Keith Riel knows how to lead, deliver, and get things done.
He spent his career at General Electric, working inside one of the largest and most complex corporations in the world. Alongside that, he ran three local businesses - a bar, a retail shop, and a long-standing DJ company that employed local workers and served clients across the region. He understands risk, responsibility, and what it takes to meet a payroll and make a business succeed.
He’s also led when the stakes were high.
As president of the local union representing GE workers, Keith negotiated directly with a global industrial giant, making high-pressure decisions that affected thousands of workers and their families. Later, as president of the Peterborough and District Labour Council, he represented workers across manufacturing and the public sector, bringing together unions from across the region and advocating for working people throughout the community.
Keith knows how to bring people to the table, find common ground, and get to a responsible deal that holds.
That experience shapes his work on Peterborough City Council, where he’s been elected four times and earned a reputation as a principled, progressive voice supporting strong, diverse communities and a city that works for everyone, while holding the line on spending and demanding accountability and results.
That’s the leadership Peterborough needs.
As mayor, Keith will set a clear direction for council and keep it focused on solving the city’s most pressing issues and delivering meaningful results for residents.
He believes Peterborough is ready to move forward with confidence in its people and everything that makes this city worth believing in.
A city that feels alive again. Full of optimism, opportunity, and purpose.
Learn more about his priorities and find out how to donate, get involved, and have your say.
Keith is ready to lead on day one. Join him.