East Gwillimbury, ON, May 13, 2026 — Brian Johns, candidate for Mayor of East Gwillimbury, today announced his transparency and governance platform, outlining concrete commitments to strengthen accountability, open government, and public participation in municipal decision-making.
The platform centers on three pillars: establishing a public lobbyist registry, enhancing the transparency of Council expenses, and reversing the restrictions on public deputations adopted by the current Council in January 2026.
“Residents have a right to know who is lobbying their elected officials, to speak before their Council without being turned away, and to see exactly how public dollars allocated to Council members are being spent,” said Brian Johns. “These are basic expectations of good governance. Transparency isn't complicated. It just requires the willingness to do it. As Mayor, I intend to deliver on all three.”
A Public Lobbyist Registry
Johns is committing to establish a public lobbyist registry that would document interactions between elected officials and individuals seeking to influence municipal decisions. The registry would be embedded within the Council’s Code of Conduct, ensuring that lobbying activity is recorded, accessible, and subject to clear rules.
Several Ontario municipalities, including the City of Toronto and the City of Vaughan, have adopted similar registries as a tool for strengthening public trust in the integrity of Council decision-making.
Full Council Expense Transparency
Johns is also committing to an enhanced Council expense transparency policy. Under this commitment, the Town’s annual Statement of Remuneration and Expenses would be published prominently on the Town’s website, presented in a clear and understandable format, and accompanied by itemized breakdowns of discretionary spending for each member of Council.
While the Municipal Act requires the annual publication of remuneration and expense information, the current format does not meet the level of transparency that residents of a growing municipality should expect. Johns’ platform calls for going beyond the minimum to ensure residents can see exactly how public dollars allocated to Council members are being spent.
Restoring Residents’ Right to Be Heard
In January 2026, Council passed amendments to the Town’s deputation rules that imposed additional restrictions on public deputations, including limitations on speaking time, advance filing requirements, and the discretion to refuse deputations. Residents of East Gwillimbury have, on multiple occasions, been discouraged from or denied the opportunity to address Council on matters of public interest.
Johns is committing to a comprehensive review of the Town’s Procedural By-Law to ensure resident feedback is formally recognized, prioritized, and integrated into Council processes — and to reverse the deputation restrictions that have made it harder for residents to participate in local government.
“East Gwillimbury deserves a Council and a Mayor who are accountable to the people,” said Geoff Brown, local East Gwillimbury resident. “As someone who has been turned away from Council meetings and told I am not allowed to share my perspective, I am proud to support Brian and his plan for a lobbyist registry, full council expense transparency, and his commitment to restoring public deputations.”
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