Nipissing Township Council · October 2026

Chris
Johnston

Candidate for Nipissing Township Council

Most people don't follow every council meeting.
That's okay. I do. Obsessively. That's the point.

You've got roads to drive, a farm to run, a family to raise. You don't need to track every resolution, every closed meeting, every budget line. I will — and I'll report back in plain language. I've been doing it from outside the room for five years. In October 2026, I'm asking you to give me the seat.

5 years of documented
advocacy without a seat

833 resolutions indexed
at bylaw.chriswjohnston.ca

1 Ombudsman finding
council violated the law

My Four Priorities Five Years of Proof

About Chris

Rooted Here.
Invested in What's Next.

This community is part of my family's story going back generations. My wife's family has farmed land in this community for generations — and my own great grandfather lived here too. I grew up in Powassan — Powassan Jr., Mapleridge, St. Joseph Scollard Hall — and these lakes, roads, and communities have always felt like home, long before I chose to build a life here.

Together my wife and I run JH Farms — 292 acres we took on, a farmhouse we rebuilt from the foundation up, and a small business we're proud of. We recently welcomed our son. We're not going anywhere.

By day I work as Director of Marketing Operations at ETS Canada, remotely from Nipissing Township. For over 15 years I've built a career in Marketing Technology — leading strategy, communications, and the platforms that power them. I know exactly what a failed software implementation looks like. And exactly how to prevent one.

15+Years in Marketing
Technology leadership

BACommunications,
Wilfrid Laurier

292Acres at
JH Farms

Before This Campaign

Five Years of Trying to Serve.
I Kept Showing Up Anyway.

October 2026 is not my first attempt to contribute to this township. It is my fifth. Each time I was turned away, I kept working — from the outside, without a seat, building tools, raising issues, and showing up at public meetings. Here is the record.

2018–2022
Term

Applied for Linda Andersen's Vacant Seat

Ten residents stepped forward. After council voted, I tied with Stephen Kirkey. A name draw decided it. Kirkey won. He ran in 2022 and won 216 votes — voters validated the appointment. I stayed engaged: serving on the Museum Board and Recreation Committee, filing an Ombudsman complaint, and raising governance issues formally.

Oct 2022

Stood for Election

I put my name forward in the October 2022 municipal election. I didn't mount the campaign I had planned — my father-in-law passed away in August 2022. I stood anyway, because the township deserved candidates willing to show up even in difficult circumstances.

Oct 3, 2023

Presented at the Strategic Planning Process — and Told Council the Truth

I attended the Township's strategic planning town hall and presented substantive, researched input. I told council plainly that if they weren't willing to govern effectively, there were people ready to step up. The strategic plan was finalized 42 days later, largely unchanged.

My full critique of the 2023–2026 Strategic Plan → · Watch the presentation →

May 9, 2024

Applied for Tom Butler's Vacant Seat — 8 Applicants Presented

Eight residents presented — proof that people were ready to serve, as I'd said six months earlier. The seat went to James Scott, a candidate voters had just ranked last in 2022. Before the vote, Mayor Piper addressed me directly — on the public record:

"I give you a lot of credit coming here tonight because can you tell me what you said six months ago to this Council. You suggested that all these Councillors were a quarter way through their term and that they should resign. I appreciate that you have a vast background in planning but around here we need boots on the ground."

— Mayor Tom Piper, May 9, 2024 · Watch on YouTube →

The mayor treated accountability as a disqualifying act. The Township's own Strategic Plan opens with the Municipal Act definition of council's role: to develop policies, ensure accountability, maintain financial integrity. That is exactly what I bring.

Dec 19, 2024

Applied for Mayor Piper's Vacant Seat — 6 Applicants Presented

After Mayor Piper resigned in November 2024, I presented again — one of six applicants. Lisa Chalapenko was appointed. I kept working: building civic tech tools, writing formal letters to council, documenting the pattern, preparing this campaign.

Oct 2026

Now I'm Asking Voters Directly

Council couldn't give me a seat. Voters can. Everything I would have done from inside the room — I spent five years doing from outside it. The Ombudsman complaint. The formal letters. The civic tech tools. The by-law research. The documented advocacy. That is not just a campaign platform. That is a track record.

Mayor Piper saw my criticism of council as disqualifying. I see holding elected officials accountable as exactly the job description. Eight people showed up to the next vacancy. The residents of Nipissing Township are ready for a council that welcomes scrutiny rather than resents it.

— Chris Johnston, Candidate for Nipissing Township Council

What I'm Hearing

The Community Has Been Saying This for Years.

Before and throughout this campaign, I've had conversations with residents across the township. Four themes come up every time.

🔍

Transparency

Residents want to know what's happening at council — and at the boards and committees that manage their recreation facilities, museum, and cemetery. Not buried in agenda packages. Proactively, in plain language, on a regular schedule.

💻

Modern Upgrades

A website that actually works. Searchable records. Digital options for residents who don't want to call the office to find a basic document. The tools exist. The township just hasn't treated this as a priority — and it's showing.

💰

Low Taxes — With Accountability

Residents want low taxes — and they'll accept them if they trust the money is being spent well. TownSuite, the landfill card, the CAO process — these erode that trust. Good financial management and transparency go together.

🛣️

Better Roads

The most consistent thing I hear. Transportation services is already the largest expense in the Township — $1.9M in 2025. Residents want to see that investment produce results, and honest reporting when it does and doesn't.

The Generational Question

Older residents want younger people to step up. I agree. But stepping up only works when the door is actually open.

I hear this consistently: people want young families to stay, to volunteer, to contribute. I've tried to do exactly that — on the Museum Board, on the Recreation Committee, in five attempts to serve officially since 2018.

But the next generation doesn't want to be "voluntold" — handed tasks with no voice in direction, or turned away when stepping forward through legitimate channels.

If Nipissing Township wants younger people to stay and lead, it needs to create conditions where that's actually possible. Better transparency. Open recruitment for boards. A council that treats new voices as an asset rather than a challenge.

I am that next generation. I've been trying to serve for five years. In October 2026, I'm asking voters to open that door.

A Pattern Worth Discussing

Three Terms.
The Same Instability.

Three consecutive terms. Mid-term departures every time. Appointments that sometimes contradicted what voters had already decided. Each seat below tells part of that story.

2014–2018 · The Haufe Term

1 mid-term change

Mayor

→

Councillors (4 seats)

●

2018–2022 · The COVID Term

1 mid-term change

Mayor

Councillors (4 seats)

Andersen departed (relocated) →

Johnston lost coin flip

2022–2026 · Current Term

2 elected members departed

Mayor

→

Councillors — voters elected

Butler resigned → council appointed Scott

Voters ranked him last (117 votes)

Yemm elevated → Foote to Dep. Mayor → Chalapenko appointed

Elected by voters

Acclaimed (no opponent)

Appointed mid-term

Resigned

Appointed despite voters' rejection

What Voters Actually Decided — October 2022

4 councillor seats · 9 candidates · Piper acclaimed as Mayor (uncontested for the third consecutive time)

Dave Yemm

✓ Elected · now Mayor

486

Shelly Foote

288

Stephen Kirkey

216

Tom Butler

✓ Elected · resigned 2023

173

Shawn Hughes

169

Joseph Bell

151

T. Marchant

128

⚠️ Voters ranked James Scott last. Council appointed him to the next vacancy anyway.

James Scott

Last place → then appointed

117

Chris Johnston

Both incumbents were rejected by voters in 2022. Three newcomers won. When Butler resigned, council chose to seat the candidate voters had just ranked last — not one of the five candidates who had finished ahead of him.

📋

Three Consecutive Uncontested Mayoral Races

Tom Piper was appointed Mayor mid-term in 2018. He then ran in 2018 and 2022 — both times acclaimed, with no opponent. The mayor of Nipissing Township went uncontested for eight years. A community that can't find mayoral candidates is a community that needs to ask why.

Professional Background

The Skills Gap on Council Is Real. I Can Fill It.

For over 15 years I've built a career at the intersection of marketing, communications, and technology — managing platforms, owning budgets, being accountable for results at companies across Canada, all while running a farm in Nipissing Township.

🏢

Director of Marketing Operations

ETS Canada · Oct 2024–Present

Leading marketing operations strategy and technology at one of Canada's leading educational testing organizations — remotely from Nipissing Township.

⚙️

Senior Manager, Marketing Technology

Wave HQ · Jun 2023–Oct 2024

Led the full marketing technology stack — strategy, vendor selection, implementation. Managed a team of 3, owned the budget, interfaced across 10+ departments.

📱

Lifecycle Marketing Manager

Nuula (formerly BFS Capital) · Nov 2020–Aug 2022

Managed the full marketing technology stack for customer retention using Salesforce, Segment, Amplitude, Twilio, and more. Helped scale a fintech startup through its rebrand.

💡

What This Means for Nipissing Township

When the Township approved TownSuite at nearly twice the budget and six times the only other bidder, someone with my background would have asked: What's the implementation plan? Who's accountable for milestones? What are the exit criteria if this fails? I will ask these questions. Every time. Before we sign, not after we fail.

Technology Strategy Software Procurement Budget Management Team Leadership Communications Vendor Management Cross-Functional Delivery Digital Marketing Graphic Design Data & Analytics Farming & Rural Business

What People Say

The Track Record Speaks for Itself

Colleagues and clients who've worked directly with Chris over 15+ years in technology and marketing leadership.

"Chris is a human Swiss Army knife when it comes to marketing technology. He possesses deep knowledge of martech, immense problem-solving skills, and a genuine enthusiasm for coaching. His innovative approach and strategic vision were crucial to the success of our initiatives."

Andrew FarenechMarketing Operations & Web Dev, Wave HQ · Reported to Chris directly

"Chris is one of the best team leaders I've had the pleasure of working with. He pays attention to detail while keeping an eye on the bigger picture. His leadership style is one of generosity and trust — he empowers his team with the autonomy to take action while providing guidance when needed."

Gina AlvarezProgram & Operations Manager · Reported to Chris directly

"Chris is an amazing, down-to-earth and wickedly smart consultant, project manager and human being. He helped me solve a major problem with finesse, grace and expertise. I cannot recommend him enough."

Chris JohansenDigital Specialist & Podcast Producer · Client

"I have had the pleasure of knowing Chris for almost 7 years. In that time we have worked together on many different projects ranging from university work to entrepreneurial initiatives. I have found him to be one of the most driven, capable and collaborative people I know."

Shaun LaiProgramme Manager, AI & Cloud · Microsoft Public Sector

Recommendations sourced from Chris Johnston's LinkedIn profile.

Chris
Johnston

Rooted Here.
Invested in What's Next.

Five Years of Trying to Serve.
I Kept Showing Up Anyway.

The Community Has Been Saying This for Years.

Transparency

Modern Upgrades

Low Taxes — With Accountability

Better Roads

Older residents want younger people to step up. I agree. But stepping up only works when the door is actually open.

Four Clear Priorities

Fiscal Responsibility

Community Services & Recreation

Communication & Technology

Community Governance

Three Terms.
The Same Instability.

What Voters Actually Decided — October 2022

Three Consecutive Uncontested Mayoral Races

What Needs to Change

The Skills Gap on Council Is Real. I Can Fill It.

Director of Marketing Operations

Senior Manager, Marketing Technology

Lifecycle Marketing Manager

What This Means for Nipissing Township

The Track Record Speaks for Itself

Let's Build Something Together

Volunteer

Lawn Sign

Let's Talk

ChrisJohnston

Rooted Here.Invested in What's Next.

Five Years of Trying to Serve.I Kept Showing Up Anyway.

The Community Has Been Saying This for Years.

Transparency

Modern Upgrades

Low Taxes — With Accountability

Better Roads

Older residents want younger people to step up. I agree. But stepping up only works when the door is actually open.

Four Clear Priorities

Fiscal Responsibility

Community Services & Recreation

Communication & Technology

Community Governance

Three Terms.The Same Instability.

What Voters Actually Decided — October 2022

Three Consecutive Uncontested Mayoral Races

What Needs to Change

The Skills Gap on Council Is Real. I Can Fill It.

Director of Marketing Operations

Senior Manager, Marketing Technology

Lifecycle Marketing Manager

What This Means for Nipissing Township

The Track Record Speaks for Itself

Let's Build Something Together

Volunteer

Lawn Sign

Township Updates in Your Inbox

Let's Talk

Chris
Johnston

Rooted Here.
Invested in What's Next.

Five Years of Trying to Serve.
I Kept Showing Up Anyway.

Three Terms.
The Same Instability.