Ben Hendriksen will replace Rebecca Alty as Yellowknife mayor

Ben Hendriksen will be Yellowknife’s mayor until the fall of 2026 after being appointed by council colleagues on Monday.

Earlier, city council decided appointing a sitting councillor was the best way to replace Rebecca Alty as mayor for the remainder of her term.

Alty, who had been mayor since 2018, is leaving the position to become the NWT’s Liberal MP after winning last week’s federal election in the riding.

There were three candidates on council to take the role: Hendriksen, Garett Cochrane and Stacie Arden Smith.

Hendriksen was backed by a majority of remaining councillors.

“Yellowknife is very lucky to have more than one very capable candidate who could take on this role,” said Cat McGurk before voting for Hendriksen.

“I believe councillor Hendriksen would be the most effective” of the three, said Tom McLennan, while praising all three.

“I also appreciate councillor Hendriksen’s drive to make Yellowknife a healthier and more vibrant place to live, to address cost of living issues for those who need it the most, and do all these while keeping a keen eye on the financial realities that drive our core service delivery.”

Ryan Fequet said Hendriksen had “consistently demonstrated decision-making that reflects a balance of the diverse opinions and perspectives of the current council.”

Rob Warburton voted the same way, while Steve Payne said he would have opted for Cochrane. “I like the way he operates. I like his thought process. I like the fact that he thinks about everybody in town,” Payne said.

Ultimately, with the votes of other councillors clear, Payne joined colleagues in unanimously supporting Hendriksen.

‘Track record of strategic thinking’

Council could have chosen to hold a by-election to replace Alty, appoint a sitting councillor for the remainder of her term or leave the seat vacant.

The entirety of mayor and council will be up for election as scheduled in the fall of 2026, meaning Hendriksen will have about a year and a half as their term.

“Over the last few years, I’ve developed a track record of strategic thinking and strong advocacy for issues that matter,” Hendriksen said while making a pitch to councillors before they chose a mayor.

He highlighted his work on housing and homelessness, infrastructure and climate action.

“I’ve shown I will use the skills I have to advocate for Yellowknife’s interests,” Hendriksen said.

Before joining council he worked as a chief governance officer, a manager of strategic and corporate planning and policy, and as head of advocacy for a charity in Ireland.

“I have the experience on issues of governance and advocacy that we as council have all made our priorities,” he said.

“The role of mayor is not a glamorous job when I consider the work we have to do in a year and a half left. We have a lot to get done.”

Support for appointment

Monday’s special council meeting began with councillors deciding which of the three methods of replacing Alty was the best.

McGurk supported appointing a mayor rather than holding a by-election, as did Warburton.

“Our city is at a critical moment. We are facing urgent challenges,” Warburton said. “Folks are worried about those things. They are not worried about politics.”

He said appointing a mayor from council would allow the city move forward without delay.

McLennan said this council term had seen “disruption after disruption” and holding a mayoral by-election would pause council decision-making for several months.

Fequet and Arden Smith concurred with those councillors. However, that viewpoint was not unanimous.

“Whatever this costs, it’s not significant,” said Payne, calling for a by-election. “I do think having a full democratic process is worth spending a bit of money … I don’t think it’s fair for the five councillors remaining to make a decision as important as bringing on a new mayor.”

Cochrane said he would have “no issue” with a by-election but an appointment was “the most prudent choice.”

Alty briefly attended the meeting, appearing from the guest speaker’s lectern at the start to deliver a thank-you message.

Paying tribute to Alty, Payne said – with tongue initially in cheek: “I know I’m probably your favourite councillor that you’ve worked with over the last 10, 11 years and I know that we’re in good hands with you in Ottawa.

“I wish you all the best and I think that you’re going to be probably the best MP that we’ve ever had.”

Hendriksen’s appointment as mayor creates a vacancy on council. How to handle that will be debated by councillors on Monday, May 12.