Council and Mayor

It's an honour and a privilege, as Mayor of the City of Owen Sound, to welcome you to our beautiful City.

Tucked into a scenic valley on the Niagara Escarpment and along the shore of Georgian Bay, Owen Sound is the home to festivals, sports facilities, indoor and outdoor events, scenic parks, and cultural experiences. Our downtown offers a unique blend of shops, boutiques, coffee bars and restaurants. Our historic Carnegie Library and Tom Thomson Art Gallery are in the heart of downtown.

We wish to keep residents, visitors and business leaders informed through our website and social media of our latest news, notices, and services in our community. If you are seeking economic or business development information, or wishing to review reports for a Committee, or minutes from our Council meetings, you can find it here.

I encourage you to browse our website, come and visit us, and you will discover that Owen Sound is where you want to live!

Sincerely,

Ian Boddy
Mayor of Owen Sound
519-376-4440 ext. 1212
Send an email to Mayor Boddy
Send an email to request the Mayor's attendance at an event

Biography

Ian was born and raised in Owen Sound and comes from a long line of independent businessmen. A graduate of University of Alberta and Western University’s Faculty of Law, he was called to the bar in 1993 and immediately moved home to Grey Bruce to begin his legal practice.

Ian and his wife Joan are proud parents of their son Hamish. As a family, they like to sail the waters of Georgian Bay and bicycle the back roads of beautiful Grey County.

After several years being active in the community, Ian was elected to Owen Sound City Council in 2010, as Mayor in 2014, and re-elected in 2018 and 2022.

Marion Koepke is married to her husband Gord and has two grown married sons, one in Kingston (Brian and his wife Kathleen) and one in London (David and his wife Michelle) where she also has two grandchildren (Mackenzie and Devin). 

Marion was previously employed with the City of Owen Sound since 1983 and worked mostly as Deputy Clerk, retiring in 2010 as Clerk. Marion serves on the Justices of the Peace Appointment Advisory Committee for the Ministry of the Attorney General, is a long-standing member of the North Grey Women’s Institute (44 years), Grey County Women’s Institute, and Grey Bruce Area Women’s Institute. 

She has volunteered for many years with Community Foundation Grey Bruce and currently assists the Grant Committee. She has served on the Grey Bruce Regional Hospital Foundation, Owen Sound Golf Course, Bluewater Curling Club and Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation executives in the past. Marion has worked with Elections Ontario as Election Clerk and various positions with Elections Canada since her retirement. 

Marion has served on City Council since 2014 and is now enjoying her third term serving the citizens of Owen Sound.

Send Email
Phone: 519-376-9849

Carol Merton, serving her second term as Councillor for the City of Owen Sound, is a health care professional currently in private practice.

She has worked in a variety of management and leadership positions throughout Grey Bruce and beyond.

She co-produces and hosts Health Link, a local cable TV program designed to connect home, community and health care.

Carol actively participates in a variety of committees, boards and community groups on topics and initiatives related to housing, community safety and well being, and accessibility.

She remains committed to the community and is honoured to be part of the Owen Sound City Council.

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Phone: 519-477-8192

Born and raised in Midland, Ontario, Melanie moved to Owen Sound in 2005.

She holds a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto and owned Bluewater Chiropractic in Owen Sound from 2006-2020. Currently, Melanie is the owner of The Rocking Horse Toy Store in downtown Owen Sound.

Melanie brings a small business background, natural collaborative manner and critical-thinking skills to her new role as Councillor and hopes to be a positive, fiscally responsible voice for the residents of Owen Sound.

Outside of work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her husband Mike and their three boys at the family cottage on Georgian Bay, watching her children’s sporting events, volunteering for local political associations and socializing with family and friends.

Send Email
Phone: 519-376-1440

Regular meetings of Council are held on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.

For meeting dates, agendas, minutes, livestreaming, and video recordings, please visit our Meetings of Council and Committees webpage.

For information on the process of speaking to Council, please visit our Speaking at a Meeting webpage.

If you want to invite the Mayor and/or a City Councillor to your event, send your request in writing, at least 3 weeks before the date. Please be sure to include all of the following event details:

• name
• address
• phone number
• organization (if applicable)
• email address
• type of event
• who you would like to attend (Mayor/Councillor/all Council)
• event date
• event time
• event venue and address
• Mayor/Councillor's role (i.e. speaking, presentation, ribbon cutting, attendance only, etc.)
• additional event details

We will contact you to confirm attendance or extend regrets.

Congratulatory certificates are provided to individuals, groups, businesses and other organizations in Owen Sound to commemorate anniversaries, birthdays, milestone occasions, official openings, and other special honours.

If you would like to request a certificate, send your request in writing, and please be sure to include all of the following details:

• type of certificate requested (birthday/anniversary)
• name of the recipient(s)
• address of the recipient(s)
• date of anniversary/birthday
• date of celebration (if different)
• pick-up or mailed?
• mailed to recipient or contact?
• your name
• your phone number
• your email
• your address

Most certificates are given for birthdays of 80 years or more and anniversaries of 50 years or more. Other special requests will be considered.

These certificates are not civic endorsements, and the City does not make proclamations.

In order to respect all citizens and community groups, the City does not make proclamations or support public awareness campaigns. The City has a policy on making proclamations, supporting public awareness campaigns and flying flags.

The City flies only those flags listed in the policy. To request a flag flying, please complete the Community Flag Flying and Raising Form.

To request a coloured illumination on City Hall's east side of the building, please complete the City Hall Illumination Request Form here.

Council members are elected at large, every four years. The next election is in 2026.