Bill Griese, 2026 Mayoral Candidate for the Town of Arnprior | Photo Credit: Bill Griese
The 2026 Ontario Municipal Election is set for October 26th, and it’s time for constituents to make an informed decision.
WOW FM reporters reached out to all mayoral candidates running for the seat in the Town of Arnprior.
In this article, you’ll be able to hear from mayoral candidate Bill Griese. His political experience extends to being the campaign manager of our current MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke Billy Denault.
Griese is heavily involved in the local community having served as the assistant coach for the Arnprior Packers Hockey Club for 25 years until retiring in 2021. He was the principal coordinator of the Arnprior Santa Claus Parade until 2024. He is also the founder and retired president of Arnprior Glass & Mirror.
One of Griese’s main stances is even though the role of mayor in Arnprior is part-time, he will be spend full-time hours in the seat if elected. He plans to scrutinize every dollar spent on council to make sure the town is getting the best value and spend his first 100 days in office getting to know every community and business leader in town to find out what issues they’re experiencing.
Question two: With an increasing population comes the need for affordable homes. A report from the AMO in 2025 revealed that homelessness rates in rural and northern Ontario increased by up to 37%. If elected mayor, how would you and your council support and handle those experiencing homelessness?
Question three: As the town continues to grow, so does the usage on local services and infrastructure. More homes mean more cars on the road, heavier use, the need for increased repairs. If you were elected, how would you and your council handle the increase in repairs while keeping taxes affordable.
In our interview, candidates were also given a two minute time period to share their platform on why you should choose them as your mayor. This is Griese’s response.
The election is fast approaching and there’s a lot information to take in. Ensure you’re registered to vote by contacting the clerks office at town hall.
Registered voters will receive a Voter Information Letter in the mail approximately two weeks before the election. If you do not receive the letter, contact the town via email at election@arnprior.ca or by calling 613-623-4231, extension 1817 or in person at town hall at 105 Elgin Street West in Arnprior.
The Arnprior voting period will run from October 16th at 10 a.m. until October 26th at 8pm. Voting will take place over the internet or by telephone until 8 p.m.
A Voter Help Centre will be opened during the voting period for anyone experiencing difficulties casting their ballot. The centre will be located at the town’s municipal offices at 105 Elgin Street West.
The clerk will then declare the results of the election and provide information to the public on the town’s website.
(Written by: Bob Kubbinga)
