Incumbent Fred Daniels to seek re-election as mayor of Fort Smith

Fred Daniels says he will run for a second term as mayor of Fort Smith in this fall’s municipal election.

Nominations for mayor and council opened earlier this week with a September 23 deadline. Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Norman Wells and Inuvik are all preparing for elections on October 21.

Daniels, who has been Fort Smith’s mayor for the past three years, said he wants a second term so he can push forward infrastructure projects that are either longstanding or were delayed as a result of last year’s wildfires.

At the moment, he said, the town has not budgeted for beautification, which he hopes to incorporate as a theme once some existing projects are completed.

“Right now, the main thing is getting our infrastructure done. We’re way too late on some of them and there’s no more time to debate it,” he told Cabin Radio on Tuesday.

“I need to get those done for the people. I am only concentrating on what the people want and what they need.”

Daniels said he would like to introduce a system to track when buildings or water pumps were last checked. He said he is keen on being part of discussions with Aurora College’s board of governors.

Prior to becoming mayor, Daniels served as a chief and councillor for the Smith’s Landing First Nation. In a 2021 interview, he said he also ran for mayor back in 2002.

Daniels said his term as mayor and working during the town’s 2023 evacuation had been a “learning curve” for him. However, he said he is now becoming familiar with the responsibilities.

“That was our first year that we ever got taken from our town due to a fire. So, we can all learn by it,” he said.

“I want to thank the people of Fort Smith for giving me my first term. I look forward to working with them again for another term.”

Daniels is expected to have at least one rival on the ballot. Town councillor Dana Fergusson said last week she intends to run for mayor.