March 3, 2022 · 0 Comments
By Rob Paul
In 2014, Allan Thompson was sworn in as the seventh Mayor of the Town of Caledon.
As his second term comes to an end later this year, Thompson has announced he will not be running for re-election in October.
Thompson, a lifelong resident and multi-generational farmer in Caledon, has been a part of Caledon Council since 2003.
“Having served on Council for 19 years—first as an Area Councillor, then Regional Councillor and for the last seven-and-a-half years as Mayor—I am ready for the next chapter and new opportunities that the future brings,” he said.
After spending nearly two decades on Council, Thompson took the time to highlight the people who have helped to support him as he’s become a leader in the Caledon community.
“Serving as an elected representative is not a job that can be done alone. And I have many people to thank,” he said. “First and foremost, I am so grateful to my family for supporting me—even when I know it was hard to do.
“Thank you to my Council colleagues at both the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon over the last 19 years. I have learned so much from many of you and those lessons will continue to serve me in whatever comes next.
“Town, Regional and Provincial staff, what a privilege it is to collaborate and work with such dedicated, talented public servants, I know how hard you work for the greater good. A huge thank you to the team in the Mayor and Council office. You set a very high standard for service, community commitment and support and I can’t say enough how much I appreciate the sacrifices you make each and every day. And last, but certainly not least, I thank the community for supporting me, challenging me and holding my feet to the fire.
The decision to not run for re-election came solely from Thompson wanting to commit more time to his family as his grandchildren begin to grow up, he noted.
“I promised my wife, Anne, that if I was going to run for municipal office and miss out on family time—and let me tell you I did miss out—it would be for a better Caledon and I can honestly say I gave it everything I had,” he said. “Now I plan on making sure I am there for all of the important moments with my grandchildren.”
With the Future Caledon: Official Plan in the process of being finalized over the next few months and it being the blueprint for how Caledon will manage growth (with the population expected to boom to around 300,000) for the next 30 years, Thompson wants to ensure the community that he will continue to bring his A-game for the rest of his term as Mayor.
“I want to reassure every Caledon resident, business owner/operator and all of those who are looking to invest in Caledon, I am fully committed to being a very present Mayor and to work hard each and every day until the inauguration of the next term of Council. My foot is firmly on the gas to complete all I can over the next eight and a half months.”