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As part of 90.5 myFM’s 2026 Election Coverage, myFM reached out to candidates in South Huron, Bluewater, Lambton Shores and Lucan-Biddulph to hear why they believe residents should vote for them on October 26th.
Here’s what EJ Bauer, running for Bayfield Ward in Bluewater had to say.
TRANSCRIBED AUDIO:
“Good morning, Bayfield. I’m E.J. Bauer and I’m running to be your next Bayfield councillor.
I want to start with something pretty simple. I’m not running against anybody. I’m running for Bayfield, and after more than 40 years in business, I’ve learned some pretty important lessons. Listening matters. You don’t always have to have all the answers, but sometimes the best decisions are made when you listen to the people you disagree with. And I saw that firsthand with the Bedrock proposal.
I spent a great deal of time understanding the science, agriculture, economics, and potential long-term consequences for our community. And the night before a meeting being handed a 126 page agriculture report, I said to Lynn, I guess I’ll be reading this instead of watching the Jay’s. But that’s the job. Municipal decisions are complicated. You have to do the homework, ask the difficult questions, and understand the consequences. And not just today, but years from now. I was pleased Council ultimately reached that unanimous decision on Bedrock.
That experience reinforced something I believe strongly. Councillors need to do their homework. I also believe Bayfield already has a pretty good roadmap for the future. Our official plan recognizes Bayfield’s historical village character as part of our identity. It talks about thoughtful growth, good housing choices, protecting our natural spaces, and making good use of infrastructure we already have. So, no, I’m not interested in reinventing Bayfield. I’m interested in making sure we actually follow the plan we already have. That said, growth is important, but it has to be the right growth in the right place with the right infrastructure to support it and with respect for the community we’re building on. I’m not opposed to development, but I am opposed to growth without thought.
Every major decision should come down to two questions for me. Does this make Bayfield better? And will it still make Bayfield better 10, 20, 30 years from now? Our heritage, Lakefront, Main Street, were all built on generations before us. And we have that obligation to be good stewards of what we’ve inherited. Safety matters as well. I support the Bayfield Safety Focus Group and the work to improve Highway 21 and Cameron at the intersection.
I want Council and the MTO to find practical, long-term solutions by working together. Because sometimes government isn’t about grand speeches. Sometimes it’s about fixing an intersection before somebody gets hurt. And I’ll take that kind of politics any day, all day long.
So what would I bring to Council? More than 40 years of business and management experience. I’ve made difficult decisions, managed budgets, dealt with disagreements, risks and consequences.
Municipal government isn’t business, but I understand that. I understand accountability, long-term planning and bringing different viewpoints together. The value I would bring to council are simple. Integrity, transparency, accountability and service. And I believe residents deserve to be heard before decisions are made, not after.
And there’s one last reason for doing this. I love Bayfield. I first came here as a young boy growing up in a family of 10, with six older sisters. It was like having seven mothers. I was always in trouble by dinner. But you know Bayfield was different then. Gravel roads, no sewers, fewer street signs and lights, but those trips became something much more important than just a summer vacation. After university, even when I was living elsewhere, I would drive hours out of my way just to get my Bayfield fix. Possible walk on the pier or sunset at Pioneer Park, head to the beach or a sail.
This place has been part of our family for generations, and after all these years, that connection is still here, alive and well. And that’s Bayfield. That’s what I want to protect. I’m not running because I have all the answers. I’m running because I believe I can bring experience, common sense, a willingness to listen, and maybe occasionally ask the question everybody else was hoping nobody would ask.
I’ll do the homework. I’ll listen. I’ll ask the difficult questions. When a decision has to be made, I’ll make it based on what I believe is right for Bayfield. Because this election is not about me. It’s about the community our parents and grandparents built and our community that our children and grandchildren will inherit.
I’m E.J. Bauer and I’m not running against anybody. I’m running for Bayfield and I believe Bayfield is worth doing that job right.”
