Photo: Balcer~commonswiki · CC BY 2.5Each seat on Caledonia’s council stands for 8,010 residents, more than in 89% of Ontario municipalities
Locally, Caledonia is governed as part of Haldimand County, a city. In October 2022, Haldimand County elected Shelley Ann Bentley as mayor, with a council of 7. The council shown is the one elected in 2022, since Ontario voted again on 26 October 2026 and no open file of the new councils exists yet. In the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Caledonia belongs to Haldimand—Norfolk; who holds it as MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) isn’t on an open record, so no one is named. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada) is the MP for Haldimand—Norfolk, the riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) that takes in Caledonia.
What stands out in how Caledonia is governed
Many residents per seat
Haldimand County council has more people behind each seat than most of Ontario, where the middle figure is 1,540 residents a seat. Council size ↓
High federal turnout
Federal turnout in Haldimand—Norfolk beat 79% of Canada’s ridings in 2021. The 2021 turnout ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Caledonia, a city in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Haldimand County runs its own county-level services as a single-tier city; Haldimand-Norfolk appears only in the census.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Caledonia, from the most recent elections.
- 1Haldimand County councilelected October 2022Shelley Ann Bentley
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioHaldimand—Norfolk
- 3House of CommonsHaldimand—Norfolk
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Haldimand County council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Shelley Ann Bentley
- Dan Lawrence
- John Metcalfe
- Stewart Patterson
- Rob Shirton
- Natalie Stam
- Patrick O'Neill
7 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelley Ann Bentley | Mayor | 4,760 | 32% | No |
| Dan Lawrence | Councillor | 1,731 | 49% | Yes |
| John Metcalfe | Councillor | 1,502 | 68% | Yes |
| Stewart Patterson | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Rob Shirton | Councillor | 925 | 53% | Yes |
| Natalie Stam | Councillor | 1,899 | 66% | No |
| Patrick O'Neill | Councillor | 1,003 | 47% | No |
Each ward chooses its own councillors on Haldimand County council, while the whole municipality votes for the mayor. With 32% of the votes, Shelley Ann Bentley carried the vote for mayor. One seat went uncontested.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Caledonia voted more than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
Haldimand County council was elected on 24 October 2022 with 37% of electors voting, above the provincial middle. No closer places have figures: these lie 29–40 km from Caledonia.
How Caledonia voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Caledonia votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Haldimand County council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
Elections Canada’s open records end with the 2021 election; its 2025 results are under terms that rule out commercial use. Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, Haldimand County’s next municipal vote is on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years. Voters last chose the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on 27 February 2025 and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Caledonia votes in Haldimand—Norfolk for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
MPP: see the legislature’s list
ola.org ↗The riding is Haldimand—Norfolk: it sends one MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and Caledonia votes in it. Ontario’s southern ridings copy the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), and the town is placed by them.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Leslyn Lewis represents Haldimand—Norfolk in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Haldimand—Norfolk · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2021
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
The Conservative Party of Canada, Leslyn Lewis’s party, takes 50 of the 122 seats from Ontario; the Liberal Party of Canada takes 71.
The MP’s record
On today’s boundaries, the 2021 vote in Haldimand—Norfolk would have gone to the Conservative Party of Canada with 47%, and Leslyn Lewis kept it for them in 2025. Leslyn Lewis has sat in the Commons since 2021, now for the 2nd Parliament.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
The Conservative Party of Canada kept Haldimand—Norfolk in 2021 with Leslyn Lewis
These are the 2019 and 2021 results on the 2013 map of Haldimand—Norfolk; its boundaries changed for the 2025 election.
Leslyn Lewis won the 2021 race in Haldimand—Norfolk for the Conservative Party of Canada, polling 47% and beating Karen Matthews (Liberal Party of Canada) by 12,440 votes. 47% had won it for Diane Finley (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2019.
All 6 candidates in Haldimand—Norfolk, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leslyn Lewis | Conservative Party of Canada | 29,664 | 47.4% |
| Karen Matthews | Liberal Party of Canada | 17,224 | 27.5% |
| Meghan Piironen | New Democratic Party | 8,320 | 13.3% |
| Ken Gilpin | People's Party of Canada | 6,570 | 10.5% |
| Charles Lugosi | Christian Heritage Party of Canada | 559 | 0.9% |
| George McMorrow | Veterans Coalition Party of Canada | 255 | 0.4% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Haldimand County council spends less per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s single-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
Haldimand County council carried $45.4M of long-term debt, $923 per resident against a typical $971. Taxes on property make up 47% of what comes in, more than the province-wide 37%. At 31% of spending ($1,091 a resident), water, sewers and waste leads the budget. 456 full-time positions are funded, 9.3 per thousand residents. Spending by Haldimand County council came to $3,525 a resident in 2024, under the $3,796 median of Ontario’s single-tier municipalities.
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, sewers and waste | $53.7M | $1,091 | 31% |
| Roads and transit | $35.1M | $714 | 20% |
| General government | $18.4M | $375 | 11% |
| Police, fire and protection | $18.2M | $370 | 10% |
| Social services and child care | $16.1M | $328 | 9% |
| Recreation and culture | $13.2M | $269 | 8% |
| Public health and paramedics | $12.9M | $261 | 7% |
| Planning and development | $3.9M | $80 | 2% |
| Social housing | $1.8M | $37 | 1% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Haldimand County council beside its neighbours
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
The bars put the headline’s figure for Haldimand County council next to nearby councils, the tick marking the provincial median.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Caledonia is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Council size. For residents per seat, the head of council is counted as a seat, and the population is the 2021 Census figure.
- Council money. The 2024 Financial Information Return, totals after adjustments by service, per resident with the return’s own population. A lower tier’s figures leave out its county’s or region’s spending, so lower tiers are compared only with lower tiers.
- Who holds each seat. MPs come from Wikidata’s records of the 45th Parliament, which can lag a resignation or a by-election by some days.
- Not on this page. No party tally for the council, which the open lists don’t record, and no band councils.
- Election results. Ridings changed in 2023: the 2019 and 2021 results are on the old map, and the 2021 vote on today’s map is Elections Canada’s own estimate from polling divisions.
- Which riding. Where residents of the 2021 Census live decides the riding; any riding with 5% of them or more is named.
Questions about how Caledonia is run
Who is the MP for Caledonia?
Haldimand—Norfolk’s MP, Leslyn Lewis of the Conservative Party of Canada, represents Caledonia.
Which party won Caledonia in the 2021 federal election?
Leslyn Lewis (Conservative Party of Canada) took Haldimand—Norfolk in 2021 and is its MP today.
Who is the MPP for Caledonia?
Look up Haldimand—Norfolk on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s site: that riding, which takes in Caledonia, has one MPP.
Who heads the council in Caledonia?
In October 2022, Shelley Ann Bentley won the post of mayor for Haldimand County council’s 2022–26 term.
How much does Haldimand County council spend?
The 2024 return of Haldimand County council shows $173.4M of spending for roughly 49,206 residents, $53.7M of it on water, sewers and waste.
How is Haldimand County council elected?
Haldimand County council: the mayor is chosen by the whole municipality, the councillors ward by ward.
What was the turnout in Caledonia?
It was 36.5% for Haldimand County council in 2022, with Ontario’s municipalities at a median of 35.5%.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).