The Liberal Party of Ontario has their candidate for the Bay of Quinte by-election next month (September 19).
Belleville City Councillor Sean Kelly was given the official nod Friday.
He is the long-time Program Director at Quinte Broadcasting (CJBQ, Mix 97, Rock 107, Quinte News). He is also the Morning Show host of Mix 97 in Belleville (CIGL).
Kelly is now serving his second term as a city councillor for Ward 1 in Belleville (since 2018).
He is currently the Chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.
Kelly says he spoke with Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie a few months ago about becoming a potential candidate in the next provincial election.
With the announcement last week that Todd Smith was resigning, they had further discussions this week at the AMO conference in Ottawa.
“I align with many of the Liberal policies. I believe Bonnie Crombie has brought new energy to the party. I feel that momentum.”
“I’m excited to meet them at a new level and see what their concerns are. What are their struggles? How the Bonnie Crombie Liberals can help, help families.”
This is Kelly’s the second time running for the Ontario Liberal Party. He was a candidate in 2007 for his home riding, finishing second to John Yakubuski.
THE OFFICIAL RELEASE FROM THE LIBERAL PARTY OF ONTARIO BELOW
Sean Kelly is a Councillor for the City of Belleville, where he serves as the Chair of the Economic Development Committee and has been a steadfast champion for better health care and education. He is also the Director of Programming for Quinte Broadcasting, and a morning show host.
“Families in Bay of Quinte deserve better than Doug Ford’s Conservatives—you deserve an MPP who will fight to protect our public healthcare system and get our children’s education back on track.
That’s why I’m thrilled to have Sean as our candidate in the Bay of Quinte by-election. Sean is a proven fighter—with decades of public service experience—who will always put you and your family first, not Doug Ford’s rich insiders.”
— Bonnie Crombie, Leader of Ontario’s Liberals
“I’ve witnessed firsthand how Doug Ford’s cuts are having a devastating impact on our community, and I know you have too. The Belleville General Hospital has the second highest wait times in the province, and it’s all because of Doug Ford’s plan to sell off our public healthcare system to his rich insider friends that work in for-profit, private care.
Enough is enough. I’m proud to be on Bonnie Crombie’s team as we fight to put you and your family first. Together, we will fix our schools. Fix our healthcare system. Bring the dream of home ownership within reach. Get Bay of Quinte the help it needs. And get our economy back on track.”
— Sean Kelly, Ward 1 Councillor & Radio Host
Sean is a dedicated community leader and proud father of Liam and Taylor. He serves as the Director of Programming at Quinte Broadcasting, overseeing ROCK 107, CJBQ, and MIX 97, and is the morning show host at MIX 97.
Sean currently serves the Bay of Quinte community as the two-term Ward 1 City Councillor in Belleville. As Councillor, he chairs both the Economic Development Committee and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee—a reflection of Sean’s commitment to equitable growth and support for small businesses. He is also the Coordinator of Truth and Reconciliation ceremonies in Belleville.
Sean has also served as a board member for Quinte Conservation from 2018 to 2022 and currently serves on the board of Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. A passionate advocate for cultural diversity, he co-chaired the Belleville Caribbean Festival and supported the creation of the City’s first Diwali festival.
