IT professional pitching civic-tech approach as municipal campaign gains steam
A third candidate has entered Woodstock's mayoral contest with a platform that puts technology and community engagement at the centre of municipal problem-solving. The candidate, Aaron Gorlick, says his professional experience in information technology and business gives him the tools to change how residents and city hall communicate.
Gorlick moved to Woodstock about nine years ago, drawn by what he described as the city's arts scene and the prospect of raising a family in a smaller community. He told local media he has spent most of his career helping large companies streamline processes and become more sustainable — experience he says can translate into municipal government.
- Background: IT and business career, work with large companies.
- Local ties: Woodstock resident for approximately nine years; family-oriented and active in arts community.
- Key priorities: mental health and addictions, cost of living, event spaces, recreation (including another pool), and enhanced citizen engagement via technology.
Central to Gorlick's pitch is an idea to build a civic app to let residents weigh in on issues directly. The proposed platform would allow citizens to vote on local questions and surface the most popular ideas for council consideration.
"It empowers people to talk directly to city hall and directly to city council. We can use software to take these ideas and distill them into the top three each week and make sure that it's part of the discussion,"
He argued the approach would reduce guesswork in local policy-making by providing a continuous, measurable way to sample public opinion. Gorlick also said the growing impact of artificial intelligence means municipal governments need to be proactive and informed about technology's implications.
"I've watched AI grow from the very beginning when it first started and I'm telling you this is something that needs to be considered. It needs to be considered in city hall and part of our everyday lives," he said, framing the issue as one of future-proofing civic services rather than a technical novelty.
On more traditional municipal issues, Gorlick named the mental health and addictions crisis and the rising cost of living as priorities. He also highlighted local quality-of-life matters, including what he described as a lack of event spaces and the need for another public pool — concerns that often surface in discussions about community planning and recreation budgets.
Gorlick invoked a family aphorism when asked about his motivations for running. He said his great-grandfather told him, "you can't create paradise on earth, but you can create paradise one acre at a time through community and building relationships," language he used to frame a grassroots, community-minded approach to municipal leadership.
Where this fits in Woodstock's municipal race
The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26. With Gorlick now a declared candidate, voters will see at least three people vying for Woodstock's top job. His profile — combining technological tools with a focus on local services — adds a particular angle to the campaign debate: whether the city should adopt more digital channels for public input and how to balance those innovations with investments in social and recreational infrastructure.
| Issue | Gorlick's focus |
|---|---|
| Citizen engagement | Develop an accessible app for voting on local issues |
| Mental health and addictions | Named as a priority area |
| Recreation and events | Address lack of event spaces; advocate for another pool |
As the campaign unfolds, voters will be weighing platforms on familiar municipal battlegrounds: tax and spending priorities, infrastructure, community services and ways to engage citizens in decision-making. Gorlick's bid underscores an emerging theme in Ontario municipal politics — the intersection of technology and local governance.
Residents considering their options ahead of October's vote will want to assess how candidates propose to fund service improvements and whether digital outreach tools can produce meaningful, representative input across Woodstock's urban and rural communities. The answers will help determine if a technology-led model for local democracy can complement investments in mental health supports, public facilities and community programming.
Further details about Gorlick's campaign, including policy specifics and proposed timelines, were not provided in the profile. Voters are encouraged to consult candidate materials and public forums as the election approaches to evaluate proposals and their feasibility.
