City Councillor, Gary Clarke by Peri Hayes
Gary Clarke is presently immersed in his third term on City Council, which he has proudly served for 11 years and counting. Previous to this, as Gary shares, “I was elected twice in the late 80s, early 90s to the Public Utilities Commission.” Earning his Bachelor’s Degree in History at the University of Western Ontario, Gary would ultimately return to Council upon his retirement from the education system. He reflects, “This is a great place to live, work and play. Being born and raised in St. Thomas, I think we’ve had different economic opportunities which have faded as times have changed. Being able to lead and look for new ways to nourish St. Thomas is what inspires me.” A focus of Gary’s is being proactive, preparing strategic thinking in regard to economic development. “When I was elected, I’d been a member of the Economic Development Corporation and intended to purchase industrial land for plants to expand their footprint here. Having this vision and seeing it through has attracted more businesses to forge a diversified economy. PowerCo chose St. Thomas from anywhere in the world. Support from the province led to more land, which will provide many jobs.” Further to this, Gary voices his passion, “I’ve raised my family here, and now have grandchildren. I want this to be a place where our kids can find good jobs locally and don’t have to move away to do so. There are now generations of children growing up here with all kinds of opportunities in various jobs that previously, they would have had to leave Elgin County for.” “The housing crisis is a nationwide problem,” Gary proceeds to offer. “We are striving for supportive housing and meeting
“Improving mental health is our priority”
23rd Annual OPEN HOUSE
34 YEARS of looking after EARS
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Page 8 Hometown St. Thomas • October 2025
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