Mayor of Loyalist Township, Ric Bresee, has been nominated as the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s candidate for the Riding of Hastings-Lennox & Addington.
Bresee made his official announcement at Papa’s Pizzeria in Amherstview on Saturday. He’ll be looking to keep the provincial riding blue this June 2 as he aims to succeed Conservative MPP Daryl Kramp, who announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election.
“I am entering this race because after two years of pandemic disruptions Ontario, and this riding, must now begin the difficult task of rebuilding itself,” said Bresee. “I know that many people are concerned about economic recovery, the rising cost of living, and the debt taken on by businesses and individuals to get through the past two years. We are all also concerned about our collective health, in terms of COVID, and in terms of all the other challenges, the pandemic impacted.”
MPP Kramp voiced his support for Bresee.
“I feel really good about Ric, and you should feel good about Ric,” Kramp told those gathered on Saturday. “Ric not only knows this riding from one end to the other, but he knows the people in the riding.”
Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman was also on hand.
“I certainly throw all of my support behind Ric,” she added.
Born and raised in Amherstview, Breese has lived most of his 55 years in the H-LA riding. He graduated from St. Lawrence College as a business systems analyst.
After graduating, Bresee spent 1996 to 2015 working full-time as a systems analyst and then an adaptive technologist for St. Lawrence College, while also a part-time instructor in various fields, including computer science, economics and wind policy in Canada.
Bresee has had extensive experience in municipal politics. He has served on the Loyalist Township Municipal Council for 22 years, being re-elected five times and serving as councillor, deputy mayor and mayor. During that time, he worked to build new residential and commercial areas, including the Loyalist East Business Park, which has added 21 new businesses. Loyalist has seen one of the highest residential growth rates in Eastern Ontario.
Bresee is married to Heidi Galloway Bourgoin and has a blended family, having raised five children.
“The Government of Ontario has worked extremely hard throughout this pandemic; following the advice of our scientists and medical professionals, they navigated safely between the risks of COVID and the range of problems with the restrictions,” said Bresee. “They have provided a steady and experienced hand through a very difficult time. Now that the threat of COVID-19 is receding, it is time to start rebuilding this great province and our home here in Hastings-Lennox & Addington. ”
He says among his top priorities are: supporting a stable workforce of skilled and dedicated workers, increasing capacity to train and provide healthcare professionals, creating a stronger, more accessible and inclusive riding, speeding up the development of sustainable, innovative renewable energy projects, assisting small businesses and providing incentives to invest in, rebuild and start new businesses and continuing to improve critical cell phone and broadband internet infrastructure in rural communities.