Council

Email: natasha.salonen@wilmot.ca 

Phone: 519-807-2370

Biography 

Natasha Salonen was elected the first female Mayor of the Township of Wilmot in October 2022. She is the youngest female mayor in Ontario history, being elected at 27. In her role as Mayor, she also serves as a Region of Waterloo Councillor.

As a first-time politician, she is no stranger to politics, having worked in Federal and Provincial government starting in 2012. She brings professional knowledge from working for various Members of Parliament, most recently at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. 

She is currently an Associate Director of the Wilmot Agricultural Society, a Board Member of the Grand River Conservation Authority, a Board Member at Enova Power Corporation, and a Board Member of Kiwanis Transit. Mayor Salonen is also proud to sit on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Healthy Democracies Advisory Committee. 

She has an Honours BA in Human Sciences from the University of Oxford, UK, where she was very active in student government. Apart from her years of study abroad, she is a lifelong resident of Wilmot Township, currently residing in her family home in Baden.

As Mayor, she has advocated for attainable and accessible housing, fiscal responsibility, youth voice in government, community building, and enhancing the quality and diversity of political candidates. She is incredibly proud of her rural roots and mobilizes her professional experiences to advocate for rural Ontario communities.

Email: stewart.cressman@wilmot.ca 

Phone: 519-807-1496

Biography

Stewart Cressman was elected in 2022 as Councillor for Ward 1.

He is a family-oriented farmer and agricultural leader who is active in the community. 

His experience in agriculture leadership includes 10 years as a 4-H Beef Club Leader locally, 10 years as Chair of Ontario Pork’s Research Committee and eight years as Chair of the National Pork Research Committee identifying University Research Projects to be funded, which addressed industry priorities.

He also received a cabinet appointment to chair an agriculture research and innovation advisory board (ARIO), providing advice to the Ontario Agriculture Ministry for eight years.

He attended Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School and completed a Master of Science degree at the University of Guelph. He is a church elder at the New Dundee Bethel Church and previously volunteered with minor baseball and hockey.

A collaborator by nature, he enjoys working with his colleagues on Council, Township staff and the community so that together they can position Wilmot for future success.

Phone: 519-807-4173

Email: harvir.sidhu@wilmot.ca 

Phone: 519-807-2521

Biography 

Harvir Sidhu was elected as the Township of Wilmot Ward 3 Councillor in October 2022. He is proud of his rural roots. He has called Wilmot Township home since 2007 and grew up in neighbouring Oxford County.  

He and his wife are raising their three young boys in Baden. They run a local business in downtown New Hamburg and, even as busy young parents, they value being involved in community life. As a small business owner, he prioritizes hiring local youth and giving back to the community through various fundraising initiatives.  

As a Wilmot Councillor, he has championed transparency in government, fiscal responsibility, and believes that the Township should be run like a business. He strives to be a strong voice for the people of Ward 3 who elected him and is working to make local democracy more accessible and accountable to all Wilmot Township residents.

Phone: 519-807-5214

Biography 

Steven Martin—a counsellor, psychotherapist and mediator for 30 years—takes the job of being a Township of Wilmot Councillor very seriously.

He moved to New Hamburg in 1998 after living in Kitchener for 10 years. He has a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter living in Toronto, and a daughter and son-in-law living in Kitchener. 

He ran for a Council seat in 2018 before successfully becoming a Councillor in 2022.

He supports healthy discussion, a respectful process political process and the opportunity for the community to be engaged. He also believes in openness regarding issues or concerns people in the community might have.

He seizes the challenge of leadership and does his best for Wilmot, whether working on the Township’s budget, advocating for the environment, protecting heritage assets or promoting economic development.

With an optimistic approach, he works daily with his Council colleagues, Township staff and the community to create a bright future for Wilmot while appreciating the community as it is today. 

Ward 4 Councillor— Lillianne Dunstall 

Email: lillianne.dunstall@wilmot.ca 

Phone: 519-807-4975

Biography 

Lillianne Dunstall was elected as a Township of Wilmot Ward 4 Councillor in October 2022. Since moving to New Hamburg in 2019, she and her husband, Scott, have become deeply involved in the community.

She is an active member of the Wilmot Optimist Club and the New Hamburg Legion and serves on the Executive of the New Hamburg Board of Trade. With over 17 years of experience in the commercial roofing industry, she is the past and first Chair of the National Women in Roofing (NWiR) Canadian Council. Supporting women in trades, which often leads to entrepreneurship, has always been a priority for her.

As a Wilmot Councillor, she has championed initiatives to support local businesses, enhance community and school safety, and ensure that all voices are heard.

In her personal life, she loves spending time with friends and family, especially her five grandchildren.

Email: carly.pettinger@wilmot.ca 

Phone: 519-807-2370