County of Brant Councillor Christine Garneau announced her resignation last week on Friday, October 17, 2025.
The first-term councillor, who represented Ward 5 alongside Councillor Brian Coleman, penned an open letter to Facebook saying she was resigning from her position immediately.
“Yesterday, I was placed in an irreconcilable conflict between my duty to the municipality and what was in the best interests of my business,” she wrote.
Garneau, who is a farmer, rural historian, genealogist, governance professional, and the co-owner of Creek View Acres Nursery & Orchard, emphasized that her decision was not made in haste, but carefully considered.
She went on to say that after the provincial government’s decision in May to expand strong mayor powers to 169 municipalities, including the County of Brant, it destabilized long-established municipal decision-making and administrative structures across Ontario.
“Over the summer, I explored running for Mayor in next year’s municipal election because I came to believe that I can no longer affect the change I feel needs to happen as a Councillor under this framework,” explained Garneau. “An uncomfortable shift started occurring behind the scenes several weeks ago when Council resumed for its fall sitting and as my political aspirations became more widely known.”
The former councillor added that Council’s code of conduct prevents members from speaking out against Council decisions after they’ve been made, and that she’s often among the dissenting voices.
“This means that I must adopt and defend position statements that do not align with my personal convictions and that I must also support the County even when I believe it is wrong,” wrote Garneau.
She said that up until recent times, she still felt comfortable balancing her accountabilities to the municipality, constituents, her business and family, but that had since changed.
“There remains too much time this term to continue without recalibration and I cannot risk my longer-term livelihood by serving out the balance of my time as Councillor,” said Garneau. “While I will not close the door to future candidacy, I have also reflected on how there are many ways that one can positively contribute to their local community without holding elected office.”
Reflecting on her time as councillor, she added that she’s thankful for the support she’s received from the community.
“I remain grateful to the residents and property owners who placed their trust in me,” wrote Garneau. “I intend to continue being present publicly and championing those initiatives that remain priorities for me, my family, my business, and our broader community.”
After her announcement, David Bailey, Mayor for the County of Brant, released his own statement in regards to her resignation and thanked her for her time of service on Council.
He also responded to several points that were made in her October 17 open letter.
“Following Christine Garneau’s resignation from County of Brant Council, it is important to provide clarity regarding several points raised in her public letter,” he wrote.
Bailey said that Garneau’s reference to the province’s expanded strong mayor powers suggests that the changes have disrupted the County’s local governance.
“While those powers exist in legislation, I have repeatedly and publicly stated that I will not exercise them, reaffirming that Council will continue to govern collaboratively and by consensus,” he said. “To date, there has been no instance in which Strong Mayor Powers have been used in the County of Brant.”
Bailey also added that the former councillor’s letter implied that Council’s code of conduct restricts members from speaking freely.
“To clarify, Council members speak through their votes and contributions during public meetings, where debate and differing opinions are not only permitted but encouraged,” he said. “Members are expected to respect the decision making process and accurately communicate the decision of Council.”
Bailey said the expectation is standard in municipal governance across Ontario, and it ensures that policy discussions occur transparently during official meetings, “not through online or after-the-fact debate.”
“It protects both the integrity of Council and the public’s trust in its processes,” he continued.
The mayor said that he remains committed to open dialogue, respectful debate, and collaborative decision-making in service to the residents, and that the County’s work continues to be guided by teamwork, professionalism, and transparency.
He later wished Garneau all the best in her future endeavors.
The County of Brant received Garneau’s written notice of resignation on Monday, October 20, 2025 and it will be officially declared during the Tuesday, October 28 Council meeting.
Following the declaration, Council will have 60 days to determine whether to appoint a replacement or hold a by-election to fill the vacant seat.
The Brant Beacon reached out to Christine Garneau for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
