Show Up Prepared
Understand the policies and laws governing the municipality. Look closely at the numbers. Ask hard questions before making decisions.
Erika Montero for Ward 1 · Elora
Representation
that leads to action.
For years, I’ve listened to conversations about our community from behind the counter at Blackbird and around downtown Elora.
Residents know what the issues are. The time for listening without action is over.
I’m running to do the homework, ask the hard questions, speak up and follow through—with honesty, courage and integrity.
Residents first.Clear positions.Practical action.
Hi, I’m Erika.
This time, I’ll be on the other side of the ballot.
If you have ever voted in or worked an election in Elora, you may remember me from the many elections I’ve spent working at the polls at the Elora Community Centre.
I love Centre Wellington. It’s where I’ve built my life, run a small business, volunteered in our community and chosen to call home.
I’m running because I believe we can protect what makes Elora special while planning honestly and thoughtfully for its future.
“Listening matters—but representation has to lead to action.”
Meet Erika
A local voice
ready to do the work
Politics and public policy have been lifelong interests of mine, but municipal government is where that passion became practical and personal.
Serving as Chair of the Elora BIA, working for Elections Canada, owning a downtown consignment shop and volunteering in our community have shown me how directly local decisions affect people, businesses and neighbourhoods.
I’m fascinated by the way thoughtful planning can create healthier, more sustainable communities: walkable neighbourhoods, mixed-use development, green infrastructure, vibrant independent downtowns and public spaces that bring people together.
Outside of work, my husband and I are lovingly restoring an 1860s cottage in Elora’s heritage area—one project at a time. When we aren’t doing that, we foster cats through Arthur Animal Rescue and help them find their forever homes.
Elora is where I live, work and volunteer. It is the community I am ready to represent.
Read Erika’s StoryWard 1 field notes
- Local governance
- Chair, Elora BIA
- Democratic service
- Elections Canada and local polls
- Daily perspective
- Owner of Blackbird in downtown Elora
- Life beyond work
- Heritage restoration and rescue-cat fostering
“A strong economy starts with local business, and thriving communities are built by investing in the people, organizations and neighbourhoods that make them unique.”
Experience close to home
Local experience.
Practical perspective.
My experience has given me several views of local public life—from governance and election administration to small business ownership and everyday conversations with the people who call Elora home.
- Business
Downtown Business Owner
As the owner of Blackbird, I understand the pressures facing independent businesses and the importance of a downtown that works for residents year-round. The shop has also become an unofficial community meeting place, with daily conversations about Elora, the Township and Council.
- Governance
Chair of the Elora BIA
Serving in local governance reinforced my commitment to transparent meetings, responsible financial oversight and accountable decision-making.
- Elections
Elections Canada and Local Polls
Working in elections gave me firsthand experience with the systems and responsibilities that support accessible, trustworthy democratic participation.
- Community
Community Volunteer and Elora Resident
From fostering cats through Arthur Animal Rescue to restoring a heritage cottage with my husband, my roots in Elora are personal, practical and long-term.
Representation in practice
Do the homework.Speak up.Follow through.
Being a councillor is not just about listening to residents. It is about knowing what to do with what you hear.
Make Government Understandable
Residents should be able to understand why decisions are being made, where their tax dollars are going and what their representatives are doing about the problems they raise.
Act Independently
No political games. No different messages for different audiences. No bending to wealthy donors, developers or special interests. Erika is not accepting campaign donations because residents should never have to wonder whether money bought access.
A campaign built here
A grass roots campaign
built in Elora with the
people who live here
Be part of the campaign
Local change
starts with residents.
Politics should not belong to insiders. This campaign is an open invitation to ask questions, share what is happening in your neighbourhood and help build a stronger Ward 1.
- 01
Tell Erika What Needs Fixing
Share what is working, what is not and what you want your next councillor to understand. Your experience should help shape the conversation before decisions are made.
- 02
Help Spread the Word
Follow the campaign, share an update, talk with your neighbours or help Erika connect with more people in every part of Ward 1.
- 03
Make a Plan to Vote
Check your voter information, learn how municipal voting works and make a plan to cast your ballot during the official voting period.
A clear commitment
“One thing you will always know about me is where I stand. You may agree with me. You may disagree with me. That’s democracy. But you will never have to guess.”
No games. No backroom politics. No special treatment. No political spin.
Erika’s priorities
Homes. Neighbours. Community.
Growth with a purpose.
Every major decision should begin with a practical question: how will this serve the people who live here?
01 · Housing
Housing Is Infrastructure
“Growth should mean more housing.”
Council can use planning, zoning and policy to protect the housing we already have, create more of it and shape complete neighbourhoods where homes exist alongside businesses, services and public spaces.
Erika supports infill, missing-middle housing, mixed-use neighbourhoods and a No Net Loss of Housing approach. We can make better use of land inside our communities while protecting farmland, heritage and local character.
02 · Downtown
A Downtown That Works for Residents
“Elora is a town with tourists—not a tourist town.”
Visitors are welcome, but residents should not be made less welcome in their own downtown. Erika supports paid visitor parking with an exemption for Centre Wellington residents, resident-only spaces in municipal lots, more accessible parking and clearer enforcement.
Our downtown should remain a place where people can pick up a prescription, visit the library, shop locally, get their mail and get home.
03 · Government
Open, Independent Government
“Transparency should be the rule, not the exception.”
Residents deserve early involvement, clear public information and representatives who explain what they believe and why. Council should apply rules fairly, resist special-interest pressure and remember who it works for: the people who live here.
Your experience belongs at the table
What does Ward 1
need to fix?
I live two blocks from my business. I experience the same community issues as a resident, a taxpayer and a small business owner—and I hear about them every day from neighbours and customers.
Tell me what Council needs to understand, what has gone unresolved and what practical action would make a difference where you live.
Straight answers
No political spin.
No guessing.
Clear answers to the questions Ward 1 residents are asking.
Why is Erika running?
Erika is running because residents deserve representation that leads to action. She wants to bring preparation, clear positions, transparent decision-making and practical follow-through to the Council table.
What does “representation that leads to action” mean?
It means doing more than hearing a concern. A councillor should understand the governing policies, examine the numbers, ask hard questions, explain the options and work with others to move a practical solution forward.
What are Erika’s main priorities?
Erika’s priorities include housing, thoughtful growth, transparent government, a resident-first downtown, sustainable local business, walkable neighbourhoods, green infrastructure, heritage and opportunities for young people to build a future here.
Is Erika opposed to growth?
No. Erika supports growth that adds homes, neighbours and community. She believes Centre Wellington can create more housing while protecting farmland and established heritage neighbourhoods by using planning and zoning intentionally, supporting infill and building more connected, mixed-use communities.
Is Erika opposed to tourism?
No. Visitors are part of Elora’s economy and should be welcomed. Erika believes tourism should not come at the expense of residents or rely unsustainably on taxpayers. Elora should remain a community people can live in—not simply a destination people visit.
Is Erika accepting campaign donations?
No. Erika is not accepting campaign donations. She does not want residents wondering whether anyone’s money bought influence or access.
How can I get involved?
Ask a question, share an issue, follow the campaign, talk with your neighbours or help Erika connect with more Ward 1 residents.
How can I contact Erika?
Erika welcomes questions, concerns and ideas from Ward 1 residents.
From the campaign
Clear positions. Practical ideas.
Read Erika’s positions in her own words, follow the issues shaping Ward 1 and learn where the campaign is headed next.
A Resident-First Plan for Downtown Parking
Four practical steps to make downtown parking work better for residents, local businesses and people with mobility needs.
Growth Should Mean More Housing
How planning, zoning, infill and mixed-use neighbourhoods can add homes while protecting farmland, heritage and community character.
You Will Always Know Where I Stand
Why Erika is not accepting campaign donations—and what independent, transparent representation should look like at Council.
Detailed campaign articles are intentionally not linked until they are reviewed and published.
Protect what residents rely on.Make room for the next generation to stay, work and belong here.
Representation that leads to action—for Ward 1 and the people who call it home.
Get InvolvedStay part of the conversation.
Follow the campaign
Email signup is not active until a mailing platform, sender identity and privacy wording are confirmed. For now, use the campaign contact page to ask a question or share what matters.
Contact Erika