List of mayors of Peterborough, Ontario

The mayor of Peterborough is an elected official who serves as the head of the municipal government of Peterborough.[1] The mayor is a member of city council, which is an elected body that is responsible for developing policies, programs and services of the municipality; representing constituents in municipal government; and providing governance over the corporation of the municipality.[1] The Mayor leads Council and acts as the Chairperson of council meetings, as the Chief Executive Officer for the corporation, and as the representative for the municipality.[1]

Mayor of Peterborough
Municipal logo
Incumbent
Jeff Leal
since November 15th, 2022
City of Peterborough
Mayor's Office
Style
Member ofPeterborough City Council
SeatPeterborough City Hall
AppointerDirect election
Term length4 years
Renewable
Constituting instrumentOntario Municipal Act, 2001[1]
Formation1850; 174 years ago (1850)
First holderThomas Benson
Salary$84,841[2]
Websitewww.peterborough.ca/City_Hall/Mayor_s_Office.htm

Between 1850 and 1859, when Peterborough first became a township, aldermen were elected every January and these elected officials appointed a mayor, reeve and deputy reeve from among their numbers.[3] In 1860, this changed and the public was able to vote for mayor at the polls.[3]

On Canada Day 1905, the town of Peterborough and the village of Ashburnham amalgamated — creating the City of Peterborough.[4][5] This merger changed Peterborough's municipal status from 'town' to 'city' and accordingly Peterborough Town Council became Peterborough City Council.

Currently, municipal elections are held every four years and voters are able to cast their ballot for a mayoral candidate as well as candidates in their home ward.[6] Mayors serve a term of four years and may run for re-election indefinitely as there are no term limits.[6][7]

List of Peterborough Mayors

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Peterborough Town Council (1850-1905)

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Peterborough Town Mayors 1850-1905[8][9]
No. Portrait Mayor Selection method Took office Left office Additional notes
1
 
Thomas Benson Appointed 1850
2 Charles Hudson Appointed 1851
3
 
James Hall Appointed 1852
4 James Stevenson Appointed 1853
5 James Hall Appointed 1854
6 Wilson S. Conger Appointed 1856
7 James Stevenson Appointed 1857 1859
8 Augustus Sawers Elected 1860 His nomination first appeared publicly in "The Examiner" on 17 November 1859.[10]
9
 
Charles Perry Elected 1861 May 1865 Disqualified as an insolvent under the Insolvent Act of 1864. Peterborough Review, 19 May 1865, page 2.
10 William Adam Scott Elected May 1865 December 1865 Election held May 22-23, 1865, Scott 196, Nicholls 99, Declared mayor 24 May 1865. Peterborough Review, 26 May 1865, page 2.
11 Walter Hepburn Scott Elected 1866 1871 William Hepburn Scott (1837-1881), Mayor and MPP, by Elwood Jones, in Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley, 10 (1), May 2005, page 22-3 photo.
12
 
George Albertus Cox Elected 1872 1874
13 William Toole Elected 1875 1878
14 John James Lundy Elected 1879 1880
15 Henry Hall Smith Elected 1881 1883
16 George Albertus Cox Elected 1884 1885
17 James Stevenson Elected 1886 1891
18
 
James Kendry Elected 1892 1895
19 William Yelland Elected 1896 1897
20 Alfred Lawrence Davis Elected 1898 1899
21 James Kendry Elected 1900
22 T. H. G. Denne Elected 1901 1902
23 George M. Roger Elected 1903 1904

Peterborough City Council (1905-present)

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City of Peterborough Mayors[8][9][11]
No. Portrait Mayor Selection Method Took office Left office Additional Notes
24 Henry Best Elected 1905 1906
25 R.F. McWilliams Elected 1907
26 H. Rush Elected 1908 1909
27 W. George Morrow Elected 1910 1911
28 William H. Bradburn Elected 1912 1913
29 William H. Buller Elected 1914 1915
30 Joseph James Duffus Elected 1916 1917
31 George H. Duncan Elected 1918 1919
32 A.A. McIntyre Elected 1920 1921
33 William H. Taylor Elected 1922 1923
34 J.J. Turner Elected 1924 1925
35 Dr. W.T. Holloway Elected 1926 1927
36 Roland Denne Elected 1928 1935
37 George A. Macdonald Elected 1936 1940
38 James Hamilton Elected 1941 1945
39 William G. Ovens Elected 1946 1948
40 Maxwell J. Swanston Elected 1949 1951
41 H.F. Waddell Elected 1952 1953
42 N.G. Graham Elected 1954 Died in December 1954.[11]
43 A.B. Burrows Appointed 1954 Replaced N. G. Graham December 1954.[11]
44 J.A. Dewart Elected 1955 1958
45 D.A. Louks Elected 1959 1960
46 Stanley A. McBride Elected 1961 1962 Resigned in October 1962 to become sheriff[11][12]
47 Alene Holt Appointed [11] 1962 Replaced Stanley A. McBride October 1962, becoming Peterborough's first female mayor.[12]
48
 
Clarence W. Boorman Elected 1963 1964 Died October 1964, replaced by W. G. Powell.[11]
49 W.G. Powell Appointed 1964 1966 Completed term of C. W. Boorman.[11]
50 Joseph J. Behan Elected 1967 1968
51 J.D. Csumrlk Elected 1969 1970
52 P. Douglas Galvin Elected 1971
53 Philip H. Turner Elected 1972 1974
54 Joseph J. Behan Elected 1975 1976
55 Cameron D. Wasson Elected 1977 1980
56 R.J. Barker Elected 1981 1985
57 Sylvia Sutherland Elected 1986 1991 Sutherland was Peterborough's first elected female mayor.[12]
58 J.A. Doris Elected 1992 1997
59 Sylvia Sutherland Elected 1998 2006
60 D. Paul Ayotte Elected 2007 2010
61 Daryl Bennett Elected 2011 2018
62 Diane Therrien[13] Elected November 26, 2018
63 Jeff Leal Elected November 15, 2022

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, s. 225
  2. ^ "Salary of mayor and councillors revealed in staff report". PTBOToday. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  3. ^ a b "Peterborough Town Council 1850-1865" (PDF). Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley, Volume 11, number 1. Trent Valley Archives. May 2006. p. 15. ISSN 1206-4394. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  4. ^ An Act respecting the Town of Peterborough, S.O. 1905, c. 67
  5. ^ Einarson, Leif (Feb 14, 2015). "The 8 Most Important Moments in Peterborough History". MyKawartha.com. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  6. ^ a b Municipal Elections Act, S.O. 1996, c. 32
  7. ^ Hume, Christopher (2018-09-10). "Here's why we need term limits for municipal politicians". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  8. ^ a b "Peterborough Mayors". City of Peterborough official website. The City of Peterborough. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  9. ^ a b "Mayors of Peterborough to 1951" (PDF). Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley, Volume 15, number 4. Trent Valley Archives. February 2011. p. 34. ISSN 1206-4394. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  10. ^ "Internet Archive "Peterborough Examiner"" (PDF).
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Service Record of Councillors". City of Peterborough official website. City of Peterborough. 2017-09-20. Archived from the original on 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  12. ^ a b c Thomas, Jesse (2018-10-23). "Diane Therrien reflects on stunning victory in Peterborough mayoral race". Global News. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
  13. ^ Kovach, Joelle (2018-10-22). "Therrien unseats Bennett in Peterborough mayoral race with 68.98% landslide". ThePeterboroughExaminer.com. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
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