Garnet Thompson is a councillor of the City of Belleville. First elected in 2006, he has served on council for 4 terms. As a councillor, he is a part-time employee of the City.
He was re-elected to council in the City of Belleville in the 2022 municipal election.
Garnet Thompson has lived in Belleville since 1974. He attends Eastminster United Church.
- Member Since: February 2006
- Salary (2019): $30,851
Education
- Renfrew Collegiate Institute
Community involvement
- Alzheimer’s Society Belleville Hastings for around 20 years
- Hasting Long Term Care (re Hastings Manor and Centennial Manor)
- Hastings Quinte Social Services – Chair
- Hastings Quinte Emergency Services
- Library – present board member and past chair
- Past member of the bring Hockey back to Belleville
- Archives – Part of the team to bring the Archives to the Library
- Past member of the Thurlow community Centre
- Volunteers regularly at the food bank
Career
Thompson worked in retail men’s wear for 50 years (Tip Top, Jack Fraser’s, Lafferty’s).
Roles as member of council
- City of Belleville Lighting Committee – Chair (former Christmas Lighting Committee)
- Quinte Source Protection Committee
- Past member of the Mayor Implementation Committee
- Centre and south Hastings Waste Services Committee
- Traffic Advisory Committee
- Accessibility Advisory Committee – Chair
- Belleville Inclusion Committee – Chair
- Active Transportation Committee
- Bay of Quinte Marketing Committee – Vice Chair
- Past member of the Glanmore National Historic site Advisor Committee
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Finance Committee
- Library Board
- Regular Council
- Transportation Committee
Voting history
| Motion | Vote | Date | Meeting | Report | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Motion to Deny Strong Mayor Powers from the Province of Ontario to the City of Belleville and Proposed Changes to Building Faster Fund | Against | 25/09/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Strong Mayors Legislation | Against | 25/09/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Recommendation Report, Zoning By-law Amendment (By-law 3014), 20 Blessington Road, City of Belleville | Against | 28/11/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Application B-77-1113 to amend the City of Belleville Zoning By-law Number 3014, as amended for 20 Blessington Road | For | 28/11/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Change meeting time to 7PM - Amendment to Procedural By-law | Against | 12/12/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Change meeting time to 5PM - Amendment to Procedural By-law | Against | 12/12/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Belleville Transit Route 9 cancellation | For | 13/02/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | City of Belleville Workplace Inclusion Charter | For | 13/03/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Supports resolution of the Corporation of the Town of Grimsby in supporting women in politics and promoting gender equality in all areas of society | For | 13/03/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Reallocate $1.3M Building Faster Fund funding from Avonlough to The Bridge | Against | 27/02/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Funding for 'The Bridge' | For | 27/02/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Support use of Strong Mayor Powers as required for 1 Alhambra Square "The Bridge" | For | 12/02/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Fire Master Plan 2024 | Against | 08/07/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Fire Master Plan 2024 - 2 | For | 08/07/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Value for Money Review for Policing | For | 13/05/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Consider four-unit low-rise residential homes on a parcel of urban residential land that compliments neighbourhood characteristics | For | 15/04/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | City of Belleville Loans Receivable and Children's Safety Village request. | For | 11/03/2024 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | City of Belleville Housing Pledge - Building Faster Fund | Absent | 11/12/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Strong Mayors Legislation – Impact on the City of Belleville | Against | 25/09/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Motion to Deny Strong Mayor Powers from the Province of Ontario to the City of Belleville and Proposed Changes to Building Faster Fund | Against | 25/09/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Automated Speed Enforcement - Revise Community Safety Zone Policy | 27/04/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Provincial Gas Tax be used to extend Route 9 service to April 21, 2023 | For | 13/02/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Bylaw 2023-30 to authorize the purchase of 621 Dundas Street East, Belleville (former Bakelite property) by the Corporation of the City of Belleville from 2255718 Ontario Inc. | Against | 13/02/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Bylaw 2023-31 to authorize the transfer of 621 Dundas Street East, Belleville (former Bakelite property) from 2255718 Ontario Inc. to the Corporation of the City of Belleville | Against | 13/02/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Revised Community Safety Zone Policy | 01/06/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Approval of an Updated Community Safety Zone Policy | 12/06/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Re-evaluation of Community Safety Zones | 20/06/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Changes CSZ by-law to apply 24/7 | 20/06/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Recommendation of a new Community Safety Zone - College Street East | 20/06/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Reducing speed limit in 5 CSZs from 50-60 km/h down to 40 km/h | 14/08/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | 2024 Pre-Budget Approval of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Program | 14/11/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | $965,020 over 2 years for Centralized Municipal Processing Services by City of Toronto’s Joint Processing Center | 27/11/2023 | Meeting | Report | |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Renting 4 ASE cameras for $733,612 over 5 years | Absent | 11/12/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Cultural Heritage Designation under the Ontario Heritage Act 217 Pinnacle Street, Belleville, Ontario | Against | 25/04/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Ward 2 Transit Service Survey Questions | For | 24/01/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | City of Belleville Workplace Inclusion Charter | For | 13/03/2023 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Room Rental in Low Density Residential Neighbourhoods | For | 12/09/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | $25,000 for Tiny Shelter Community concept plan | For | 08/08/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Offer to Sell Lands to City - 621 Dundas East (Former Bakelite Property) | For | 25/07/2022 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Fire the Integrity Commissioner | Against | 10/08/2020 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Appointment of Tyler Allsopp to fill the vacant seat of late Councillor Pat Culhane | For | 14/12/2020 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Hear a report from the ad-hoc committee tasked with recommending Jennifer MacTavish to fill the vacant councillor position | Against | 20/01/2021 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Appointment of Tyler Allsopp to fill the vacant seat of late Councillor Pat Culhane | For | 25/01/2021 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Replace the current two ward system with four wards | Against | 13/09/2021 | Meeting | Report |
| Councillor Garnet Thompson | Zoning bylaw amendment application by Juan Hernandez of 57 Octavia St. asking to continue his 24/7 community pit stop with eight vending machines. | Against | 13/12/2021 | Meeting | Report |
2018 election priorities
The four main issues he is focused on are tourism, affordable housing, infrastructure and long-term care beds.
“Housing is a big issue, especially with the large number of students coming in to Loyalist. They’re always looking for apartments or a house to share and we are short of housing for apartments, whether it be for students or people just moving to our city.” “we’ve got to try and deal with it through social services, providing housing for the needy, so we’ve got to be a little more diligent through the social services to mandate the provincial government to provide us more money to provide some of that.”
- See projects in the works over the last few years to completion, particularly infrastructure and waterfront development.
- More aggressive approach to waterfront improvement including adequate washroom facilities, upgrades at Victoria Park, additional restaurant(s) and more attractions that would appeal to youth. Some could be done with private partnerships to save tax dollars. Also, we need to make a better connection with downtown etc. to draw people south of the tracks to see our great facilities.
- Continue our campaign for affordable housing. We have some initiatives in place already but there is still a lot of work to do.
- Continue work with long term care.
- Continue as chair of the committee which oversees our wonderful Christmas lighting initiatives.
- Continue promoting Belleville with its perfect natural location as a tourism destination in itself, not just a gateway to the County. Furthermore, I want to present our city as a place to stay and live, not just visit.
I’m also advocating for the development of more affordable housing and more long-term care beds, whether that’s from the private sector or from government support there is a real need here and I’m going to continue to push to achieve those goals. – Source
2022 election priorities
I love this community. I understand it as well as anyone. But we face some growing pains as people in larger communities – and I’m thinking of Toronto – recognize that Belleville is a highly desirable place to live. This brings a new set of problems. I want to keep on working for Belleville to help our city retain its community values.
From his pamphlet:
MOVING FORWARD WITH YOU
GARNET’S GOALS FOR BELLEVILLE
- OPEN COMMUNICATION
- Creative Affordable Housing
- Improved Accessibility for all
- Active Transportation (Walking Trails & Bike Lanes) – better use of the waterfront for public activities
On how the city can improve recruitment and attraction of healthcare workers
Issues & views
Personal life
Garnet Thompson has been married to Grace for over 35 years. They have 4 children and 6 grandchildren.
Electoral record
2018
| Ward 1 – Councillor | Votes | % | Campaign Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Williams* | 6,168 | 11.43% | $18436.13 |
| Garnet Thompson | 5,839 | 10.82% | $10922.17 |
| Pat Culhane* | 5,594 | 10.36% | $6290.61 |
| Chris Malette | 5,498 | 10.19% | $4192.08 |
| Kelly McCaw | 4,905 | 9.09% | $8753.81 |
| Sean Kelly | 4,713 | 8.73% | $2641.94 |
| Tyler Allsopp | 3,891 | 7.21% | $4331.06 |
| Carol Feeney | 2,998 | 5.55% | $3318.6 |
| Paul S. Martin | 2,567 | 4.76% | $12553.31 |
| Brigitte Frances Muir | 2,228 | 4.13% | $2868.48 |
| Richard Black | 1,744 | 3.23% | $2690.71 |
| Michael Graham | 1,664 | 3.08% | Not submitted |
| Danny Morrison | 1,643 | 3.04% | $3139.81 |
| Jeremy T. Davis | 1,490 | 2.76% | $1266.05 |
| Stanley Jones | 1,407 | 2.61% | $2564.57 |
| Paul Bell | 1,096 | 2.03% | $6696.37 |
| Curtis Hayes | 527 | 0.98% | Not submitted |
2014 election results
| Name | Office | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taso Christopher | Mayor | 3,914 | 25.98% |
| Pat Culhane | Mayor | 3,753 | 24.91% |
| Richard David Courneyea | Mayor | 2,520 | 16.73% |
| Bill Glisky | Mayor | 2,284 | 15.16% |
| Jill Raycroft | Mayor | 1,874 | 12.44% |
| Lonnie Herrington | Mayor | 379 | 2.52% |
| Kenzo Dozono | Mayor | 343 | 2.28% |
| Jack Miller | Councillor | 8,775 | 58.24% |
| Garnet Thompson | Councillor | 7,259 | 48.18% |
| Mike Graham | Councillor | 5,555 | 36.87% |
| Egerton Boyce | Councillor | 5,492 | 36.45% |
| Mitch Panciuk | Councillor | 4,508 | 29.92% |
| Kelly Mccaw | Councillor | 3,067 | 20.36% |
| Jackie Denyes | Councillor | 1,662 | 11.03% |
| Paul Carr | Councillor | 1,088 | 7.22% |
Meetings
Contact
- Phone: 613-438-6016
- Email: [email protected]
- Campaign Facebook, Facebook
Over to you
What do you think of Garnet Thompson as a councillor/candidate for Belleville?