Clark Somerville was first elected to the Town of Halton Hills Council in 1996, representing Acton, Ward 1. In 2003, after two terms as a local Councillor, he was elected to Halton Regional Council, where he continues to represent Acton as well as the Halton Hills rural community in Wards 1 and 2 at Halton Region. Clark was most recently re-elected as a Halton Regional Councillor in October 2022.
In 2008, Clark was elected to the Board of Directors for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), a national voice for Canadian municipalities. He was elected as the 88th President of FCM in 2016 and worked closely with the Federal Government to advance numerous priority municipal issues. Clark has served on a number of FCM committees including the Rural Forum, increasing women’s participation in municipal government as well as the Executive Committee.
Over the past several years, Clark has also been an instrumental member on various community and municipal committees including:
Through his work with community groups such as Poverty Free Halton, Clark has advocated for accessible and affordable housing, transit passes for low-income earners and inclusive neighbourhoods. He has actively promoted engagement for youth and supported new Canadians and women in municipal government.
Having served the community of Halton Hills for over 25 years, Clark is aware of the unique challenges faced by rural communities. He continues to work with all levels of government including community partners and residents to advocate for priority issues such as addressing rural broadband service gaps, investments in roads and infrastructure, support for small businesses and addressing climate change and supporting resilient communities.
In 2013, Clark received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his work with FCM and for his national advocacy on free and fair trade.