Raised three children in Oakville.
My three children grew up here and attended different local schools. That gave me a close view of how much a family's experience varies by school, by age and by stage.
Elementary · Secondary · Parent perspective
HDSB Trustee - Wards 5 & 7
Lily Bharat
School Board Trustee Candidate
"Building Brighter Futures, Brick by Brick."
I have lived in Oakville for more than 20 years, raised three children in local schools, and run a business that works with schools and families.
Parent, educator, business owner
Three ways I have seen our schools work
20+ years
in Oakville
3 children
raised here
School-facing
business experience
Hands-on STEM
with local learners
My background
My connection to our schools is personal and practical.
I have seen Halton's public schools from three sides: as a parent, as someone who works with children every week, and as a business owner who deals with schools directly.
If you want to ask me about any of this, my email is lily@lilyb4trustee.ca.
Running a business that works with schools and children.
I own an education-focused franchise. I work with schools, children, parents and partner organizations from the operating side, not only as a parent.
Schools · Families · Organizations
Teaching hands-on STEM.
My work involves practical STEM and problem-solving sessions where children learn by building, testing, asking questions and working with each other.
STEM · Experiential learning · Student engagement
Part of this community for more than 20 years.
Over two decades in Oakville I have watched neighbourhoods and school communities change, and I know the practical concerns families run into as their children move through the system.
20+ years · Oakville · Community context
The role
What I bring to the board table.
A trustee does not run classrooms or write the provincial curriculum. The work is governance: listening to the community, setting board direction, reviewing budgets and policies, and holding senior staff accountable.
Parent experience
I know how board decisions land at home.
Communication, student support, transportation and school climate are felt by families first. I have been on that side of it for years.
Business experience
I have managed people, budgets and limited resources.
Running an organization means setting priorities, answering for results, and making practical decisions when there is not enough of something to go around.
Education experience
I see what engages students in practice.
Working directly with children shows me how curiosity and confidence develop, and how differently students take to the same lesson.
What I'll focus on
Student well-being and belonging
Safe and supportive schools, with real attention to mental-health supports and bullying prevention.
Strong fundamentals and hands-on learning
Solid literacy, math and science, together with practical STEM, problem-solving and digital skills.
Clear, accountable governance
Plain communication with families, decisions made in the open, and careful handling of public money.
Safe, well-maintained schools
Attention to building condition, healthy learning environments, and planning for growth across Oakville.
What a trustee does — and doesn't do
It helps to be clear about the job, so you can judge candidates on what trustees actually control.
A trustee helps govern the board
- Represents community concerns at the board table.
- Reviews and votes on board budgets and major priorities.
- Takes part in policy and system-level decisions.
- Oversees the Director of Education and the board's direction.
A trustee does not run the classroom
- Ontario's Ministry of Education sets the provincial curriculum.
- Principals and administrators run day-to-day school operations.
- Teachers make instructional and assessment decisions.
- Trustees work at the governance level, not as individual school managers.
Voting day is Monday, October 26
Polls are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance voting runs October 7–10 and October 13–18.
How to vote