Guelph Municipal Election · Monday, October 26, 2026

Greg Cox

Candidate for Guelph City Council, Ward 2 (St. George's)

Practical leadership. Honest answers.

A business. A family. A life. Whatever you're building, you chose Guelph to build it. I did too.

A Guelph small-business owner running to fix what City Hall can actually control: costs, red tape, and a downtown that works for the people who live here and the people who visit.

Where I stand Get involved

Why I'm running

I'm a Guelph small business owner, employer, coach and community builder who believes City Hall should work as hard as the people who pay for it.

I run CrossFit 1827. I took it over in the middle of COVID with no coaching experience, grew it to around 300 members, and I employ a team of 11. Along the way I built a directory of my members' own businesses so they could support each other, which is the same instinct behind this campaign. I know what it takes to make payroll and deal with City Hall. I'm not a career politician, and I believe City Hall can work better for the people who live and work downtown.

Downtown is a destination for some: a weekend, an evening out. But for thousands of people it's home. A downtown that works has to do both, and too often the people who live there get left out. I won't forget either one.

I live in Ward 6, but my life happens in Ward 2: family birthdays and celebrations, our favourite bookstore (The Bookshelf, on Quebec Street), years of staff dinners at Miijidaa, my daughter working downtown. This isn't a ward I'm parachuting into. I'm already here.

The deal is simple: I'll only promise what a councillor can actually deliver.

What I've built

I'm not a career politician. I'm a builder. Before I ask for your vote, here's what I've built.

These aren't campaign promises. They're proof I build things and finish them. People don't elect businesses. They elect builders.

Supporting local business

Ward 2 is Guelph's business heart, so I'm meeting every business owner who'll have me and listening to residents right across the ward. I'd rather show up than say I care. Every conversation shapes my priorities.

Five things I'll work on, all within a councillor's control

City Hall should help people build, not get in the way. Council votes the budget, sets bylaws, and approves what gets built. These five are squarely in that lane, and each has to work for the people who live here, not just those who visit.

City budget & tax rate

1. Real value for your tax dollars

What I believe: You deserve to know where every tax dollar goes, and to get real value for it.

I'll push for:
  • Careful, open budget reviews
  • Plain-language budgets anyone can follow
  • Real value on every project
Permits & licensing

2. A City Hall that helps you get to yes

What I believe: When City Hall is quick and clear, local businesses grow, hire, and thrive.

I'll push for:
  • Clear, published timelines
  • One friendly point of contact for small business
  • A councillor who helps move things along
Downtown investment

3. A downtown that draws people in

What I believe: Foot traffic keeps downtown alive, and the city can help bring people in.

I'll push for:
  • Downtown construction done on time, and with businesses, not to them
  • More reasons to come downtown
  • Real support for the Downtown Business Association
Bylaws & maintenance

4. A clean, welcoming downtown, for residents first

What I believe: The people who live downtown deserve clean, safe, well-kept streets.

I'll push for:
  • Reliable cleaning and better lighting
  • Coordinated city services, with compassion
  • Pressure on the province to fund health and addictions
Parking & getting around

5. Make it easy to get to and park

What I believe: If it's hard to get to and park, customers stop coming.

I'll push for:
  • Sensible parking for local business
  • Clear wayfinding during construction
  • Transit that connects to downtown
Straight talk

What this office can't do

Interest rates, provincial health funding, immigration, the courts. Those aren't council decisions, and I won't pretend otherwise. Where a problem is bigger than City Hall, I'll do the city's part and hold the province and Ottawa to account.

Quick quiz: whose job is it, really?

Some candidates will promise you anything. A city councillor only controls part of it. Take 60 seconds and find out which is which. No sign-up, just fewer surprises on election day.

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Can your city councillor…

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Common questions

Short, straight answers.

What does a city councillor actually do?
A councillor is one of 13 votes on council (12 councillors plus the mayor). Council approves the budget and tax rate, passes bylaws, approves zoning and development, and sets priorities for roads, transit, parks, and downtown. A councillor is also your advocate for the pothole, the stuck permit, and the answer you can't get from City Hall.
Am I in Ward 2?
Ward 2 is the St. George's ward. It covers the downtown core and the surrounding neighbourhoods out to Victoria Road. Not sure? Check guelph.ca/vote or email me your address and I'll tell you.
You live in Ward 6, so why run in Ward 2?
Because Ward 2 is where our favourite bookstore is, where my family and friends live, where my family runs a business, and where my daughter works. My life is here. This is my city, and Ward 2 is where we choose to spend our time. Some people figure downtown isn't their problem if they don't live there. I've never thought that way: if I can help, I do, and that's why I was asked to run. The rules allow it (you just have to be a Guelph elector), and I'm not parachuting in anyway. If elected, I answer to the people who live in Ward 2 first.
Do you think downtown is unsafe?
Downtown is one of the best things about Guelph and deserves investment to match. I want it welcoming and easy for everyone, and that's council's job: lighting, clean streets, sensible parking, and backing the businesses and services that make it thrive. I won't scapegoat anyone.
Are you tied to a party?
No. Municipal elections in Ontario are non-partisan, with no parties on the ballot. I'll work with anyone who wants to get things done for Ward 2.
How do I reach you?
Email me any time at greg@gregcox.vote, or call or text 519-830-1733. I read and answer everything myself.

Are you a Ward 2 voter?

It decides whether you can vote for me. And if you own or rent a business in Ward 2, you may be a voter here even if you live elsewhere in Guelph.

What are you looking for in Ward 2?

Whether you live here, work here, or come downtown on the weekend, I want to hear it. What do you love? What needs work? This is your ward; help me get it right.

This opens your email app with your note ready to send. Nothing is posted publicly.

How to vote in Ward 2

Every Ward 2 voter picks up to two councillor candidates, so I'm asking for one of your two votes.

Mon, Oct 26, 2026

Election Day. Polls open across Guelph.

Oct 10-18

Advance voting. Vote early if Election Day doesn't work for you.

Check guelph.ca/vote

Confirm you're on the voters' list, find your ward, and see voting locations.

Get involved

A downtown campaign runs on downtown people. Here's how you can help.

Lend a hand

Knock on a few doors, or introduce me to your neighbours and fellow business owners. Even an hour helps.

Put up a sign

A lawn or window sign is one of the biggest helps there is. It tells your whole street a neighbour is on board. Want one? Send me your address and I'll get a sign to you as soon as they're ready.

Chip in

Local campaigns run on local support, within the city's contribution rules. Want to help fund the campaign? Email me and I'll share how.

Coffee with Greg

If you own a business. If you live downtown. If you disagree with me. Let's talk. Buy me a coffee, or let me buy you one. I want to hear from you.