SASKATOON

Prince Albert mayoral candidate promises push for summer election following severe snowstorm

Jayda Taylor Multi-Skilled Journalist CTV News Prince Albert

Published Monday, November 9, 2020 6:07PM CST

A Prince Albert polling station in the 2020 civic election. Jayda Taylor/CTV Prince Albert

Text:

PRINCE ALBERT -- Prince Albert incumbent mayoral candidate Greg Dionne says if re-elected, he will voice the need for a civic election in August instead of November.

The weekend snowstorm left many unable to leave their homes, while others got stuck if they did make it out of the driveway. Dionne said the storm left some unable to get out and vote.

He apologized to residents that the city isn’t able to delay the election.

“We are into it too late to postpone it or delay it, strictly because of the cost,” Dionne said Monday.

“You have my word, as soon as this election is over, the first thing that I’m on the government to do is picking a date in August for the election. They had their chance and it didn’t work.”

Mayoral candidate Darryl Hickie offerred residents a ride to the polling stations Monday. Incumbent city councillor candidate for Ward 3, Evert Botha also offerred rides.

Blake Edwards, incumbent councillor candidate for Ward 6, volunteered to shovel snow for the ward’s polling station at Carlton Park Community Hall.

4 candidates in mayoral race

Dionne, who’s seeking his third term, is running against three other candidates for mayor: Dennis Nowoselsky, Josh Morrow and Darryl Hickie.

Nowoselsky said one of his priorities, even before the heavy snowfall, is for the city to have better snow removal.

“It confirms it—it has to have a better snow-removal policy,” said Nowoselsky, who served as councillor for Ward 7 before running for mayor.

His platform also includes freezing increases in property taxes for the next two years, having a strategic plan for addictions and beautifying Central Avenue to attract more business.

Morrow summed up his election platform as being built “from the people themselves.” He said this primarily revolves around safety and security.

When asked about economic development, Morrow said that will follow once people feel safer and more secure in Prince Albert.

“We have to make sure that our community is safe and very welcoming and provides opportunities to advance more than our competing municipalities,” he said.

This is Morrow’s second time running for mayor. In 2016, he came in third among candidates.

Darryl Hickie is a former Prince Albert police officer. He also served as the Prince Albert-Carlton MLA from 2007 to 2011, as well as the Minister of Corrections and Public Safety under the Brad Wall government.

If elected, Hickie said he won’t raise taxes and will chair the board of police commissioners.

“We only have one taxpayer that pays for three levels of government infrastructure, so let’s do what we can together to keep our taxes low,” he said.