Meet me at my farm Wed. May 27th - 10am-12pm & 6-8pm - 400 Johnson Rd., Brant(ford)
Hello, I'm Christine!
In case we haven't met yet, I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself...
I was always drawn to rural life, having grown up in the suburbs one generation removed from a family farm long-since sold. When I was first dating my husband, John, I also fell in love with his hometown, St. George, which became my first home in the County of Brant. This is why I’m so committed to preserving our rural and small-town heritage as we navigate today’s economic, growth, and construction realities.
We purchased our farm on Johnson Road, near Jerseyville and Cainsville, a few months into the pandemic and started returning the property to agricultural production after nearly 50 years furloughed. Drawing on roots in horticulture and with limited farmable land, we planted an orchard and started a small nursery that first sold tomato plants from a stand at the barn. With the help of family, friends, and supporters, Creek View Acres Nursery & Orchard has since grown into a destination drawing visitors from across Ontario and sometimes even further!
In both farming and leadership, I’m grateful for my earlier chapters in the public sector and working as a contractor, because these provided the experience necessary to navigate all that followed.
After graduating from the University of Guelph, then finishing up my graduate studies in British Columbia, I chose to pursue a career in broader public sector governance having taken an interest in this work as a student leader. Upon returning to Ontario, I held progressively responsible positions managing senior executive offices, governing boards and committees, corporate records, hearings and tribunals, and access to information compliance in the university and K-12 education sectors.
As part of my move to Brant County, I began reflecting on how my career was evolving and made the decision to leverage prior experience into small business. I joined John’s contracting firm where I managed municipal property maintenance, landscape, and snow removal projects for five years, bridging the transition to the farm as our primary focus. John and I are partners in life, farming, and leadership, so I’m thankful to have his full support behind my campaign.
Having grown up in Girl Guides, it’s no surprise that giving back to the community has always been important to me, through both volunteerism and charitable giving. I serve as a director of the Ontario Woodlot Association’s Brant Chapter, hold membership in many local organizations, and am a past director of the Horticultural Trades Association’s nursery growers group. John and I prioritize healthcare, food insecurity, and youth engagement when paying it forward through the donations we make each year.
Inspired by our frustrations dealing with the County here at the farm and recognizing that many of my neighbours were ready for fresh representation, I stood for municipal office in the 2022 election and served as Ward 5 Councillor.
As Councillor, I was recognized as a strong advocate for equitable reinvestment, responsible spending, strategic and sustainable development, heritage preservation, and the County's business, village, and agricultural communities. We all know that experience didn’t end as anticipated, inspiring my candidacy for Mayor, even more motivated to restore public confidence in municipal government.