Michael Walters running to be Edmonton’s next mayor

Former city councillor Michael Walters joined the growing list of candidates vying to be Edmonton's next mayor in the upcoming municipal election.

Former two-term Edmonton councillor Michael Walters has entered the mayoral race.

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“I put myself forward as a practical, unifying, decisive candidate for mayor, looking to take on those challenges and build the best city we can,” Walters told CTV News Edmonton Monday.

He announced his campaign and website via press release Monday morning, saying the city can’t have a repeat of the last four years.

“We need to turn the page, be more focused and more decisive. We need cool, calm and clear leadership grounded in collaboration – a leader that can work well with anyone – across political and ideological lines," Walters said in his announcement..

He called things like road and LRT construction delays and zoning and land-use challenges a sign of a good problem – the city’s rapid growth – that can be managed better.

His platform will consist of fast-tracking housing, reforming infill rules, making the city safer by expanding social services and reducing homeless camps, and improving city services.

“The greatest responsibility of the mayor and council is to create the conditions for an Edmonton that thrives and succeeds. That will be my focus. I know I can make a positive difference for Edmonton, and help us fulfill our incredible civic potential,” Walters said.

He added that he has always been an advocate of increasing density where the city can fit it, but in a way where communities feel heard and connected to policy changes.

“I think there was a real opportunity recently for council to moderate their original policy, kind of back it off a bit, show some good faith to communities,” said Walters. “Unfortunately, that opportunity wasn’t taken advantage of.”

Walters served as a councillor from 2013 to 2021 in the former Ward 10, which overlaps with current wards papastew and Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi. He chose not to run again in 2021 and has since worked for Berlin Communications.

“I’ve been pretty engaged in our city for about 30 years, working on the front lines of homelessness and poverty in my early career at the Bissell Centre and working as a community organizer in almost every neighbourhood in Edmonton” said Walters. “My skill set is defined by being able to bring people together.”

John Brennan, a political analyst, said he was surprised Walters put his name into the race for the city’s top seat.

“It seemed a little late,” said Brennan, pointing out that most candidates made their announcement in May or June ahead of a summer campaign.

“I suspect that he looked at the field, saw that it’s really a competition with Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack, and he was thinking: ‘I have as much to offer as those guys, so I’m going to throw my hat in the ring.’”

Brennan said Walter is positioning himself as a “change candidate” with some similar talking points as Tim Cartmell.

“This current council is dysfunctional. This current council hasn’t been delivering, they haven’t been focusing on the things that Edmontonians really care about,” said Brennan.

The list of people who have either announced their intent to run or officially entered the race consists of Cartmell, Knack, Rahim Jaffer, Malik Chukwudi, Vanessa Denman, Omar Mohammad, Olney Tugwell and Tony Caterina.

The election is on Oct. 20.