I would want Cobourg working closely with Northumberland County, Port Hope, the Province and other partners well before those pressures arrive.
For me, sustainability is not simply about being environmentally friendly. It is about planning a community that can grow without sacrificing the quality of life we have today for future generations.
Cobourg already has an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. I want us to turn those goals into practical actions residents can actually see.
That means protecting our waterfront, parks, trees and natural areas. It means continuing to improve walking and cycling connections so people have realistic alternatives to using a vehicle for every trip. It means looking for opportunities to make municipal buildings and facilities more energy-efficient, reduce operating costs and emissions, reduce waste, conserve water and build infrastructure that is better able to withstand severe weather and the effects of climate change.
Sustainability also has to be incorporated into the way we grow.
If Wesleyville proceeds and our region experiences significant population growth, we need to make sure we are not simply building more subdivisions and adding more cars to our roads. We should be planning complete neighbourhoods where housing, parks, trails, services and transportation are considered together.
Housing would be one of my biggest concerns. A large influx of workers competing for housing could put additional pressure on an already difficult housing market. Through Cobourg Council and Northumberland County, I would advocate for a range of housing — including attainable and rental housing — so that the economic benefits of a major regional project do not come at the expense of people who already live here.
Transportation would also require regional planning. Rather than waiting until our roads become more congested, I would want the County, Cobourg, Port Hope, the Province and the project proponents discussing transportation demand, public transit connections, road infrastructure and active transportation well in advance.
And there is another important principle: growth should help pay for growth.
If a project of this magnitude creates additional infrastructure requirements in neighbouring communities, existing Cobourg taxpayers should not simply be handed the entire bill. I would advocate with Northumberland County and the Province for appropriate infrastructure investment and funding to help municipalities prepare for growth associated with the project.
Environmentally, I also want the Wesleyville assessment process to provide clear answers about Lake Ontario, water use, ecosystems, nuclear waste, transportation, emergency preparedness and the cumulative environmental impacts of a project that could operate for generations.
I am not prepared to prejudge those assessments. I want decisions based on evidence.
Ultimately, the Wesleyville decision is not a decision for Cobourg Council to make. But preparing Cobourg for the potential consequences absolutely is part of our responsibility.
My approach as Deputy Mayor would be to make sure Cobourg has a strong voice at Northumberland County, that we plan before growth occurs rather than react afterward, and that economic development, environmental responsibility and quality of life are considered together.
If this project proceeds, I want the next generation to be able to look back and say that we didn’t just experience growth — we planned for it responsibly.
Councillor Candidates
Randy Barber
Answer: Yes
Additional comments:
Jobs and future needs
Alex Cahill
Answer: No
Additional comments:
Solar is by far the cheapest source of energy available to us, much faster to build than a nuclear plant, and much safer for the community we live in. Given these facts, I believe the province should pursue building a solar energy farm on the site instead.
Randy Curtis
Answer: Undecided
Additional comments:
I am firmly opposed to relying on fossil fuels for electricity generation, particularly when lower-carbon alternatives are increasingly available. The current trend—especially in the United States—of using gas-fired generators to meet the rapidly growing electricity demands of data centres is not, in my view, a sustainable or responsible path forward. Although natural gas may provide reliable power in the short term, expanding dependence on it risks locking in additional greenhouse-gas emissions and long-lived infrastructure at a time when energy systems should be moving toward cleaner sources. I have limited visibility into future electricity demand, the expected utilization of the proposed facilities, and the alternatives considered. Without clear, credible projections and a transparent assessment of environmental, economic, and reliability impacts, it is difficult to determine whether this project is necessary or justified.
Brian Darling
Answer: No
Additional comments:
Lindsay Grimley
Answer: Yes
Additional comments:
I haven’t had the opportunity to research the costs between a nuclear plant and other options, including solar panels and windmills but I do believe that we need sustainable hydro. The number of homes that depend on consistent power is too large to ignore. Also, the opportunity for jobs and economic growth is one we can’t pass up. I think we’re in dire need of well paying careers for our youth which will only boost our economic development. I believe that there are always opportunities to champion for assistance from the government for electricity rebates and subsidies, so I would add my support to any and all programs offered by the province.
Miriam Mutton
Answer: No
Additional comments:
Any project at the Wesleyville site needs a full cycle analysis including operational design and future decommissioning issues. The apparent piecemeal approach to availability of information from the province and related energy entities raises more questions over time. The declaration of an ‘economic zone’ tied to this project and implications for surrounding municipalities, including their long term viability and resilience as well environmental sustainability (including lake health where our water comes from), are also concerns deserving more expert scrutiny and public disclosure in advance. There is more than one solution, but I also think common wind turbine designs are not part of long term alternatives.