Who is Lesley Parnell?

At the age of two, Lesley’s parents, Sam and Betty Hacking moved to Peterborough from Scotland. “Daddy Sam” (later to become Grandpa Sam) started his working career in Canada at GE as an electrician, bought a home on Reynolds Court, and raised his family in the Otonabee Ward in the city of Peterborough. Lesley has proudly served as the Otonabee Ward Councillor since 2010.


Council Experience (2010-2026)

  • Co-chair of Community Services portfolio - fire, recreation & parks, housing, tourism, social services, child care, arts & culture, library, arenas, marina, art gallery, Riverview Park & Zoo, Peterborough Centennial Museum, and other local initiatives

  • Brock reBuild Campaign

  • Chair of Arenas, Parks & Recreation Portfolio & Advisory Committee Meetings

  • Special Pandemic Committees for Arts & Culture, Parks, Recreation & Sport, Economic Development

  • Chair of Planning Portfolio, Planning Meetings & Official Plan Community Working Group Chair

  • Chair of Official Plan Community Working Group

  • Chair of Public Works Portfolio

  • Peterborough Economic Development Portfolio with Team

  • Vice Chair of the Committee of the Whole

  • Chair of Arts, Culture & Heritage Advisory Committee Meetings

  • Chair of Peterborough Public Health Board, Member of Property & Governance Committees

  • Vice Chair of Peterborough Utilities Commission

  • Finance Committee

  • Planning Advisory Committee

  • Fleming College Council Liaison Committee

  • Council of Person with Disabilities Advisory Committee & Accessibility Advisory Committee

  • Chair of Peterborough Sports & Wellness Centre Management Committee

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair and a bright smile, wearing a blue blazer and lace top, is sitting on the floor with a golden retriever dog, surrounded by wooden and leather furniture and green plants in the background.


Associations: (Past or Current)

  • Founder, Trees 4 Peterborough (approx. 3600 new trees planted)

  • Founder, Peterborough Victoria Day Fireworks Family Night - started 1989

  • Parent Council, Grove School

  • LaLeche League Member

  • Kenner Foundation Member, Kenner Golf Tournament Member

  • Rotary Club - Food For Kids Volunteer

  • Brock Mission reBuild Lead of Raffle Committee

  • Gambling Addiction Advisory Committee

  • Ever Green Mid-Size Cities Planning Group

  • Cameron Street Neighbourhood Association

Group of people, including children and adults, gathered at a holiday charity event in a shopping mall. Some are wearing Christmas hats and firefighter hats, and a person in a dog mascot costume is present. Various toys and gifts are seen in the background.


Municipal Training

  • Municipal Finance

  • Committee of Adjustment

  • Parliamentary Procedures

  • Municipal Statute Law Amendment Law 2006

  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), anti-racism, and anti-hate

  • Ongoing educational opportunities

A group of fourteen people dressed in formal attire standing on a staircase for a formal photograph. The central figure wears a blue suit and a mayoral chain. Two flags flank the group on either side, and there is a COVID-19 informational poster on the wall behind them.
A raccoon mascot and a woman in a blue blazer smiling in a library. The raccoon is holding a stack of books, and the woman is holding a different stack. Bookshelves filled with books are in the background.


Municipal Experience

  • 16 years experience on council, committees and continued volunteer and community engagement

  • Public Works, Waste Management, Records Retention Municipal Clerk

  • Acting Deputy Clerk

  • Commissioner of Oaths for all three levels of government

  • Deputy Returning Officer/Election Official

  • Deputy Issuer of Marriage Licenses

  • Council Agenda & Minutes Clerk

  • By-Law Research, Implementation, and Public Meetings

  • Municipal Procedures

  • Planning Experience, Building Permits, Variances, ORCA, Trent Severn Waterway and the Building Code Commission


Community Awards

Received for community involvement in the Otonabee Ward and City of Peterborough:

  • Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award

  • Rotary Club - Paul Harris Award for Volunteering - Food For Kids

  • Kenner Hall of Honour Inductee

  • Peterborough Volunteer of the Year, 1994

  • Peterborough Community Betterment Award

  • Special Mayor’s Award

  • CKPT Peterborough Proud Award

  • Kenner Gold K

Four people, including a person in a skateboarder mascot costume, holding a yellow Chiemmiers hockey team flag in a sports store. The background features jerseys and framed photos.
A group of six people sitting on a couch with a dog in front. The background features pink curtains and wooden blinds. The group includes four men and two women, smiling and posing for the photo.

  • City Councillor - Otonabee Ward

  • Wife of Don Parnell

  • Mother of five skilled adult children

  • Otonabee Ward resident since age two

  • Active Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic Assistant, Laser Technician

  • Honour Graduate of Kenner CVI, Hall of Honour inductee (Don and Lesley Parnell are the only married couple inducted into Kenner Hall of Honour)

  • Graduate of Fleming College, Business Administration with Tourism

  • CPIM Professional Designation

  • Work experience with the municipal, provincial, and federal governments

  • Community volunteer for the Otonabee Ward and the City of Peterborough - Volunteer of the Year, 1994

  • Lead defender to keep green space and Roger Neilson Public School in Otonabee Ward

Authorized by the campaign to re-elect Lesley Parnell
(705) 991 - 1272 lesleyparnell@bell.net