Prior to being elected, Sanderson served as President of The Brampton Board of Trade (BBOT) from 2001-2002. Through his many years as a member of BBOT, Sanderson served on every Board Committee, including 11 years on Governing Council.

The BBOT named Sanderson the 2003 Business Person of the year. His community spirit and volunteer work were both contributing factors in the reasons Sanderson was chosen for that award.

He continued as an active member of the BBOT when he started his own company, J.W.S. Waste Systems Inc., in 1998. In addition to serving on BBOT, Sanderson also served as President of the Ontario Waste Management Association.

Sanderson was nationally recognized in 2002 as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year for Eastern Canada. In 2005, Sanderson received the Brampton Guardian’s Citizen of the Year Award. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Jubilee Medal. As a long term Rotarian, he received the Club’s highest honour, a Paul Harris Fellowship award.

Sanderson was born and raised in Brampton. He says he has a passion for this City and he gets a lot of satisfaction out of helping others. “I do it because I want to do it, not because I want recognition for it. My dad was the same way,” Sanderson added.

Sanderson married his childhood sweetheart, Gloria, and they have two children and five grandchildren. He says without the support of his family, he would not be able to contribute as much as he does.