Incumbent Kandis Jameson says the community’s support and the promise of “so much that is going on” have driven her to seek a third term as Hay River’s mayor.
Jameson’s last term involved leading the town of some 3,000 people through the end of the pandemic, a devastating flood and two wildfire evacuations, all while a drugs crisis in Hay River and other communities steadily increased in severity.
In a Thursday interview, she declared herself undaunted by the challenges and motivated by the community’s prospects.
“The organization is so strong, where we’re at,” she said of the municipality.
“I’m excited about the future, the economic development opportunities in our region. So yeah, not ready to retire quite yet.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Jameson pointed to the likes of the town’s new fish plant, the prospect of the nearby Pine Point mine being developed once more, and the possibility of growing the local agricultural economy, noting with tongue in cheek that last year’s fires meant “we just had a whole bunch of land cleared naturally for us.”
So far, she is the only declared candidate for the role. A resident of Hay River since 1979, Jameson was acclaimed to the mayor’s office in both 2018 and 2021.
Nominations for mayor and the town’s eight-person council close on Monday, September 23. Election day is October 21.
Jameson, who acknowledged the work that will be needed to fight drugs in the community and maintain people’s mental health after several of the town’s hardest years, said MLAs visiting Hay River had nonetheless declared the town “hopping” when they visited this week.
“People are getting out, they’re talking to each other,” she said.
“I’m very optimistic over the next three years. There’s work to be done, obviously. But I’m looking forward to the next three years. I really am.”
