Councillor Chantal Garneau
Chantal Garneau is a Local Councillor representing Ward 3, Georgetown North.
Elected in 2022, she is serving her first term on Halton Hills Council and brings long-standing community involvement, governance experience, and a practical, collaborative approach to her role.
Her work on Council is grounded in listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions, and helping residents navigate complex municipal decisions with clarity and care.
Community roots and leadership
Raised in Georgetown, Chantal has lived in the community since 1986 and chose to stay and raise her family here because of her deep connection to the people, landscape, and character of Halton Hills.
Chantal’s commitment to civic life began early. In 1996, she became the first President of the Halton Hills Mayor’s Youth Action Committee, helping establish its structure and early direction. Through this role, she made delegations to Council, participated in regional youth engagement, and served on committees related to youth centres and community planning.
She later helped establish and facilitate YouthNet, a youth mental health initiative serving Halton and Peel, working collaboratively with regional staff, school boards, and social service agencies.
Chantal is an experienced small business owner with deep roots in the local business community, including past service with the Downtown Georgetown Business Improvement Area and ongoing involvement with the Georgetown Farmers’ Market.
Environmental and community initiatives
Chantal plays a leadership role in developing community-based initiatives and organizations, including Halton Hills Nature, Bird Friendly Halton Hills, and the Halton Hills Interfaith Community.
She helped lead the work that earned Halton Hills Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City designation and, in 2022, received an Ontario Culture Days Award for her innovative approach to connecting people with nature.
She serves on the Conservation Halton Board, contributing to regional environmental governance and financial oversight.
Her local work is informed by experience engaging with national and international biodiversity policy, helping translate broader frameworks into practical, community-scale action.
Approach to governance
Chantal holds a degree from the University of Guelph, with studies in mathematics and French history and literature. This background reflects how she approaches municipal work: balancing careful analysis with attention to people, place, and long-term impact.
She values resident participation and works to balance community needs, financial responsibility, environmental stewardship, and legislated authority, while collaborating respectfully with staff and Council colleagues. Her focus is on helping Halton Hills grow thoughtfully, protecting what matters most, and remaining a community where residents feel informed, supported, and proud to live.
Commitment to the role
Since being elected in 2022, Chantal has approached her role on Council with a strong commitment to learning, preparation, and continuous improvement. She has actively deepened her understanding of municipal planning, governance, finance, and environmental policy to ensure she can contribute thoughtfully and responsibly to Council decisions.
She participates in professional development through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and sector-specific training related to land use planning, climate adaptation, biodiversity, and inclusive governance. This ongoing learning helps her navigate complex files, ask informed questions, and support decisions that are both technically sound and grounded in community values.
Chantal brings a systems-thinking lens to her work, recognizing how financial pressures, growth, infrastructure, natural systems, and community wellbeing are interconnected. She is equally comfortable engaging in formal Council and committee settings, facilitating community conversations, and contributing to regional and national policy discussions related to climate resilience and environmental stewardship.
Her focus is on doing the work well: listening carefully, staying informed, and making decisions that reflect both legislative responsibility and the lived experience of residents.
Committees
Chantal serves on the following committees and boards as part of her role on Council:
Town of Halton Hills
Chair, GO Station and Mill Street Corridor Secondary Plan Review Committee
Member, Healthy Environment and Community Strategic Plan Committee
Member, Black Creek Advisory Group
Member, EDI Strategy and Action Plan Advisory Group
Conservation Halton
Board Member (October 2022 – Present)
Member, Finance and Audit Committee