Five questions with Keith Poulin, Ward 2 – Sidney candidate for Quinte West 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 Ward 2 – Sidney candidate Keith Poulin. You can view a roundup of all our Quinte West 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?
Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by three core strengths: operational execution, workforce leadership and building community impact.
I spent 12 years as an entrepreneur, launching and running Millennium Hardwood Flooring in 1999. Managing two full-time crews taught me the fundamentals of business operations, financial management and delivering high-quality work on tight deadlines.
From 2011 to 2019, I transitioned to high-volume industrial logistics at CEVA Logistics, a General Motors feeder plant. During those eight years, I had the privilege of serving as union chairperson, holding a seat on the executive board for UNIFOR Local 222, and contributing to the Canadian Labour Congress. That era honed my skills in high-stakes negotiation, dispute resolution, governance and workforce advocacy.
Most recently, I served as warehouse manager/executive director at Gleaners Food Bank for nearly five years. My team and I completely transformed our regional supply chain—scaling distribution 30-fold from 100,000 pounds of food to over three million pounds annually by 2025. We built a network supplying free food to 25 regional food banks, every local meal program and area school initiatives across the Quinte region. For that work, I was honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal and Feed Ontario’s Conscious Collaborator Award.
Across every chapter, my focus has remained the same: building strong teams, scaling operations and delivering tangible results for the organizations and communities I serve.
2. How would you describe your personal political ideology and/or affiliation?
I don’t align myself with any specific political party, and over the course of my life, I’ve voted for three different parties depending on the election.
Rather than sticking to party lines, I consider myself an independent voter. I evaluate candidates based on where they stand at the time—if a candidate’s platform and views closely align with my own priorities and values during that election cycle, that’s what earns my vote.
3. What are the three most common issues voters bring up to you as you campaign?
As I campaign, the top three concerns have been:
1. Taxes – a raise of 36 per cent over the last four years is a big issue.
2. Unfinished projects, from half roads being repaired to no sidewalks on main roads to certain roads that are in need of repair.
3. Squandering complaints. Public criticism that the municipal government is “throwing away residents’ money on unnecessary initiatives.”
4. What three issues are most pressing/important to address locally in your opinion?
1. Taxes need to be addressed and concerns looked at before any tax increases are put into affect.
2. Food insecurity needs to be addressed. This is not just a homelessness issue, it is people who have low income, seniors and people on disability issue.
3. Affordable housing and rent control. Coming up with ways we can take abandoned buildings and convert them to low income housing run by the City, not by a not for-profit, so it is more affordable for low income and senior residents.
5. What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?
What sets me apart from other candidates is my drive. Throughout my career, my primary focus has always been helping people. My promise to the residents of Sindney ward in Quinte West is simple and absolute: I will listen to you, I will fight for you, and I will be there for you whenever I am needed. This i will promise you.