Orillia mayor not seeking re-election

He refers to his time in office as demanding, rewarding, and deeply meaningful.

Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac has officially announced Thursday he will not be seeking a second term.

“Serving as Mayor is not simply a role – it is a responsibility that extends to every hour of every day. It has been, at once, demanding, rewarding, and deeply meaningful,” McIsaac said in an email statement to CTV News.

He went on to say he is proud of the progress his council has made together, highlighting advancing the priorities made at the beginning of this term and the council’s dedication to working on behalf of the community.

McIsaac also admitted to him and his council not being perfect.

“No term of public service is without its challenges,” McIsaac said. “While we did not always get everything right, every decision was guided by a sincere commitment to the best interests of the people of Orillia. For the engagement, debate, encouragement, and accountability offered by residents, colleagues, and staff alike, I am profoundly grateful.”

In an interview with CTV News on Thursday, McIsaac said he wanted to make the public announcement sooner rather than later to open up his position for other people.

“I came to the decision a bit ago. I decided to think about it more and I came back to the same decision. I thought now’s the time,” McIsaac said. “I’d like to let others who might have an interest get in the field and if I kept my decision to myself for another month or two, that might keep others out of it, so I encourage others to join the battle.”

He went on to say he took great joy out of helping people, even with the small things like citizenship applications.

“I mean, it’s not my thing, but I could help them and I could make a difference,” he said.

McIsaac also mentioned the 2025 ice storm and the recent floods, saying how rewarding it was to help people during those times.

“You’re helping people in their toughest time. You tell them they’re not going to go through this alone. It’s quite meaningful,” he said.

In April 2025, McIsaac was granted “strong mayor” powers by the provincial government to use for the state of emergency due to the ice storm. In a controversial move, he instead used the powers to change city staff.

During his time as mayor, McIsaac also pushed for increased housing to address shortages.

Earlier this month, the City of Orillia announced it will acquire around 196 hectares of land from the Township of Severn and Oro-Medonte to help with residential growth over the next 20 to 30 years.

In an in-studio interview with CTV News, McIsaac discussed the $5 million from the province used for ice storm relief.

Most recently, McIsaac was in support of a motion that passed against the return of the controversial Samuel de Champlain monument to its Couchiching Beach Park site.

As for what’s next, McIsaac said he will stay an active and engaged member of the community and support Orillia in other ways.

When asked what advice he would give to the incoming council, he had three clear points.

“Be true to yourself, work hard and answer your phone calls,” McIsaac said.