Caledon Ward 2 Councillor Dave Sheen is seeking the regional council seat representing Wards 1, 2 and 3, with a slower, more deliberate approach to development among his priorities.
The Caledon Citizen reported that Sheen, first elected to town council in 2022, has decided to pursue the regional position rather than seek another term as Ward 2 councillor.
Sheen said his four years on council have prepared him to represent Caledon on regional matters. His experience also includes an appointment as an alternate member of Peel Regional Council, chairing the Governance Review Committee and serving as vice-chair of the Audit Committee.
He described the three wards as having different needs, contrasting the largely agricultural communities in Wards 1 and 3 with the growth underway and planned for Ward 2.
For Ward 1, Sheen highlighted the importance of protecting natural features, including rivers, lakes, streams and wildlife. In Ward 2, he said residents need a representative who understands life in a growing neighbourhood and follows through on commitments.
Development and neighbourhood pressures
Sheen said he is not opposed to development, but wants to avoid rushing decisions that will have lasting effects on communities. He argued that neighbourhoods need to be planned carefully because residents will live with the results.
He pointed to Southfields while discussing his concerns about provincial provisions allowing additional residential units, including backyard suites. Sheen raised parking pressures as an issue when more units are added to an existing neighbourhood.
He also identified housing affordability as a concern, while questioning whether a shortage of housing alone explains the problem. In his view, resolving affordability should not fall to municipalities.
Communication and public service
Sheen said staying accessible to residents is another priority. He described keeping track of calls and meetings to help him respond to people, while acknowledging that he does not always get back to everyone.
He said he uses social media, his website and blog posts to explain council work. He also wants to emphasize the connections between Caledon’s communities, including Valleywood, Southfields, Mayfield West and the hamlets in the town’s northwest.
Before retiring, Sheen spent 34 years with the Ontario Public Service. He said his career included youth justice work and managerial roles, and that he received the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal.
He also described 18 years as a telephone counsellor with Kids’ Help Phone, taking calls from young people across Canada, including the territories. Sheen cited that work and his experience coaching in Valleywood as examples of community involvement that preceded his election to council.
