Five questions with Alex Bruce, Ward 1 candidate for Belleville council in the 2026 municipal election

Editor’s note: To help voters to be better informed, Quinteist will be asking the same five questions of all council candidates in Belleville, Quinte West and Prince Edward County in advance of the municipal election, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Questions were sent to all candidates on Sept. 10, 2026. We will publish their responses as we receive them. Below are the responses from Belleville Ward 1 candidate Alex Bruce. You can view a roundup of all our Belleville municipal coverage and links to all completed profiles here.

1. Tell us a little bit about your professional background, including any prior municipal or other political participation, as well as about you, personally. What made you want to run for council?

Hi, I’m Alex Bruce, a local entrepreneur, girl-dad, and Belleville lover. I moved to Belleville 10 years ago with my wife, Celine, to raise our two daughters and open a restaurant downtown called The Lark. Along the way, we’ve met many wonderful Bellevillians, adopted a couple of dogs, and had the honour of getting involved with a few volunteer groups. I am currently the treasurer of the Downtown Belleville BIA and I lead as chair of the Events & Programming Committee.

As far as Belleville is concerned , it’s fair to say I have a lot of skin in the game: My business is here, my family is here, my daughters attend school here and our community is here. I still work on the floor everyday in our restaurant, where I get to meet and connect with neighbours from all over Belleville. Getting to know all of you is what I love most about my job and what reaffirms my belief that this is the best place to live.

I am running for city council because I know I would be really good at it. I am deeply connected to the people and the issues that city council is meant to address. Most importantly, my perspective that puts the lived experiences of our people first would be an asset to City Hall.

2. How would you describe your personal political ideology and/or affiliation?

People first. My entire professional career has been centred around serving others thoughtfully, and it’s something I believe directly translates into good municipal leadership. As far as party affiliation, I strongly think that municipal governance is the last vestige free from party affiliations and it should remain this way. Servicing my community is the priority, not serving a political party.

3. What are the three most common issues voters bring up to you as you campaign?

Interestingly, I’m noticing that the way common issues are experienced vary widely by demographic. A prime example of this is the central issue of affordability. Older folks/homeowners are concerned with the bottom line number on their property tax bill, while younger constituents are concerned with sky-high rents and the challenges associated with generational under-representation at City Hall.

My opinion is really in line with my community. I believe it is critically important that we have a diverse council that our residents can see themselves in. When I was having a conversation with a fellow board member from Downtown Belleville about how to build a well-rounded team, I said something that I think resonated with the group. it was something like this:

“We can’t have just old guys and we can’t just have young guys… and we can’t just have guys.”

I think we can expand the beyond age and gender.

4. What three issues are most pressing/important to address locally in your opinion?

It’s hard to pick three. Every piece matters. That said, the overarching issue I would be steadfastly dedicated to is making sure residents feel heard, and that the work we do has a tangible and positive impact on their lives. I will bring experience and a focus on quality of life issues ( accessibility, social services, community programming), economic development and responsible spending/infrastructure investment.

5. What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?

Interestingly, I share positions with a few candidates and I’m happy to see so many names come forward. I think what sets me apart is that I’m approaching this not as a career politician, but as someone who is already doing the work, already investing my time, money and volunteer capacity into the city.

I’m not one of the many candidates saying they want to support local businesses/make downtown better, I’m actually doing this already. I’m not just observing issues we have in Belleville, I’m smack dab in the heart of them. Yes, I bring a younger perspective, but I’m not coming to council with no experience either. I’ve built a lovely restaurant, employed people, given back by participating in community organizations and I am raising my family here.

Lastly, what sets me apart from some of the candidates is my platform is genuinely authentic, if at times candid/unpolished. The ideas I have come from over a decade of real experience, real relationships and real community involvement in Belleville, not a prompt-generated political persona.