Nicola Chapman

Athol Ward Five

Only a select few can say that they were born and raised in the Ward they are running in, but Nicola Chapman can say that with confidence. There are generations of her family in the County, and although she moved away for a stint in Toronto for her education and a successful career in the hospitality industry, she returned to her family and her roots in Athol. Chapman is a modern-day jack-of-all-trades and has learned, as many do when they live in the County, that to live comfortably here, you may need more than one job. Therefore, you may be required to call upon another skill you may have and use it as a revenue generator. If you don’t have another skill, you’d better learn one. Luckily for Chapman, she’s got a lot of bases covered. Piano teacher, accountant, LCBO vintage specialist, and former restaurant manager are just some of the skills Chapman has acquired in her young life. She’s a part of a very important demographic in this community and one that she feels needs to have a stronger representation around the horseshoe come October.

Chapman has always been interested in politics and was actively involved in the Student Council at the University of Toronto while she was a student there. The exact moment she decided to run for council was shortly after making a “soapbox rant” over Mother’s Day brunch. Her brother-in-law, after seeing her passion and eloquence in delivery, suggested that Chapman should run in the municipal election. It was a lightning strike moment and Chapman feels that the time is now to effect some positive change in her community.

“It is time for me to take action. I am at a point in my life where I have the energy, the time, the wherewithal, the optimism, the street smarts and the countless transferrable skills needed to be a valued member at council. I feel my voice can offer fresh insight while representing my constituents,” says Chapman.

A major concern for Chapman in Ward Five is the relationship it has with Sandbanks Provincial Park and its yearly visitors. She says that voters in Athol are exhausted by the wear and tear of tourism overburdening its roads and infrastructure, and also its fragile ecosystem.

“We must find a sustainable way to meet the demands of a staggering number of visitors each year, without leaving the folks who live here feeling that their quality of life is being sacrificed for someone else’s vacation. We must conserve and protect our water, forests, and fields—and the people, plants and animals who call this beautiful place home! As mutual stakeholders, the municipality and the province will have to work in symbiosis to ensure not just the viability of the Golden Goose, but the communities that care for it,” says Chapman.

Another major area of concern is the Quinte Isle Campark expansion and how it will affect Ward Five residents. Traffic and figuring out a way to avoid gridlock in the County is something Chapman will focus on if elected, as well as what seems to be the biggest topic of discussion lately—accommodations, both short- and long-term. Chapman thinks council has taken commendable steps to alleviate the stresses STAs put on affordable housing, but regulating and licensing short-term accommodations alone cannot be the magic solution to rising house prices.

“We can’t stop the free market—especially, when demand for houses in PEC is so strong. Economics dictate that we must increase supply. County-owned and price controlled cooperative housing could be the shelter that working-class families need so desperately to survive here,” says Chapman.

As for opportunities, Chapman says she applauds the council that got them here and she hopes to learn from their wisdom if elected. The opportunities are abundant for people willing to take the time and explore them. Chapman is hoping to convince Ward Five residents that it’s time for a new perspective on council. One that comes with a different way of looking at things, and one that comes from a demographic desperately in need of a voice in the County.