Council incumbents hold steady in St. Albert’s election
Brodhead said he was “gratified, humbled, and very pleased” with the news that St. Albertans had re-elected him.
“I’m looking forward to another four years, and to meeting new people,” Brodhead said. “It’s certainly a different council, but we will work together and get things done.”
The Regional Transit Services Commission was one aspect Brodhead said he was looking forward to working on in the new term, but also said fostering a sense of community will be his priority.
“The one thing I love about St. Albert is the community’s engaged,” Brodhead said. “You can even tell that politically by the fact that we had 20 people running for council. There is no acclamation.”
This will be Brodhead’s fourth term serving the city; he and Heron were both elected to council for the first time in 2010.
“I really appreciate what she brings to the community as mayor,” Brodhead said of Heron. “She’s got this leadership style that allows for collaboration.”
St. Albert to implement vaccine passports in city facilities
Coun. Wes Brodhead, who brought forward the motion, described his rationale, saying that Alberta is in “deep trouble” with the number of COVID-19 cases and exceptional impact on the health system.
“As the premier said, this is a crisis of the unvaccinated,” Brodhead said. “This decision allows those who have participated in the vaccination program or who are willing to do the rapid testing to participate in life as close to normal as possible.”
Without a public-health order released by the province to guide decision making, some aspects of council’s discussion remained up in the air.
Coun. Wes Brodhead on continuing the path forward Jan 25, 2021
Brodhead talks about the vision of St. Albert in the years ahead while keeping the identity of the community secure Jan 25, 2021 8:00 AM By: Brittany Gervais
At the beginning of 2020, city council knew there was work ahead to plan and accommodate for a growing population, says Coun. Wes Brodhead. In ways, COVID-19 didn’t distract from that, but the pandemic did focus a need to consider and understand the impact to residents.
“What COVID did was, in amongst all of our visions and dreams for the future, we have to understand the impact on the community today and take that into account,” Brodhead said. “Having said that, vigilance is always required going into 2021 with our eye on the prize, which is to be a financially viable community.”
Council has been building on the foundation that was set by the approval of the Project 9 sanitary sewer project during the last council term, Brodhead said. While servicing lands to the west opened the city to investment and stimulus funds for shovel-ready projects, it also set the tone of the direction the city is heading.
“We want to keep this wonderful community in which to live, learn, work and play, but we need to make it accessible to a wider range of the population,” he said. “To do that, we needed to do things like provide more affordable housing and need to make the land less expensive to develop.”
St. Albert Gazette January 27, 2018
LOCAL NEWS
Edmonton seeks comment on northwest LRT
St. Albert could someday see an LRT line hopping over Campbell Road if Edmonton’s transit plans are approved.
The City of Edmonton held two open houses this week on its plans for the Metro Line northwest LRT. The plans are now online for comment for the next few weeks.
Edmonton’s northbound LRT currently ends at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, but the city plans to eventually have it reach St. Albert’s upcoming park-and-ride near Campbell Road just south of the Anthony Henday.
Edmonton hopes to build the first 1.5 km segment of this line from NAIT to the new Blatchford neighbourhood within three years for about $350 million, said project manager Scott MacIntosh. The remaining 10 km to Campbell, priced at about $1.8 billion, is up to 15 years away.
MacIntosh said his team wants people to look at the proposed route and give opinions on it. They were particularly interested in proposed station locations, whether or not the line should go above, below, or through different intersections, and if the city should pursue rapid bus service along this route.
This is the line that St. Albert’s LRT system would branch off of should it ever get built, said St. Albert Coun. Wes Brodhead, who checked out one of the LRT open houses last week. He hoped to see Edmonton commit to this northern leg as an important part of regional mobility.
“We have to start looking at how we provide capacity for the movement of people in the region that isn’t all about building more and more roads,” he said.
“If we don’t find different ways to move people, we won’t be able to build enough roads.”
St. Albert Gazette January 13, 2018
Day program for seniors wanted
City woman embarks on mission to connect aging residents
St. Albert resident Dawne Fowler sees no reason why seniors shouldn’t be able to grow old in style.
After months of putting pieces in place, Fowler is trying to start a day program for seniors. Her vision is to connect and engage those residents entering the later years of life through music, storytelling, fellowship and humour. She hopes to attract many seniors who don’t get out now.
The program Fowler envisions is a proactive approach to growing old – one that could help keep the mind sharp and potentially delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. It would be for residents ages 50 and up and would help to fill a need that she says continues to grow.
“I really want my seniors to be able to spend their last 10 or 15, or even 20 years feeling excited about getting up in the morning and eager to get into life, and willing to participate. And just really being fulfilled,” Fowler said.
St. Albert Gazette December 23, 2017
CITY HALL
Brodhead looks ahead to priorities, committee work
BY APRIL HUDSON
With two months of meetings and one budget under the belt of the new council, the St. Albert Gazette caught up with each council member about what’s coming in 2018 and what they’ve learned so far. Each council member will be featured in upcoming issues.
Fresh into his third term on city council, Coun. Wes Brodhead says he’s excited to get to work on committees and strategic planning.
Brodhead has said goodbye to some committees – including the Homeland Foundation, where he spent seven years, and the Capital Region Board’s transit subcommittee – but new experiences are ahead.
For Brodhead, Edmonton Salutes was his top choice for committees and he says he’s grateful to return to that commitment, which has members welcome troops home.
“It’s a very fulfilling committee to be part of,” he said.
The regional commuter task force is also one he’s looking forward to. The task force is currently waiting to hear if the province will approve funding for a joint transit service between St. Albert and Edmonton.
“I think there’s hope, because it’s consistent with what the (NDP) government really is talking about in terms of their vision for regional municipal interactions,” he said.
He will also sit on the Edmonton Region Audit and Finance Committee.
Read Full Article: St. Albert Gazette December 23, 2018
St. Albert Gazette October 31, 2017
CITY HALL
New city council sworn-in
First meeting sees start time change
St. Albert’s new city council opened the first meeting of their term on Monday night with a blessing from Alexander First Nation elder Tony Arcand.
Earlier in the day, with most of council present, Arcand led a smudging ceremony to cleanse the council chambers and the Douglas Cardinal boardroom.
During the council meeting, Sharon Morin from Michif Cultural Connections gifted the new council with a sash on behalf of the Métis nation, as well as individual gifts. The city has also added the Treaty 6 flag and the Métis flag to council chambers.
Mayor Cathy Heron said the new council wanted to be informed about Indigenous relations, adding this term will see some important decisions made by council in regard to recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“I think every community in Canada is starting to really recognize that they need to take an active role in the Truth and Reconciliation report,” she said.
“We’re going to be getting some feedback from our staff because there’s 95 recommendations in that report and a lot of them fall on the shoulders of municipalities.”
She added the council will be doing cultural sensitivity training.
The meeting continued with each councillor being sworn-in by the Hon. B.R. Garriock and affirming the Code of Conduct.
St. Albert Gazette October 20, 2017
CITY HALL
Councillors-elect look at motions, priorities
As results for St. Albert’s civic election become official, the newly elected council is wrapping up its first week of orientation.
The new council is marked by diverse backgrounds and experience, and each councillor-elect has a priority for what they want to accomplish first now that they’re in office.
St. Albert Gazette October 20, 2017
Official election results released
The City of St. Albert released official election results Friday afternoon, confirming unofficial numbers the city reported Monday evening after polls closed.
The results confirm vote counts previously reported as well.
A breakdown of results by polling station shows Mayor-elect Cathy Heron won at every station, as well as at advance voting and for the institutional and special ballot.
Among councillor candidates, Wes Brodhead was by far the most popular choice. Brodhead received the most votes during advance voting and on the institutional and special ballot. He also received the most votes at every polling station except for two.
St. Albert Gazette September 11, 2017
Running for: St. Albert Council
Years resident in community: 37 years
Neighbourhood: Deer Ridge
Age: 60
Family status: Married
Education: U of A Management Development
Current Occupation: City councillor
Email: wesleybrodhead@gmail.com
Website: www.wesbrodhead.ca
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/re-electwesbrodhead
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Wes_Brodhead
Q: What was your primary motivation to seek elected office?
I wish to serve the community that has treated my family so well. It is my conviction that St. Albert has the ability and resources necessary to continue to be the best city in Canada in which to live and raise a family. To achieve this goal, St. Albert cannot rest on its laurels. It must continue to face the challenges of growth and build the required infrastructure to serve our community. It must work with regional partners to efficiently provide needed services. Finally, I am able to work respectfully with all and represent St. Albert professionally.
Q: What skills and experiences have prepared you for this office??
7 years – Councillor – City of St. Albert
7 years – Homeland Housing Board (formerly Sturgeon Foundation)
4 years – Capital Region Board Transit Committee Chair
6 Years – Edmonton Salutes – serving regional military families
35 years – Director of Bus Operations – Edmonton Transit
2 terms – President, City of Edmonton Management Association
2 terms – President – PP&T Chapter of Canadian Urban Transit Association
23 years – Rivercity Credit Union Director
6 years – St. Albert Library Board
2 years – St. Albert Environment Advisory Committee
I have proven leadership skills and can professionally lead local, regional and national initiatives.
Q: What do you think are the most important issues to the community at large?
1. A cohesive, respectful council that can focus on significant local and regional issues.
2. Affordable housing options for all age groups.
3. Youth engagement. The leaders of tomorrow must be invited to participate in society. Those with transition difficulties must be helped.
4. Regional collaboration with Sturgeon County for local servicing and land matters, and the greater region for joint service provision opportunities.
5. Economic development.
– Collaborate with Edmonton Global for regional economic growth
– Collaborate with NABI and EDAB for local economic growth
– Streamline civic permitting practices
– Ensure business parks have high-speed Internet service.
Q: What specific goals will you work to achieve if elected?
– Advocate for the 196-unit Seniors and Affordable Housing Project.
– Continue to build regional consensus around public transit service provision.
– Boundary adjustment with Sturgeon County.
– Provincial recognition of Ray Gibbon Drive as Highway 2 North.
– Preserve designated park spaces within our community.
– Address needed youth supports required by the Collective.
– Prudently build needed infrastructure in our community using innovative service provision models to mitigate cost.
– Retention of city owned land in the Lakeview District to serve civic needs and spur light industrial development in that quadrant of the city.
St. Albert Gazette September 11, 2017
St. Albert Gazette September 9, 2017
Regional transit service back on the rails
BY APRIL HUDSON September 9, 2017
A joint regional transit service between St. Albert and Edmonton could soon be a reality if both city councils approve a memorandum of understanding this week.
The memorandum will appear before St. Albert city council on Monday and Edmonton city council on Tuesday. If both cities approve the move, the mayors of the two cities would inform the province they are prepared to proceed.
St. Albert Councillors Wes Brodhead and Cathy Heron both sit on the Regional Commuter Transit Commission, which is responsible for the memorandum.
Brodhead said the memorandum will determine the future of a proposed regional transit service within the capital region. Although the memorandum is currently between Edmonton and St. Albert, the commission is also looking to take a wider approach in the future.
Brodhead said the commission has worked so far with an eye to protecting the interests of large, mid-sized and small communities and has already received interest from Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan for the project.
“This really is about capturing the vision of what happens regionally,” he said.
St. Albert Gazette August 26, 2017
Seniors Housing Needed
This week St. Albert city council threw its support behind a housing project that would bring 196 affordable housing units for seniors to the area.
Homeland Housing, which formed when Sturgeon and Westlock foundations merged earlier this year, is proposing a $61.9-million project with 80 per cent of the funding wanted from the province.
More affordable housing is long overdue. There is already a three-year waiting list for seniors to get into affordable units in our area.
Councillor Wes Brodhead, who sits on the Homeland Housing board, said the need is high in the area, but even more acute in St. Albert.
A rapidly aging population in Alberta, a pattern across the country, means the need will grow more urgent as time goes on.
The 2016 census data showed for the first time the number of seniors outnumbers the number of children in Canada. This is not a total surprise. In 2008 an Alberta Demographic Planning Commission Report projected the senior population would more than double by 2031 with an estimated one in five people being over 65. While not every senior citizen will require affordable housing, the numbers are expected to increase. St. Albert now has 10,065 residents who are 65 and older, accounting for 15.3 per cent of the city’s population.
St. Albert Gazette August 26, 2017
St. Albert Gazette August 24, 2017
City supports bid for seniors housing
City council has thrown its support behind a housing project that would bring 196 affordable care spaces for seniors to St. Albert.
The project, which is being developed by Homeland Housing, comes with a $61.9-million price tag, 80 per cent of which would need to be funded by the province. That includes $6.5 million for six acres of land required for the project.
Homeland Housing was formed earlier this year when Sturgeon and Westlock seniors foundations merged. The foundation jointly manages more than 700 units of seniors housing in St. Albert, Sturgeon and Westlock county areas.
Coun. Wes Brodhead sits on Homeland Housing’s board on behalf of the City of St. Albert and was responsible for bringing the motion forward on Aug. 21.
He said seniors in St. Albert currently wait up to three years before they can get into an affordable housing unit.
“There is a need within the region served by Homeland Housing, and quite honestly the need is acute in St. Albert,” Brodhead said.
St. Albert Gazette July 15, 2017
Municipal Governance Decisions Define our Life Experience
“To me the municipal governance decision is the one that most closely affects the lives of our community members,” Brodhead said. “It is the decisions that are made at a municipal level that truly define what the life experience of the residents is going to be about.”
Brodhead brings a passion for public transit from his former job with the City of Edmonton. He said he wants to ensure that people in the region who do not have their own reliable form of transportation are still able to attend appointments and engage with the community through public transportation.
“I have a real heart for providing services to those who don’t have transportation links themselves to services that they require,” Brodhead said.
The father of two also has a focus on economic development, regional collaboration and affordable housing. He wants to see a variety of housing types being built within the city.
Wes Brodhead, St. Albert Councillor 