Elect Anna Zak · Councillor · Athol Ward 5

Experience that works
for our community.

I’m Anna Zak — a Cherry Valley resident, homeowner, parent and local business owner. I’m running to bring practical problem-solving, clearer decision-making and a stronger connection between residents and County Hall.

For Cherry Valley. For our rural communities. For a stronger Prince Edward County.

Explore My Platform Why My Experience Matters
Cherry Valley is home.
This campaign is about strengthening the place we live, while making thoughtful decisions for Prince Edward County as a whole.
Family / community image
Suggested: outdoors in Cherry Valley, warm and natural
About Me

A neighbour invested in the future of our community.

My husband and I are raising our two girls here in Cherry Valley. We are homeowners, neighbours and business owners, and the decisions made by Council affect our family in the same everyday ways they affect yours — our roads, our taxes, our services, our local economy and the kind of community our children will inherit.

For more than six years, I have operated Lakecroft in Cherry Valley. Running a rural business has given me a firsthand understanding of seasonality, staffing, tourism, infrastructure, municipal processes and the challenges that come with trying to build, invest and plan responsibly in Prince Edward County.

Before entrepreneurship, I spent 15 years in telecommunications at Cogeco, leading teams, managing complex projects and working across marketing, IT, engineering, customer service and operations. I learned how to bring people with different priorities around one table, ask the right questions, turn complicated information into something understandable, and move from discussion to execution.

“Good decisions start with understanding the whole picture — and with listening to the people who live with the outcome.”

That is the approach I want to bring to Council: informed, collaborative, accessible and focused on practical results.

My Experience → What It Means For You

Experience is only useful if it translates into better representation.

I want residents to know not only what I have done, but how that experience will help me serve Athol Ward and contribute to better decisions for the County.

01 · LEADERSHIP & COMPLEX PROJECTS

15 years leading teams and delivering projects at Cogeco

  • Worked across marketing, IT, engineering, customer service and operations.
  • Led teams and coordinated competing priorities.
  • Helped roll out new programming within a multi-million-dollar organization.
  • Learned to work across departments instead of in silos.

How this helps me serve you: I know how to take a large, technical or complicated issue, identify what actually matters, ask better questions and turn it into clear information that supports an educated decision.

02 · LOCAL BUSINESS & MUNICIPAL PROCESSES

More than six years operating a business in Cherry Valley

  • Understand the realities of tourism, seasonality and rural entrepreneurship.
  • Hands-on experience navigating municipal policies and approval processes.
  • Exposure to planning policy, Official Plan Amendments, Comprehensive Zoning By-laws, building requirements and internal municipal workflows.
  • Understand how delays, unclear processes and inconsistent communication affect real people and investment.

How this helps me serve you: I bring an inside-out understanding of where clearer processes, better accountability, smarter use of technology and stronger service standards can make municipal government work better for residents and businesses.

03 · RESIDENT, HOMEOWNER & PARENT

Cherry Valley is not just where I work. It is where I live.

  • Raising two daughters in the community with my husband.
  • Experiencing the changes that come with growth and new residents.
  • Seeing the importance of neighbour-to-neighbour connection in a rural community.
  • Understanding that people want to be heard before decisions are already made.

How this helps me serve you: I will listen, communicate and stay connected. Resident feedback should not disappear into a process — it should be understood, responded to and, where possible, translated into practical action.

My Platform

Three priorities. One practical approach.

We do not need more slogans. We need Council to understand the issues deeply, explain them clearly and make decisions with the long-term interests of residents in mind.

01

Connected Communities

Growth should not mean losing the sense of community that makes Cherry Valley and the County special. Community means more than neighbourhoods. Athol is home to families, farmers, agricultural businesses, entrepreneurs, seasonal residents and newcomers. We can create more opportunities to connect, participate and contribute while preserving the relationships between the people who live here, the people who work the land and the businesses that contribute to our local economy.

  • More meaningful ways for residents to connect with their Councillor.
  • Support local gatherings, volunteerism and community-led initiatives.
  • Welcome new residents while strengthening relationships with long-time residents.
  • Make engagement easier for people who cannot attend formal Council meetings.
02

Transparency, Efficiency & Accountability

Council meetings are only the visible part of municipal decision-making. Residents deserve clearer information about how recommendations are developed, what alternatives were considered, what risks exist and what decisions will cost over time.

  • Plain-language summaries of major reports and decisions.
  • Stronger risk, cost and long-term impact analysis for large projects.
  • Clearer service standards and accountability for municipal processes.
  • Use automation and better internal tools where they can reduce repetitive work.
  • Look for ways to do more with the resources we already have.
03

A Resilient Rural Economy — Agriculture, Tourism & Local Business

Prince Edward County’s economy is uniquely shaped by its farms, agricultural producers, tourism operators, trades, entrepreneurs and small businesses. These sectors are connected — and decisions about infrastructure, land use, roads, housing, workforce and economic development affect all of them.

  • Recognize agriculture as a cornerstone of the County’s economy, identity and rural character.
  • Support farmers and agricultural businesses as they navigate changing economic, environmental and regulatory pressures.
  • Build stronger connections between agriculture and tourism — including local food, farm markets, wineries, culinary experiences and appropriate agri-tourism — while respecting active farming operations.
  • Support a stronger four-season tourism economy that creates more stable employment and year-round economic activity.
  • Connect local producers, restaurants, accommodations, events and retailers so more visitor spending stays within the County.
  • Protect agricultural land and consider the long-term viability of farming when making growth decisions.
  • Improve municipal processes for farmers, entrepreneurs and businesses.
  • Consider agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and land-use planning together — not in silos.
Ward 5 Voice · County-Wide Responsibility

Representing Athol means showing up for Cherry Valley — and being ready for the bigger decisions.

A Councillor is elected by a ward, but every Councillor votes on decisions affecting the whole municipality. Over the coming term, Council will face complex choices involving infrastructure, growth, affordability, municipal finances, economic development, service delivery and the future character of Prince Edward County.

Tourism is part of our economy — but it is not our entire economy. Prince Edward County’s future depends on maintaining a healthy balance between agriculture, tourism, local business, skilled trades and emerging economic opportunities. Council should be looking at how these sectors can reinforce one another and how municipal decisions can strengthen the County’s overall economic resilience.

I believe those decisions deserve more than a quick read of a staff report before a meeting. They require curiosity, preparation, critical thinking and the willingness to understand different perspectives before choosing a path forward.

I will bring the same approach I have used throughout my career in project management, process analysis and strategic planning: understand the objective, break down complex issues, test assumptions, identify risks, listen to the people affected and turn information into thoughtful, practical decisions.

Questions I will keep asking

  • What problem are we actually trying to solve?
  • What does the data tell us — and what does it not tell us?
  • What are the financial and operational risks?
  • What are the alternatives?
  • Who will be affected by this decision?
  • Have residents been given information they can actually understand?
  • Are departments working together, or are we solving the issue in silos?
  • Will this decision still make sense five or ten years from now?
My Commitment

A Councillor who does the homework.

I will not pretend every issue has a simple answer. I will commit to doing the work required to understand it, explaining what I learn in plain language, listening to residents with an open mind and making decisions I can clearly account for.

Listen carefully.
Ask difficult questions.

Explain clearly.
Work across silos.

Decide responsibly.
Follow through.

2026 Municipal Election

How to Vote

Your voice matters. Prince Edward County voters can cast their ballot in person or online in the 2026 municipal election. Here are the key details to help you make a plan to vote.

01 · ELECTION DAY

Monday, October 26, 2026

Traditional paper-ballot voting will be available in person at assigned voting locations. Your Voter Notification Card will identify your ward-specific voting location.

Ward 5 — Athol: Check the County’s “What’s My Ward?” voting-location tool before heading out to confirm your assigned location and voting details.

02 · VOTE EARLY

Advance Voting

You do not have to wait until Election Day. The County will offer advance voting, including in-person paper-ballot opportunities at designated dates, times and locations.

Plan ahead: The County’s official voter page will provide the current advance-voting dates, times and locations. Your Voter Notification Card will also contain the information you need to vote.

03 · VOTE ONLINE

Vote from Anywhere

Internet voting will be available continuously during the advance voting period and on Election Day. Eligible voters can cast a ballot using a smartphone, computer or tablet.

What you’ll need: Voter Notification Cards are expected in early October and will include the website for online voting along with your personal voter ID and PIN.

Before You Vote

Make sure you are on the Voters List. Eligible voters must be Canadian citizens, at least 18 years old, and a resident of Prince Edward County — or an owner or tenant of land in the County, or the spouse of an owner or tenant — and not otherwise prohibited from voting.

Voter Notification Cards are expected to arrive in early October 2026. If you do not receive one, contact Prince Edward County Elections Headquarters.

For in-person voting, voters must provide identification showing their name and qualifying address. Photo identification is not required.

Official County Voting Information

Election information can change. Please confirm voting dates, times and locations with Prince Edward County before voting.

Let’s Connect

This campaign starts with conversation.

Tell me what is working, what is not, and what you want your Councillor to understand about life in Athol Ward 5 and Prince Edward County.

Add campaign email · phone · Facebook · Instagram · lawn sign / volunteer form here