Wes Mazur
Candidate for Woodstock City Council
Practical Leadership. Responsible Growth. A Stronger Woodstock.
Meet Wes
Hello, I’m Wes Mazur, and I’m proud to be running for Woodstock City Council.Since moving to Woodstock in 2013, I’ve built my life, career, and family here. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of becoming deeply involved in our community through local business, volunteerism, public service, fundraising, and advocacy.Many residents know me as the co-owner of Cheesy Cow Company in Downtown Woodstock, where my wife Sarah and I have had the opportunity to connect with people from every corner of our community. Through those conversations, I’ve gained a firsthand understanding of the issues, opportunities, and challenges that matter most to local residents and businesses.I am also the founder of Mazur Safety Inc., a workplace health and safety consulting firm that has supported employers and workers across Ontario. Professionally, my career has focused on occupational health and safety, leadership, education, and public policy. Most recently, I have served as a Policy Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.These experiences have given me a practical understanding of budgeting, strategic planning, accountability, and responsible decision-making. They have also reinforced something I strongly believe: good leadership starts with listening, understanding different perspectives, and working collaboratively to find solutions.As a small business owner, public servant, educator, volunteer, husband, and father, I bring a balanced perspective to the Council table. I understand the importance of supporting economic growth while maintaining affordability, investing wisely in community services and infrastructure, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.I’m running for Council because I care deeply about Woodstock and its future. I believe our city’s best days are ahead of us, and I want to help ensure Woodstock remains a welcoming, safe, affordable, and vibrant place to live, work, raise a family, and build a business.Together, we can build a stronger Woodstock for today and for future generations!
Community Involvement
Woodstock has given so much to my family and me, and giving back to our community has always been important to me.Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to support and participate in many community initiatives, organizations, and events throughout our city. From local fundraising efforts and youth programming to supporting local businesses and community events, I believe strong communities are built by people who show up and get involved. Some of my community and volunteer involvement includes:- Founder of Curl for Kids supporting local youth initiatives
- WDDS Runway of Stars
- Coldest Night of the Year in support of Operation Sharing
- Woodstock Curling Centre
- Former Co-Chair of the Downtown Woodstock BIA
- Community fundraising and event involvement
- Former member the City of Woodstock Accessibility Advisory Committee
- Theatre Woodstock Board of Directors
- Former Volunteer FirefighterI believe Woodstock is strongest when residents, businesses, volunteers, and community organizations work together.
Serving delicious charcuterie from at the annual Chamber of Commerce Sip & Sample Social.
Why I'm Running
I’m running for Woodstock City Council because I care deeply about our city, our residents, and the future we’re building together.Since moving to Woodstock, I’ve had the privilege of becoming involved in our community through local business, volunteerism, public service, and advocacy. Through those experiences—and through countless conversations with residents—I’ve gained a greater appreciation for what makes Woodstock such a special place to live, work, raise a family, and build a business.Woodstock is growing, and with that growth comes both opportunities and challenges. We need thoughtful leadership that plans for the future, invests responsibly, supports local businesses, and ensures our infrastructure, services, and community spaces keep pace with the needs of our residents.I believe residents deserve a council that listens, communicates openly, makes decisions transparently, and treats taxpayer dollars with the respect they deserve. Even when opinions differ, we can work together respectfully to find practical solutions that serve the best interests of our community.
My Priorities
🏗️ Responsible Growth:
Planning for growth while ensuring infrastructure, roads, parks, and services keep pace with our community’s needs.💰 Affordability & Respect for Taxpayers :
I believe residents deserve value for every dollar they contribute🛍️ Supporting Local Business:
Championing local entrepreneurs, strengthening our commercial areas, and supporting the businesses that create jobs, invest in our community, and make Woodstock unique.🅿️ Accessible & Convenient Parking:
Supporting practical and balanced parking solutions that improve accessibility, encourage residents and visitors to shop locally and attend community events, and help ensure Woodstock remains a welcoming and connected city.🏡 Strong Community Services:
Supporting practical solutions for housing, homelessness, mental health, recreation, public safety, and quality of life.👨👩👧👦 Youth & Family Opportunities:
Expanding opportunities for recreation, engagement, leadership, and community involvement for young people and families.🤝 Accountability & Transparency:
Listening to residents, communicating openly, and making decisions that reflect the best interests of our community.
Responsible Growth
Growth is important, but it needs to be managed responsibly.As Woodstock continues to grow, we must ensure our infrastructure, roads, public services, parks, and recreational spaces keep pace while protecting the qualities that make our city a great place to live, work, raise a family, and do business.I believe in smart, balanced growth that supports both current residents and future generations. That means making thoughtful investments, planning for the long term, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. While some cost increases are unavoidable, City Hall has a responsibility to deliver value, protect affordability, and focus on projects that provide clear benefits to residents.Responsible growth means strengthening our community, supporting local businesses, and building for the future without losing sight of the needs of the people who call Woodstock home today.
Affordability & Respect for Taxpayers
As Woodstock continues to grow, residents deserve confidence that every tax dollar is being spent wisely.Responsible leadership means balancing the services and infrastructure our community needs while carefully reviewing spending, setting priorities, and ensuring residents see real value for their investment.
My commitment is to ask thoughtful questions, support responsible decisions, and always remember that every dollar spent belongs to the people we serve.
Supporting Local Business
Local businesses help shape the identity and vibrancy of our community.As a small business owner myself, I understand both the opportunities and challenges facing local entrepreneurs. I believe City Hall should work collaboratively with businesses to encourage investment, support economic growth, and help create a thriving local economy that benefits everyone.Strong local businesses help create jobs, support community events, and contribute to a stronger Woodstock.
Accessible and Convenient Parking
Local businesses help shape the identity and vibrancy of our community.As a small business owner myself, I understand both the opportunities and challenges facing local entrepreneurs. I believe City Hall should work collaboratively with businesses to encourage investment, support economic growth, and help create a thriving local economy that benefits everyone.Strong local businesses help create jobs, support community events, and contribute to a stronger Woodstock.
As Woodstock continues to grow, we must ensure our parking policies evolve with it.Whether someone is visiting a local business, attending a community event, accessing city services, or spending time with family and friends, convenient and accessible parking plays an important role in creating a positive experience.Recent changes approved by Council are a step in the right direction, but I believe we should continue reviewing opportunities to improve parking flexibility throughout our city in a way that supports residents, visitors, and local businesses alike.Thoughtful parking policies can help encourage people to shop locally, attend events, and spend more time enjoying everything Woodstock has to offer. As your councillor, I will support practical, balanced solutions that improve accessibility while recognizing the needs of taxpayers, businesses, and our growing community.
Strong Community Services
A strong community is built on strong local services, safe neighbourhoods, and support systems that help people thrive.Residents rely on a wide range of municipal and community services every day — from recreation programs, aquatics, parks, libraries, and youth activities to emergency services, public spaces, housing supports, and community partnerships. These services play an important role in maintaining quality of life and helping make Woodstock a welcoming place for people of all ages and backgrounds.Reliable and accessible public transit is also an important part of a growing city. For many residents, including seniors, youth, workers, and those without access to a vehicle, transit provides a connection to employment, education, appointments, recreation, local businesses, and community services.As Woodstock continues to grow, we need to have meaningful discussions about the future of transit, including long-standing requests such as Sunday service. Any expansion must be carefully reviewed with consideration for ridership, community benefit, affordability, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.Like many communities across Ontario, Woodstock is also facing challenges related to homelessness, mental health, and addictions. While there are no simple solutions, I believe we must work collaboratively with community organizations, healthcare providers, Oxford County, law enforcement, and other partners to support practical, compassionate, and evidence-informed approaches that improve outcomes for individuals while maintaining safe and vibrant public spaces for everyone.I support investments that strengthen community well-being, enhance public safety, support youth and families, improve accessibility, and ensure emergency services have the resources they need to serve our growing community effectively.Strong community services are not just an expense…they are an investment in the health, safety, and future of Woodstock. By focusing on responsible spending, meaningful partnerships, and long-term solutions, we can build a stronger and more resilient community for everyone.
Safe, Welcoming Neighbourhoods
Every resident deserves to feel safe when walking through our downtown, visiting a park, shopping at a local business, or enjoying our neighbourhoods.As Woodstock continues to grow and Oxford County invests in homeless support services—including the future use of the former YMCA—we must ensure these initiatives are successful for everyone. Success should not be measured simply by opening a facility or adding more beds. It should also be measured by whether people are successfully transitioning to stable housing, whether surrounding neighbourhoods remain safe and welcoming, whether businesses can thrive, and whether residents continue to feel comfortable enjoying our public spaces.I believe Woodstock can lead with both compassion and accountability.If elected, I will advocate for the creation of a Safe Community Zone and a comprehensive Community Safety & Neighbourhood Success Plan that brings together the City, Oxford County, police, health and social service providers, businesses, and residents to proactively address community concerns while supporting those in need.This approach would focus on:
• Maintaining safe, clean, and welcoming public spaces throughout our community.
• Prompt enforcement of criminal activity, public drug use where prohibited, vandalism, aggressive behaviour, and other unlawful conduct.
• Increased collaboration between police, by-law enforcement, outreach workers, and community partners.
• Rapid response to concerns such as graffiti, litter, discarded needles, and property damage.
• Supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, or addiction by connecting them with appropriate housing, healthcare, treatment, and social services.
• Establishing measurable performance indicators and regularly reporting results to the public so residents can see what is working and where improvements are needed.Supporting vulnerable people and protecting our neighbourhoods are not competing priorities—they are shared responsibilities. Woodstock deserves practical solutions that improve public safety, strengthen our local economy, support businesses, protect neighbourhoods, and help people rebuild their lives with dignity.By working together, we can ensure Woodstock remains a safe, welcoming, and compassionate community for everyone.
Investing in Woodstock’s Youth
A strong community invests in its future, and that means creating opportunities for young people to learn, connect, contribute, and thrive.
Woodstock is a great place to raise a family, but many parents and youth have shared concerns about the rising cost of recreation, limited opportunities for teens, increasing social isolation, and the need for more accessible activities and programs outside of school. As our city grows, we must ensure that opportunities for young people grow with it.
I believe in supporting practical, community-driven solutions that help youth stay active, engaged, and connected. This includes working with local organizations, schools, sports groups, arts and cultural organizations, and community partners to expand affordable recreation opportunities, strengthen youth programming, and create more spaces and activities where young people feel welcome and supported.
I also support giving youth a stronger voice in shaping our community by exploring opportunities for greater youth engagement in local decision-making and community initiatives. The young people of today are the leaders, workers, volunteers, entrepreneurs, and community builders of tomorrow, and their perspectives deserve to be heard.
By investing in recreation, mentorship, leadership opportunities, community involvement, and youth well-being, we can help ensure that Woodstock remains a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming city for the next generation.
Accountability and Transparency
Residents deserve openness, honesty, and accountability from local government.I believe council decisions should be communicated clearly, taxpayer dollars should be managed responsibly, and residents should have meaningful opportunities to be informed and engaged before major decisions are made.Good governance starts with listening. It means being accessible, respecting different viewpoints, asking tough questions when necessary, and ensuring decisions are made in the best interests of the community. As your councillor, I will support transparency, encourage public participation, and work to build trust between residents and City Hall.Local government works best when people feel informed, heard, and confident that their voices matter.
North Woodstock Recreation Facility
Woodstock is growing, and our community facilities need to keep pace with that growth.The proposed Recreation Facility has the potential to become a major community asset, providing space for recreation, sports, wellness programs, community gatherings, and services that support residents of all ages.I support moving this project forward, provided it is planned responsibly, meets demonstrated community needs, and is financially sustainable for taxpayers.That means:
• Ensuring the facility reflects the needs and priorities identified by residents and local user groups.
• Pursuing available provincial and federal funding opportunities to reduce the burden on local taxpayers.
• Exploring partnerships, sponsorships, naming rights, and community fundraising opportunities where appropriate.
• Building the project in phases if necessary to align with growth, demand, and available funding.
• Maintaining transparency about costs, timelines, and long-term operating impacts.As our city continues to grow, investments in recreation, health, and community spaces are important investments in quality of life. I believe Woodstock can move forward with this project in a responsible way that balances community needs with sound financial stewardship.
Waste Diversion & Affordability
Residents have told me loud and clear that the recent increase in garbage bag tags from $2 to $3 has added pressure to already stretched household budgets. At the same time, Oxford County has introduced important improvements such as weekly organics collection and six-day garbage and recycling depot services.I support efforts that reduce waste and increase recycling and organics diversion, but these programs must also be fair and affordable for residents.I believe Oxford County should explore a system that includes a limited number of garbage bags at no additional cost, with additional bags subject to user-pay fees. This approach would help reduce the burden on families while continuing to encourage recycling, composting, and responsible waste diversion.As a Woodstock City Councillor, I would advocate for policies that balance environmental responsibility with affordability and ensure Woodstock residents have a strong voice in decisions that affect their daily lives.
Downtown Streetscape
The Downtown Streetscape Project has become one of the most discussed issues in Woodstock, and many residents have asked where I stand.My position is straightforward: I believe Woodstock deserves both responsible spending and responsible planning.In December 2024, I wrote to Council regarding a proposal to remove downtown revitalization funding entirely from the City’s budget. At the time, I raised concerns about public safety, accessibility, infrastructure maintenance, stakeholder consultation, and the City’s legal obligations to maintain public spaces.I did not support unlimited spending, nor did I support simply walking away from the challenges facing our downtown.Instead, I questioned whether there were opportunities to achieve many of the City’s accessibility and safety objectives through more targeted, lower-cost improvements. I suggested that Council explore practical solutions such as sidewalk repairs, improved lighting, accessibility enhancements, beautification projects, support for small businesses, community partnerships, and other incremental improvements that could deliver meaningful results while reducing costs.As a business owner, I understand the importance of making thoughtful financial decisions. Every dollar spent should provide value, address a genuine need, and contribute to the long-term success of our community.I also believe that decisions of this magnitude should involve meaningful consultation with residents, businesses, advisory committees, accessibility advocates, and other stakeholders. Strong communities are built when people are invited to participate in shaping their future.Downtown Woodstock is the heart of our community. It is where residents gather, businesses invest, visitors explore, and community events bring people together. Maintaining a vibrant, accessible, safe, and welcoming downtown should remain a priority.Looking forward, my focus is not on relitigating decisions that have already been made. My focus is on ensuring future decisions are transparent, financially responsible, evidence-based, and guided by the needs of residents.If elected, I will continue to ask tough questions, look for practical solutions, and advocate for investments that provide real value for taxpayers while supporting the long-term success of Woodstock.I believe we can have both responsible spending and a strong, vibrant downtown. Those goals are not mutually exclusive, and they should guide every major decision Council makes.
Woodstock's Best Days are Ahead of us!
By working together, planning responsibly, and investing in our community, we can build a city that remains welcoming, affordable, vibrant, and full of opportunity for future generations.I would be honoured to earn your support.
Help Build a Stronger Woodstock
This campaign is powered by local residents who believe in practical leadership, responsible growth, and a stronger Woodstock. Your contribution will help share our message, connect with voters, and support campaign activities throughout the election. Thank you for being part of the journey!All contributions must comply with Ontario municipal election rules and contribution limits.
Photos from left to right: Jim & Di Van Dyk at Van Dyk's Greenhouses, my big sister Alisha Habsch and me at Handbags for Hospice in support of Sakura House VON, the Cheesy Cow Team receiving the Outstanding New Business Award at Chamber of Commerce Business Awards of Excellence, my son Joe and me in Ottawa, our family out for dinner in Woodstock, and me and my wife Sarah at our local business, Cheesy Cow Company, right here in the friendly city!
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