Mayor Peter Kelly

Mayor Peter Kelly began his career in public service in 1985 when he was elected Councillor for the Town of Bedford, Nova Scotia. In 1991 he was elected Mayor of Bedford, then in 1995 as Councillor for District 21–Bedford in the newly amalgamated Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). He was elected Mayor of HRM in 2000, 2004 and again in 2008. 

Active in community service for many years, Mayor Kelly has served on various non-profit groups and municipal government boards, commissions and committees. His education includes a Diploma in Hospitality Management from the Nova Scotia Community College and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University. Apart from public office, Mayor Kelly has held administrative and managerial positions in private industry and government since 1980.

Mayor Kelly founded and Atlantic Mayors’ Congress and has served as its Chair since its inception in 2001. The AMC provides a forum for the larger Atlantic Region municipalities to explore common purposes and partnerships, such as immigration and intergovernmental relations. Mayor Kelly is an active participant in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayors’ Caucus (BCMC) and is involved with several of the Caucus’s working groups, including Transit, Revenue Sharing, and Immigration.

Public safety is a paramount concern for Mayor Kelly and, as Co-Chair the BCMC Working Group on Public Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness, he led development of the Emergency Response Management Model for Canadian Municipalities (Draft). In 2006 he initiated the Mayor’s Roundtable on Violence to address violent crime and perceptions of violent crime in HRM; he is now working with stakeholders to ensure that the 64 recommendations made to the Roundtable effect positive changes for the benefit of all HRM residents and visitors.  

A tireless volunteer, Mayor Kelly has lent his energy and dedication to many charitable projects, such as the “I Like Me” literacy program for grade one students, the “Raise a Reader” fundraising program for family literacy, and the “Raising the Roof” fundraising campaign to find solutions for homelessness. He has served as honourary chair for the International Day for the Disabled, the Adsum House Fund Raising Campaign, and the Metro Food Bank.

Mayor Kelly has received numerous awards for his service and contributions to the community, including the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, the Gold Scroll of Recognition from the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Metro Food Bank, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Aliant Telecom Pioneers Partner Excellence Award.

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