Leanne Caron

 

Leanne

 

Leanne has a long history of community involvement and political engagement related to neighbourhood and urban planning, heritage, environment, education, river systems, water protection, and arts and culture.   Leanne was first elected to office as a School Board Trustee of the Upper Grand District School Board (2003-2006) where she was actively involved in several school boundary reviews, and realized that growth and urban planning were key to successful city building.   

First elected to City Council in 2006, she has proudly served the residents of Ward 5 on Guelph City Council for the past twelve years.  During this time, she has also worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors, including 15 years as a student affairs manager at McMaster University, five years as director of communications and marketing with 4-H Ontario, and as a professional writer, photographer and publisher.  She currently works at the University of Guelph in Admissions and Marketing.

Leanne graduated from McMaster University with an Honours BA in History and English, and an MA (Leadership) from the University of Guelph.  She is the proud mom of four children and in her "spare" time, she is busy restoring a stone house with her husband Arni Mikelsons, and cheering for the Raptors.

Here are just a few of the organizations where she has played an active leadership role:

 Community Organizations

  • Chair, Heritage Guelph
  • Chair, John McCrae Parent Council, College Avenue Parent Council and Centennial CVI Parent Council
  • Member, SmartGuelph Steering Committee
  • Vice-President, Old University Neighbourhood Residents Association
  • Founding member, Glass Guild of Guelph
  • Board member, Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods (Ontario),
  • Board member, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario
  • Board member, Guelph Historical Society
  • Board member, Career Education Council

Council Committees

  • Chair, Corporate Services
  • Past Chair, Planning, Building and Engineering and Environment Committee
  • Past Chair, Land Ambulance and Social Services Committee
  • Operations, Transit and Emergency Services,
  • Infrastruture, Developmen and Environment Committee
  • Governance Committee

Boards as Council Representative: 

  • Guelph Public Library Board
  • Art Gallery of Guelph Board
  • Downtown Guelph Business Association
  • Guelph Junction Railway Board
  • Guelph Police Services Board
  • Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Board
  • Chair, Heritage Guelph
  • Family and Children’s Services Board