Candidate Information Session

The Town hosted two Candidate Information Sessions for individuals considering running in the 2026 Municipal Election. In addition, the Town participated in a joint York Region Candidate Information Session.

These sessions were designed to help prospective candidates understand the nomination process, key deadlines, campaign rules, financial responsibilities, and the role of elected officials. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about legislative requirements and ask questions to ensure they are well-prepared before filing their nomination.

Both of the Town's sessions were hosted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), and details of all three sessions can be found below. 

Additionally, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is offering a series of free workshops for people thinking about running for municipal office in the October 2026 elections:

• Supporting Local Leadership
• Strong Leaders, Stronger Communities
• Running for Municipal Office – Everything You Need to Know as an Underrepresented Candidate
• Running for Municipal Office - Information Session for Youth Considering Running
• Running for Municipal Office - Information Session for Urban Indigenous People Considering Running

AMO has also developed a few election related resources:

• Lead Where You Live – A Guide to Running for Municipal Council is for anyone considering running in the 2026 municipal election. The guide walks you through what municipal councils do, what it means to serve your community, and the steps involved in launching a successful campaign.
• Local Democracy Solutions Bank Candidate Catalogue is a new catalogue of existing candidate supports from candidate support organizations, including local and national organizations

Session 1

March 26, 2026
11:00 a.m.

This session is now complete.

If you wish to view a recorded version of the session, you can use the link below. While Stouffville does not have its own recording due to technical issues, this link will take you to the session held in Durham Region, where the same presentation was delivered by MMAH.

View the candidate session here: MMAH Candidate Information Session

Presentation slides for Session 1 and 2 can be found here: MMAH Presentation

Session 2

April 9, 2026
6:00 p.m.

This session is now complete.

A recorded version of the content and the presentation slides can be found at the links above.

Session 3 - Joint York Region Session

April 20, 2026
6:00 p.m.

Hosted by the Towns of Newmarket, Aurora, Stouffville and City of Markham and York Region.

This session is now complete.

To view a recording of the session, please click here: Joint York Region Session Recording

To view the presentation, please click here: Presentation - Joint Session

For a list of questions and answers from the session, please click here: Q&A - Joint Session