Bugelli was born in Zabbar, Malta on July 20, 1947, and moved to Canada with his family in 1963. He was educated at Durham College, George Brown College and the University of Waterloo. He finished third against Progressive Conservative candidate George Ashe in the 1977 election. Bugelli was elected to the Whitby Town Council in 1978, and was re-elected in 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988. He also served for five years on the Board of Directors of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.