Corey Engelsdorfer

Wellington Ward Three

Born and raised in Wellington, Corey Engelsdorfer left the County in 2004 to study graphic design at Durham College in Oshawa. After working at publications such as Carguide, World of Wheels, Boatguide, Canadian AutoWorld, West of the City and the Hamilton Spectator Wheels section, he moved back to Wellington in 2010 to work at The Times. In 2017 he bought the weekly paper from Rick Conroy. “Over the past 12 years working at The Times, I have followed our municipal government closely,” he said. “I am well-versed on current and past issues.”

The father of three is an active member and past chair of the Wellington Recreation Committee and plays a large role in the annual Pumpkinfest. He is also on the Wellington Beach Taskforce Team, which is working to resolve issues and assess the impact of the waterfront on the community and local businesses.

Engelsdorfer said Wellington is facing unprecedented growth with plans for more than 1,000 new homes in the near future. “As a long-time resident and business owner who is raising a young family, I have a vested interest in ensuring not only Wellington, but the County as a whole remains a sustainable, healthy and livable community,” he said. To create affordable housing, he said council must ensure that the Kaitlin Group adheres to the Fields of Wellington plan. “It offers a mix of housing including townhouses, 1,700-square-foot detached homes with a home office, and semi-detached garages with 650 square-foot apartments above to deal with the long-term rental requirements of those who work in the community.”

With tourism down this season, he said some of the measures put in place to slow the influx of visitors were overreaching. “Visitors have been driven away through ‘us and them’ fines,” he said. “It is time to strike a fair balance between visitors and locals.”

Engelsdorfer would like to see a waterworks commission that operates separately from council to create a transparent look at water and sewer rates that are among the highest in Ontario. “It’s time for fair and honest representation at Shire Hall for waterworks ratepayers,” he said.

Local history, heritage and culture can be preserved for future generations by working closely with groups like the Heritage Advisory Committee and Quinte Conservation, he said. “The County should continually review and update policies and bylaws and enforce keeping our community safe and beautiful,” he added. “We should also work towards creating natural and sustainable open spaces and habitats within any new subdivision.” Engelsdorfer would also like to see active links for pedestrians and cyclists made mandatory in new developments, and a tree replacement plan. “The village forest is a vital part of the natural environment as it improves air and water quality, provides shade and reduces energy consumption,” he said.

On the issue of council size, Engelsdorfer said council simply has too many members. “Cutting the number in half would help produce smaller agendas, streamlined meetings, quicker decision-making and more effective governance,” he said. “It would also allow for proper pay, allowing a more diverse group to put their names forward.”