The soon-to-be 89-year-old is Canada’s longest-serving mayor, and has been on Milton’s local council for 60 years.
Age is but a number for Milton’s 88-year-old mayor, Gord Krantz, who has announced his intention to run again in this fall’s municipal election.
Canada’s longest-serving politician, the octogenarian was first elected as a Milton town councillor in 1965. He has served as the town’s mayor and council head since 1980.
Krantz, who has successfully run for public office 22 times, shared why he’s not quite ready to hang up his hat.
“The main reason, the only reason, I still enjoy doing what I do, and (that) helms around the Town of Milton here, and that’s the reason why I’m seeking re-election, to once again hope to make a great contribution, once again, to the citizens of the Town of Milton,” he told CP24 on Wednesday afternoon.
“As you would probably suspect, there are those individuals that maybe suggest you maybe should retire. Well, I know that there’s the odd one of those out there as well. I enjoy what I do, like I say, and still have that ambition.”
Krantz, who turns 89 on April 20, said that while he may no longer climb ladders or run road races, he’s still “dedicated to helping run the Town of Milton effectively and efficiently.”
Gordon Krantz Gordon Krantz stands beside a photograph of his younger self after being re-elected mayor of Milton.
Krantz said he’s also brings stability and experience to the growing community.
“Well, you know, you pay your money to take your chances of what you’re doing. So are people prepared to take that gamble? I’m suspecting not,” he said.
“Because they’ve had a pretty good run with me and I know that they appreciate it. Because the price has really been on me to run again.”
Krantz went on to say that Milton faces various challenges that come with belonging to the Greater Toronto Area, which he noted represents roughly 70 per cent of the population of Ontario. He added that currently the town’s population is roughly 160,000 people but it is expected to almost double to 300,000 in the next 20 years.
He said one of the things he’ll focus on is keeping taxes down, pointing to council’s decision in the last term to raise them by approximately 36 per cent, or roughly nine per cent annually over four years.
“That’s over and above what I supported, but the majority of council supported that history. So at least, in my opinion, we have to get to look after (that). So that’s one of the challenges and I’m certainly after that on making sure that our taxes stay reasonable here in the Town of Milton,” said Krantz.
“So that’s one of the challenges that I know I will be facing, not if I’m re-elected, but when I’m re-elected.”
Milton mayor Gordon Krantz Milton mayor Gordon Krantz reads with children. (Credit: Town of Milton)
Sameera Ali, a regional councillor representing Ward 4 in Milton, has also declared her intention to run for Milton mayor this October.
Krantz said he’s aware of at least three others who “have made indications” they’re seeking to run for the mayor’s position.
Despite facing a number of challengers this time around, he said he’s hopeful he’ll be re-elected again on Oct. 26.
“It will be a horse race, there’s no doubt about that. But (in) a horse race, whoever finishes first wins the race, regardless, whether it’s even by a nose or not. So, you know, I’ve been in many races before so it’s not new to me, not for a moment,” Krantz said.