By Pepper Parr
August 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
It took them a while, but the City’s Communications people sent us the following today:
A job posting for Curt Benson’s former role as Commissioner, Development & Growth Management, was posted to the City’s website in late July.
Stephen Robichaud has accepted the role of Commissioner, Development & Growth Management, and his first day at the City of Burlington is Sept. 2, 2025.
Mr. Benson will serve as the City’s CAO through the current term of Council.
Any decisions regarding this position going forward will be made by the incoming Mayor and Council, at some point in time following the inauguration of the 2026–2030 Council, which will take place sometime in November 2026.
We appreciate the interest in how we handle announcements. In this case, we made a decision based on timing and overall communication priorities and planning.
If I were Curt Benson, I would keep even more space between him and the Mayor. Left to right: Natalie Pierre, Burlington MPP; City CAO Curt Benson; Mayor Meed Ward; Minister of Transportation; Councillor Galbraith; and Councillor Sharman at the AMO conference.
What is interesting is the part that speaks to “timing and overall communications priorities…” is the the needs of the communications people came before the right of the public to be as fully informed; “transparency and accountability” took another hit!
Benson has a job for the next 15 months; after that it will be up to the next council to decide if they want to keep him. Curt Benson deserves more in the way of respect.
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Bruce,
I agree with you, that wasn’t really my point. I think that Curt Benson will be a great CAO. The point I was trying to make, and not very well I guess, was why will our city council look to replace him in 15 months post the 2026 Municipal Election??
Let it be!!
We need some continuity at COB. It’s like Musical Chairs at city hall.
My Question is, why would Mayor Meed Ward unilaterally install Curt Benson into a new position as CAO of the City of Burlington?
Mr. Benson has a background in Deveoplment and was the Commissioner of Development & Growth Management for the COB until his recent appointment as CAO of the City of Burlington by Mayor Meed Ward beginning August 2025.
We now have a new person hired to replace Curt Benson.
Stephen Robichaud, a new hire, has recently accepted the role of Commissioner, Development & Growth Management, and will start at the City of Burlington on Sept. 2, 2025.
Two new positions, and 2 new people filling two different jobs!! Should be interesting!!
Why not leave Curt Benson in his original position and hire a new CAO??
Not to mention all of the money that the COB spends in time and resources to recruit new staff.
Curt Benson will only be in this position as CAO for 15 months, until
after the 2026 Municipal election in October, at which point, a new CAO will need to be chosen.
Why not save taxpayers some money and leave Curt Benson where he was and hire a new CAO???
Apparently, there is no one at City Hall who can logically think things thru properly!
And new recruitment costs don’t matter; as this council believes taxpayer money grows on trees!!!