By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has officially announced her intention to seek another term as mayor in the 2026 municipal election.
Speaking in front of the newly renovated Robert Bateman Community Centre on June 3, Meed Ward said she is ready to continue leading the city through what she described as challenging and uncertain times.
“I’m Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, and I’m pleased to announce my intentions today to seek re-election as your mayor,” she said. “I have served the residents of Burlington for 16 years, eight as mayor and eight as city councillor. We live in uncertain times, and residents across our province, our city, and our country are feeling the pressures of affordability, rising costs, global uncertainty, and tariffs, new ones just announced today. In these times of uncertainty, residents need steady hands.”
Meed Ward said the Robert Bateman Community Centre was chosen as the backdrop for her announcement because it reflects the type of partnerships she believes are necessary to move Burlington forward.
“I’m doing this announcement here in front of Robert Bateman Community Centre because it really is a model of the partnerships that we have built and what is required to take us forward into the future,” she said. “We have Brock University here, Halton District School Board, TechPlace, these are paying tenants that relieve the pressure on taxpayers for brand new community amenities right here. Our largest community centre. We retained the pool, the green space, and the gyms for public use, and all of that would have been lost, probably to condos, if the city hadn’t stepped in, and we did, we stepped in, and we stepped up.”
She added that major community projects require time, trust and collaboration. “Those kinds of partnerships that bring people together take years to develop and to build that trust. That’s what I’m offering all of you in the community, steady hands in these unsteady times to move us forward together.”
The announcement follows months of speculation about whether Meed Ward would pursue opportunities outside municipal politics, including rumours linking her to provincial or federal politics.
Addressing those rumours, Meed Ward said she spent considerable time consulting with family members and residents before making her decision.
“I know there has been a lot of speculation and rumours, and I know I can serve at many different tables, in many different ways for our community,” she said. “But I took the time needed to talk to my family, to talk to my community, to determine how best I might serve the residents of Burlington. What they told me was, we want you right where you are, we want you to continue to serve us here in the city. We need your leadership, we need your proven track record, your partnerships, and relationships you have built over many years. So I have decided to heed the call of residents, constituents, and businesses and offer to serve again as mayor.”
Meed Ward, who was named the 2025 Canadian Mayor of the Year by Municipal World magazine, highlighted affordability as one of the top concerns she continues to hear from residents.
“We are all facing challenges of affordability, rising costs,” she said. “We have invested in ways to cushion that for our community through free transit, property tax rebates, and cashback in your pocket. If you qualify for program fee reductions, you can participate in programs right here at Robert Bateman Community Centre regardless of income. We want everyone to feel welcomed and included here, and so we built those measures right into our budget, and there is more to come.”
As Burlington continues to grow, Meed Ward said traffic and congestion remain key priorities. “Affordability: we are a growing community and need community amenities. We heard about traffic and congestion, so I convened a traffic and safety roundtable. We brought all levels of government together, the Ministry of Transportation, Halton Region, agencies, police, paramedics, and council members to build a plan of action that will be released soon to council and the community.”
Public safety also remains a concern for many residents, particularly following increases in auto thefts and break-ins in recent years. “People are concerned about public safety,” said Meed Ward. “There has been an increase in break-ins and auto theft in very recent years, and while overall crime in Burlington is going down, we still are the safest community in the country, going on 20 years.”
She said the city has worked closely with community partners and law enforcement agencies to address those concerns. “I have convened multiple roundtables and town halls and speaker series to talk to folks about how we could address public safety, what the city’s role is and partnering with others. We cannot solve any one of the issues our community is facing alone. We have to work with partners, we have to work with community partners and agencies.”
Meed Ward also pointed to diversity, inclusion, and community engagement as defining elements of her leadership. “I want everyone to feel welcomed right here in Burlington,” she said. “I have built a track record here over the last years as mayor in honouring and celebrating the diversity of our community through symbolic measures like flag raisings, through attendance and support of community events.”
She highlighted the city’s work with Indigenous residents, including the creation of the Indigenous Advisory Circle to the Mayor. “I have built strong relationships with urban Indigenous residents here in our community, starting the Advisory Indigenous Circle to the Mayor. Now, city staff consult with urban Indigenous residents on projects moving forward, like Sweetgrass Park. That was designed and worked on in partnership with urban Indigenous residents.”
Meed Ward also referenced her support for Pride celebrations, Black History Month events, and Burlington’s growing South Asian community. “I support Pride events, Black History Month. We have a lot of South Asian residents, and I have attended many businesses to support and promote what they are trying to do in the City of Burlington,” she said. “And much more to come. We are a welcoming city; we are everyone’s city. We want to make sure that everyone knows that you are welcome. We respect and celebrate diversity.”
Meed Ward encouraged residents to evaluate her candidacy based on her record in office and said more details about her platform will be released in the weeks ahead. “Look at track record; the best predictor of what someone will do is what they have done with the years and time entrusted to them,” she said. “I invite you to look at the track record of what we have achieved together and what still lies ahead. I’ll be announcing my campaign platform in the coming weeks, but it will focus on the main priorities that you have identified to me.”
The mayor concluded her announcement by confirming that she would be formally registering as a candidate. “I am on my way to City Hall to register,” she said. “There will be an official campaign launch in due course, and right now I am focused on doing the job residents have already elected me to do as mayor.”
If re-elected, Meed Ward would continue a municipal political career that spans 16 years, including eight years as mayor and eight years as Ward 2 city councillor, and developing campaigns such as Elect Respect, calling for responsible political discourse between citizens and politicians alike. Her campaign is expected to focus on affordability, community safety, traffic management, inclusion and collaborative partnerships as Burlington prepares for another period of evolution.
