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About Cameron
My name is Cameron Bonesso and I'm running to become your next Ottawa Catholic School Board Trustee for Zone 10, representing Rideau-Vanier, Rideau-Rockcliffe and Somerset Wards (Wards 12, 13, and 14).
In 2022, I ran for OCSB Trustee achieving the highest percentage of votes out of any trustee candidate not elected. Now, I'm running again to build on the work we started to help make the Ottawa Catholic School Board a better place for students, parents, and educators.
My story begins in Oshawa, Ontario where I grew up and attended Catholic school from the first grade until graduating high school. My first job was working as an assistant program activity leader with the Boys & Girls Club of Canada where I worked closely with young children living with special needs and disabilities.
After first moving to the city to study social science at the University of Ottawa, I'm now proud to call Sandy Hill my home having lived in the neighbourhood for over 8 years. I've seen how addiction and the homelessness crisis have impacted our neighbourhoods and families with children attending school here. This is what has inspired me to become an advocate for our community and get involved in local politics.
Currently, I work as a political consultant and as the President of CM Solutions which is a consulting firm and call centre that I co-founded in 2020. I know what it means to work hard as a small business owner. Since starting my business, I've been able to provide jobs for over 20 wonderful people across the country. Before that, I previously worked as an advisor and executive assistant to various Members of Parliament. Most notably from my time on Parliament Hill, I played a small role in helping get Trikafta, a life-changing drug for Canadians living with cystic fibrosis, approved for use in Canada at an affordable rate by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board.
Faith is important to me. I attend mass at Saint Patrick Basilica in Centretown every Sunday afternoon, and am an active member of the parish community. Outside of work, I also enjoy getting to try the many great restaurants in the downtown. To stay fit, I play tennis and run several times a week alongside the Rideau Canal. If you ever see me out in the community, don't be a stranger. Come say hello, and let's connect.
Delivering a guest lecture on civic engagement at Toronto Metropolitan University
Attending June's protest in front of the board office alongside parents, staff, and community members in support of bus attendants for children living with disabilities and special needs
Why I'm Running
This fall's municipal election will give the residents of Zone 10 the opportunity to decide the future of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. I'm often asked why should I care about the school board if I am not an educator or parent? If you're a ratepayer that pays property tax, upwards of 25% of what you pay goes towards the province's core education funding which gets redistributed back to local school boards. If you care about children, their well-being, and our next generation, I encourage you to take an interest in how your local trustee is representing both students and parents.
In January, the incumbent trustee for our zone voted in favour of raising compensation for school board executives who are already making an average of $200,000 per year.
This comes at a time when the provincial government is criticizing the role of trustees for approving spending on priorities unrelated to student achievement. I fully support paying educators a fair salary for the tireless work they do to support students. We also need to push back on the provincial government when they threaten to take away the role of locally elected trustees that represent their communities. It's a misalignment of priorities, however, for our zone's incumbent trustee to give these executives a pay bump. Especially when these same executives later attempted to fire bus attendants that support children living with disabilities and special needs while on the bus to and from school.
Our community needs an OCSB Trustee that actually lives in the zone they represent. The incumbent trustee does not.
I'm running for OCSB Trustee because we need new leadership around the board table that is rooted in this community. As a business owner and someone who has served on community boards, I bring experience managing balanced budgets and an understanding of effective board governance. I'm willing to work collaboratively with the province while being prepared to challenge the government in order to stand up for students, parents, and ratepayers. I firmly believe in the right to a quality Catholic education that is grounded in the gospel's values and of faith, inclusion, and togetherness.
My work with young children living with special needs and disabilities has equipped me with an understanding of the resources they and their families need to thrive. If elected, my promise to you is simple: I will always show up, always listen to the people I seek to represent, and always act with integrity. On October 26th, I hope that I can count on your support.
Cameron's Priorities
Our campaign has several priorities and a concrete plan to help make the Ottawa Catholic School Board a better place for students, parents, and educators. You can click the drop-down arrows below to learn more about each of my priorities.
As an elected official, OCSB Trustees are accountable to the electorate of Catholic ratepayers in the zone they represent. If elected, bringing greater accountability and transparency to the work of the Ottawa Catholic School Board would be one of my top priorities.
I also believe in having more open communication with ratepayers. I commit to always being accessible to hear your concerns, feedback and suggestions. We saw an example of a lack transparency this year when parents and staff impacted by the recent decision impacting bus attendants were left scrambling to get answers from the administration and board. If elected, to improve accountability and transparency I will:
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Seek the input of the students, parents, educators, and other ratepayers I seek to represent before acting on their behalf when important motions or topics come up for debate.
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Publish a bi-monthly email newsletter during the school year for Zone 10 specifically to keep parents and ratepayers informed on new developments at the school board and my work inside and outside of board meetings.
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Work collaboratively with local school councils and the Ottawa Catholic School Parents’ Association (CSPA • PIC) to encourage more parents to get involved in their local school council. I believe that school administration becomes more accountable when parents get to play a greater role in the decision-making of their children's school.
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In April, the Ford government introduced the Putting Student Achievement First Act in response to issues involving trustee spending and continued deficits and financial mismanagement by school boards across the province. The Putting Student Achievement First Act has introduced several reforms to the organization of school boards and the roles of trustees, some of which I agree and disagree with. You can read the full text of Bill 101 and the scope of the reforms by clicking here.
The role of a school board trustee is that of an ombudsperson where parents and ratepayers can voice their concerns to. I strongly believe in the need to defend local representation, and believe that the role of trustees serves as a critical link between the community and board administration. To this extent, I would fight back against any attempts by the province to eliminate the position outright as the Ministry of Education was originally poised to do so. Further, trustees now have less power when it comes to the approval of their board's annual budget. If trustees disagree with a budget, the final decision on its approval now rests with the minister. Trustees having less impact over the budget means their have a diminished role when it comes to financial oversight.
Lastly, I disagree with how the reforms have eliminate the use of student school climate surveys. School climate surveys serve as an anonymous way where students, parents and educators can share feedback on bullying, inclusion, school safety, and school culture. These surveys serve as an important measure of the experiences of a school's community. If elected, on defending local representation I will:
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Work with the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) to advocate for the rollback of some of these reforms, especially reforms that diminish the ability of trustees to be effective representatives for their communities.
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​Fight back against any attempt to eliminate the position of elected school board trustees at the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Catholic ratepayers, who have a portion of their property taxes go towards school board funding, deserve to have a say in how those funds are being overseen by the Board of Trustees. I believe that the ballot box is the best way for ratepayers to have their say.
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Every student deserves to have access to a quality Catholic education. I strongly believe that every student should have an equal opportunity to succeed. Equality does not mean giving each student or school the same resources. Equality in education means recognizing that different students and schools have different needs. We need to allocate funding fairly so every student has the opportunity to thrive in their own way. I support the board's Student Achievement Plan (SAP) and multi-year strategic plan as avenues for the OCSB to continue delivering quality education.
Consistently, OCSB students perform above the provincial average in literacy, mathematics, and graduation rates. The quality of education offered is also part of the reason why the OCSB continues to grow in enrolment year after year. With these increases in enrolment, we must be responsive to new challenges brought by a large increase in new students. If elected, my plan to support the board's work to continue to offer quality education is to:
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Continue supporting the board's Student Achievement Plan (SAP), multi-year strategic plan, and other plans or initiatives that promote inclusion and togetherness.
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​Ensure that students across Zone 10 and the rest of Ottawa have the ability to use technology, such as artificial intelligence, to enhance their learning experience through online learning and promote asynchronous online learning through virtual schools such as St. Josephine Virtual School and St. Carlo Virtual School. To this extent, I support the board's guiding framework for using artificial intelligence. Programs that get students involved in STEM through the use of technology are also important. While I support incorporating technology in learning, I oppose the use of mobile phones in classrooms outside of educational instruction per the province's cellphone policy.
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​Advocate to the province for the need to have smaller classroom sizes and less classrooms that combine multiple grades together. Teachers have been vocal that students learn best when they're in a classroom setting with peers their age and where teachers can dedicate more time to each student.
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Over the past year, the Ministry of Education has placed several school boards across Ontario under supervision because of poor financial management and trustees approving spending on priorities not related to student achievement. As stewards of taxpayer dollars from Catholic ratepayers, elected trustees have a duty to be fiscally responsible. On the changes to trustee compensation, the honoraria for trustees is now capped at $10,000 per annum. Despite being a part-time position, the position of a trustee truly is a full-time responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly. I believe that trustees deserve to be fairly compensated, however trustees also have a responsibility to be fiscally responsible with expenses in support of their work.
As a business owner and someone who has served on community boards, I bring experience managing balanced budgets and an understanding of effective board governance. If elected, my plan to be fiscally responsible is to:
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Work collaboratively with fellow trustees to support and deliver a balanced budget that focuses on student achievement first and foremost.
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Vote against any budget or motion that raises executive compensation over the next 2 years. After those 2 years, I will only support a budget or motion that raises executive compensation for the sake of inflation adjustment (commonly referred to as a cost-of-living adjustment or COLA).
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​Advocate for increased funding from the province to support the OCSB's ongoing operating budget and capital plan.
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Cover as much of my board-related expenses out of pocket as reasonable. The province's recent changes to school boards have removed much of trustees' discretionary expenses, however trustees can still expense millage and communications tools such as mobile phones and computers. I plan to cover these costs where possible in the interest of ratepayers.
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The mental health and well-being of both students and educators is a top priority for my campaign. A few years since coming out of the pandemic, we've seen many students struggle with their interpersonal skills and adapting back to in-person learning. Ontario has seen a sharp increase in anxiety, depression, and psychological distress amongst students that must be addressed. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), approximately 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario has a mental health challenge. This is a crisis with real consequences for students that needs to be addressed. If elected, my plan to support the mental health of students and educators is to:
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Continue to support the board's existing Mental Health, Addiction and Well-Being Strategy as well as the board's Mental Health Action Plan. This includes looking at how we can expand the existing mental health and well-being resources offered.
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​Promote the further display of resources that highlight mental health challenges, healthy coping mechanisms, and support systems offered by the OCSB and other community partners such as Kids Help Phone. Often, students don't realize the full amount of support available to them because they simply aren't aware. Having these types of resources readily available helps fix that.
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A report published in March of this year by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) outlines that several school boards across Ontario have aging lead infrastructure. The report titled "'F’ for Effort: Ontario is falling behind on getting lead out of school drinking water" highlights Ontario's failure to update its nearly 20-year-old regulation on safe drinking water is putting educators and students at risk.
Out of all 72 publicly funded school boards in the province, the Ottawa Catholic School Board ranked the 6th worst by the number of tests conducted at schools with drinking water over 10ppb. The report showed the Ottawa Catholic School Board had 22 exceedances over 10ppb in 2024 and 2025. For context, drinking water with 10 parts-per-billion or greater is widely considered unsafe across most of Canada. Lead is highly toxic to children because their developing brains and nervous systems absorb the metal much easier than adults. Health impacts include impairment to cognitive function and reduced attention spans among other impacts. If elected, on promoting safe school drinking water I will:
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Commit to working with fellow OCSB Trustees to introduce a motion to instruct the board's Superintendent of Planning and Facilities to undertake a review of all aging lead infrastructure, including allocating funding for independent third-party testing. Aging lead infrastructure that is proven to lead to unsafe drinking water should be replaced.
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In February of this year, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) designated the neighbourhood around St. Anthony School located at the corner of Booth Street and Gladstone Avenue to be a "community hazard zone". This is due to an unsafe neighbourhood caused by the open drug consumption outside the nearby Somerset West Community Health Centre and New Dawn Medical’s safe injection site. In response, OSTA is now offering bus service to students that would otherwise be able to walk from their homes in Chinatown, Little Italy, and Centretown West.
The fact that OSTA was forced to take this measure highlights a bigger issue in the community. I've spoken to many parents about this issue, and their concern is that they just want to be able to safely walk their children to and from school. It's unacceptable that young students are being forced to take buses to avoid addicts getting high and their discarded needles on the sidewalk. To be clear, I fully support OSTA's designation, but it's a Band-Aid solution that doesn't address the underlying issue of drug use and community safety. I disagree with the notion that this solution is somehow "stigmatizing" or “paints a picture of an unsafe neighbourhood” as some politicians have suggested. As someone who has worked in the building next to the Somerset West Community Health Centre, I can tell you the reality of how unsafe the neighbourhood can be.
The incumbent trustee for our zone has been absent on this issue. If elected, here are the steps I would take to address school safety and the community hazard zone surrounding St. Anthony School:
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Work with community partners such as Needle Hunters to prioritize areas around St. Anthony School for the clean up of discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia.
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​Develop a safe-walk program with the school administration and parent council that would ​allow for nearby students to be walked to and from school while avoiding the Somerset West Community Health Centre and accompanied by their peers and trusted adults.
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​Advocate for a greater presence from the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) in the immediate vicinity of school property during school hours to ensure the safety of students, parents, and educators.
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With many students having different learning styles and special needs, it's imperative that the OCSB continues to offer educational programming that is responsive to them. Over the past few months, I've spoken with many parents about how the OCSB can better support their children. You can click here to read the OCSB's Special Education Report for 2025 which outlines programming offered. If elected, my plan to support special education is to:
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Work collaboratively with the board's Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) to improve the quality of special education offered. Under the Education Act, the board's SEAC is responsible for providing important advice on special education to their local board or school authority. SEAC is also responsible for making recommendations to their board on any matter affecting the establishment, development and delivery of special education programs and services for exceptional students.
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Defend the position of bus attendants who provide critical support to children living with special needs and disabilities on the bus to and from school.
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​Promote a greater emphasis on "life skills" classes which teaches students living with special needs functional literacy and provides them with pre-vocational skills. By teaching life skills in an accommodating classroom, students learn how to live a fulfilling life and make a meaningful impact in society.
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​Support greater educational programming for students defined as gifted learners. Gifted learners deserve to have an individual education plan (IEP) that encompasses a curriculum that is responsive to their unique cognitive abilities and learning style.
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​Support the implementation of the board's Accessibility Multi-Year Plan which has the goal of eliminating barriers for individuals living with disabilities at board properties such as schools and the board's main office in Nepean.
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Voting Information
Zone 10, which includes Rideau-Vanier, Rideau-Rockcliffe and Somerset Wards (Wards 12, 13, and 14), is centred in the heart of Ottawa. Schools that are the responsibility of the OCSB Trustee for our zone include:
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St. Josephine Virtual High School (grades 9 to 12)
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Assumption School (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
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Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
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St. Anthony School (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
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St. Brigid School (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
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St. Carlo Virtual School (grades 4 to 8)
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St. Michael School, Ottawa (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
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St. Joseph Adult High School
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St. Patrick’s Adult High School​
Election Day is Monday, October 26th. Special advance voting days run from Thursday, October 1st to Sunday, October 4th. During these days, you can vote at any 1 of 10 locations across the city regardless of address. Regular advance voting takes place on Friday, October 16th. Voting takes place during all these days from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Information on where to vote will be posted on our campaign website once it becomes available from Elections Ottawa. You can also click here to learn more about voting by special mail-in ballot.
In Ontario, eligible voters are required to direct their property taxes to support one of four types of school boards as a ratepayer. Ensure that you direct your school support to "English Separate" so you can vote for Cameron as your next OCSB Trustee for Zone 10.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for collecting information about school board support. You can always update your school support at your voting place when you go to vote or by contacting Elections Ottawa's office. Elections Ottawa's office is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and can by phone at 613-580-2660 or by email at elections@ottawa.ca.
Zone 10 Ward Maps
You can click on each ward map to enlarge and view as a PDF.
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