Kenneth Fowler is ready for his new role – the Mayor of Innisfil.
Fowler won Innisfil’s mayoral race with 43.92 per cent of the vote, defeating two-term incumbent Lynn Dollin and challengers Travis Romer and Dana Stott in the Oct. 26 municipal election.
Fowler said he is thankful to Innisfil residents for their vote of confidence in him.
“I’m humbled and grateful to the people of Innisfil for placing their faith in me to serve as their next mayor,” he said.
“I got into politics because I wanted to give back to the community I care so much about. The past five months have been about hard work, talking with residents and delivering a message of change for Innisfil. I don’t take this responsibility lightly, and I’m committed to delivering results for our town.”
Fowler first entered municipal politics in 2018, when he was elected as Ward 5 councillor. He was elected deputy mayor in 2022 and served in the role until his mayoral victory.
His win marks a change in leadership at Innisfil Town Hall, where Dollin had served as mayor for two terms and spent more than 30 years in municipal politics.
Fowler said he spoke with Dollin shortly after the election results came in, acknowledging the experience she brought to the position.
“Lynn and I spoke shortly after the results came in,” he said.
“We didn’t always see eye to eye when she was mayor and I was deputy mayor, but I learned a great deal from her. She has spent more than 30 years in municipal politics, and there’s a lot of experience and knowledge to learn from. I’m grateful for that.”
Looking ahead, Fowler said residents made it clear during the campaign that they wanted a new direction for Innisfil.
“Throughout the campaign, I heard from many residents who felt it was time for a change and wanted to see Innisfil move in a different direction,” he said.
“I also heard so many great ideas from people about what our community could become. The future of Innisfil is bright, and I want to keep listening to residents and finding ways to turn those ideas into action.”
A key priority for Fowler will be expanding Innisfil’s corporate tax base while encouraging development that supports the town’s long-term growth. According to the County of Simcoe, Innisfil’s population is projected to reach nearly 85,000 residents by 2051.
“I want to grow our corporate tax base, and I want to start making progress on it now,” he said.
“I don’t want to wait to get things moving. Innisfil deserves progress and proactive development in the places where it makes sense. Our town is growing, and more people are moving here. I want to help transform Innisfil from a bedroom community into a place where people can live, find good jobs and access everything they need close to home.”
Fowler added that building up local services, employment opportunities and amenities would give residents more reasons to stay in the community for their everyday needs.
“When people can find the services, businesses, jobs and amenities they need right here in Innisfil, they spend less time driving elsewhere and less money on fuel,” he said.
“They get more time back with their families. That’s the kind of community I want us to build.”
He said he wants his term to be defined by responsible decision-making, affordability, business growth and a strong future for families.
“At the end of my term, I want to be able to look back and say we made the right decisions and set Innisfil on the right path,” he said.
“I want to help build a community where families can thrive, life is more affordable, local businesses can grow and new businesses and industries are welcomed. I want council and residents to look back and feel confident that we made responsible decisions in the best interests of our town. Innisfil is a community worth fighting for.”
Joining Fowler on council will be Rob Nicol as deputy mayor, along with Paul Veloso in Ward 1, Carol Griffith in Ward 2, Nina La Costa in Ward 3, Melissa Faria in Ward 4, Karen Brown in Ward 5, Robert Saunders in Ward 6 and Fred Drodge in Ward 7.
Voter turnout in the 2026 Innisfil municipal election was 31.47 per cent.
