Sean Kelly – Councillor of City of Belleville, ON

Sean Kelly is a councillor of the City of Belleville for Ward 1, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

Education

Community involvement

Roles as member of council

• Chair, Economic Destination Development Committee
• Chair, Glanmore National Historic Site Advisory Committee
• Chair, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• Vice-chair, Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
• Lighting Display Committee
• Hastings County EMS and Long-term Care Committee
• Bay of Quinte Conservation

Career & business interests

• Ran as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Ontario in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection
• Elected councillor of the City of Belleville for Ward 1 in the 2022 municipal election
• Re-elected to council in the City of Belleville in the 2022 municipal election
• Elected to council in the 2018 municipal election
• Morning Show Host at MIX 97 radio
• Director of Programming for QBC (ROCK 107, 800 CJBQ, MIX 97) radio broadcasting
• Prev. Trustee with the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board – Finance Chair 

Voting history

2024 Operating Budget and The Bridge Health Hub

Kelly did not attend the 2024 Operating Budget council meetings as he was on vacation at the time. The meetings decided property tax increases and the funding of the planned Bridge Health Hub project.

2022 – First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Caribbean Festival

Led the Belleville’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee to mark Belleville’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and further collaborated with new international Loyalist College students to celebrate the city’s first Diwali Festival.

Worked with the Caribbean community to host Belleville’s first Caribbean Festival.

2020 – Voting against the appointment of Tyler Allsopp to fill the vacant council seat of late Councillor Pat Culhane

Belleville has traditionally filled seat vacancies by appointing the candidate with most votes who did not win election.

A motion to appoint Tyler Allsopp, who had come 7th in previous election, was defeated 4-4, with Councillor Sean Kelly, along with colleagues Councillor Bill Sandison, Councillor Kelly McCaw, and Mayor Mitch Panciuk, voting against appointing Tyler Allsopp to fill the empty council seat, while Councillor Chris Malette, Councillor Ryan Williams, Councillor Garnet Thompson, and Councillor Paul Carr voted for.

Mayor Mitch Panciuk created an adhoc committee to appoint a member of the public, and their report recommended Jennifer McTavish. After receiving feedback from the public, Sean Kelly changed his stance, saying maybe he got it wrong and voted to reject the committee’s recommendation:

I’ve received lots of emails, phone calls, just a lot of conversation with the residents. It’s their seat and I respect the voters’ opinion. I was hoping for more diversity and more inclusion in our city for everyone and as the Inclusion Committee Chair, I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me in the next two years.

Councillor Sean Kelly

Council later voted again to appoint Tyler Allsopp to the seat and it passed 7-1.

2024 Bay of Quinte by-election

Reason for running

I’m running because I love this community. Our region has so much to offer families and I want to see it succeed.

I look around our community and see so many great things. But, I also see where our community is asking for help. More than 20,000 people can’t find access to primary care, Belleville General has the second-longest wait times in the province, we have a mental health and addictions crisis, and more.

Sean Kelly to The Quinteist

I’ve worked hard for this community and the Bay of Quinte for the last 30 years. Community work, school board trustee, and now my second term at Belleville, at City Hall. I know I’m the best candidate for this with my life experiences.  I want this.  There’s nobody going to outwork me and I just feel it’s my time.  I’ve worked for it and I want to get to the next level.

I wasn’t surprised when the local [PC] candidate had his campaign office at the former Beer Store.

Sean Kelly to Quinte News

Issues and views

Doctor shortage, education support, fixing County Road 49

Education

One major issue that I’d love to address is making our schools better.

Teachers are overworked, often paying out of pocket for supplies while our kids are in overcrowded classrooms. We need more EAs in classrooms, more support staff and the government needs to treat our educators with respect.

Sean Kelly to The Quinteist

Endorsed by Bill Sandison, former Belleville councillor

Sean Kelly … is the real-deal Liberal and he is the candidate that stands heads and shoulders above the others in the race – in terms of his involvement in the community, his passion for people, and his pragmatic approach to dealing with issues. You know where Sean stands on issues because he wears it on his sleeve.

Sean is the candidate who does his research, consults with his constituents and represents their best interests as a councillor on Belleville city council.

Bill Sandison, former Belleville councillor

Endorsed by Picton Gazette

… we have decided to endorse the candidacy of Sean Kelly, who shows the most potential to unite this riding around a progressive agenda.

Mr. Kelly can be that loud, effective booming voice that won’t be ignored. The voice that draws attention to the needs of the region. The voice that holds the government to account during question period. The voice that unifies the community and advocates for every person in the riding.

Picton Gazette

• Candidates make final push before byelection: Sean Kelly – InQuinte

YourTV debate

Chamber of Commerce debate

2022 municipal election

Kelly pledges to continue to press for better medical care and more support for families and the vulnerable population.

What initiative would you support to mitigate the climate emergency as passed by council in 2021?

Received a recommendation from Quinte Labour Council.

2018 municipal election

• Work towards more people having a doctor – increase health professionals in the area.
• Do more for mental health with local agencies to offer support.
• Affordable homes – so family’s can have a great quality of life with a roof over the head.
• Do more for seniors and youth as far as recreation in the city.

Issues & views

Incident live on air

On February 20, 2024 there was an apparent altercation live on air on Mix 97 between between Kelly and host Lorne Brooker, who have worked together since at least 2000.

When asked about it by InQuinte, Kelly said the matter “was cleared up 20 minutes later” adding the colleagues remain friends and they have “moved on.”

There is nothing to that

The situation was with a colleague in the workplace where sometimes people have disagreements, especially in our business.

There is nothing there. I wouldn’t be in the position where I am now if that was a liability. I have worked hard for the people as a councillor and school board trustee. That incident isn’t reflective of who I am. We all make mistakes. In my particular situation, it was caught on air.

I can tell you the relationship with the individual that was connected to it – there is no issue. We talk every morning and share stories. We have moved on. It’s not personal.

Sean Kelly to InQuinte

I apologized, you apologized to me and we move forward.

Sean Kelly to Lorne Brooker on the Lorne Brooker Show

Personal life

Sean Kelly has two children.

Kelly is a big Toronto Maple Leafs fan, likes Adele and Celtic Music.

Election results

• 2022
• 2018

Contact

• 343-263-7639 (campaign)
• [email protected] (campaign)
• Quinte West campaign office: 103 Dundas St W, Trenton
• 613-243-6490
• Email
• Instagram
• Twitter

Over to you

What do you think of Sean Kelly as a candidate for Bay of Quinte?