Perth mayoral candidate David Bird says the town’s next council will need to look beyond the day-to-day issues and focus on where the community is heading after the October 2026 municipal election.
Bird, a current Perth councillor, says the next term will be shaped by growth, rising infrastructure needs, development pressure and the cost of providing services to a larger population. He says Perth has to move forward, but it must do so in a way that respects the character of the town.
Bird says his years on council have helped prepare him for the mayor’s chair. He has served eight years as a councillor, including six years as chair of finance. Bird says that role gave him a wider view of municipal operations and helped him understand how choices made at the council table can affect every department.
Bird says Perth cannot afford to plan only one issue at a time. He says new housing, roads, water, sewer, recreation, taxes and long-term debt all connect. That is why he believes the town needs leadership focused on planning ahead, not just reacting when problems arrive.
Bird says he feels he is the one to lead Perth because he brings council experience, a finance background, community knowledge and a practical approach to decision-making. He says good ideas still have to be paid for, and the town needs a mayor who understands both ambition and limits.
His connection to Perth goes back to the late 1980s. Bird and his wife moved to Canada after serving as police officers in London, England. They first expected to work around Ottawa, but after driving through Perth, they decided the town felt right. Bird later joined the Perth police service, served with the OPP in Lanark County, and raised his family in the area.
He says the mayor’s job is not to control council, but to help the team work well, listen to different views and still be ready to make difficult calls.
Bird says Perth has a strong future, but he believes the next mayor will need to keep the bigger picture in mind as the town changes.
We will have conversations with all candidates for Mayor in Perth over the course of the next few days, and we will keep in touch asthe campaign nears.
Candidates have until August 24th to hand in their nomination papers. The campaign officially begins at that point, ending on Election Day October 26th, 2026.
Listen to Bob Perreault’s complete interview with David Bird below.
