City councillor and deputy mayor Adrian Bell says he will run for mayor of Yellowknife this fall.
Bell joins fellow councillor Rebecca Alty as the two individuals to have so far announced their intention to run.
More: Rebecca Alty announces run for mayor
Candidates cannot officially put their names forward until the process opens at the end of August, ahead of October’s election.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Like Alty, Bell named a “culture of accountability” among his top priorities should he be elected.
In a news release on Wednesday morning, Bell said: “As residents have made clear to me, there is much room for improvement. Furthermore, there are economic challenges looming on the horizon unlike any we’ve seen in the last two decades.
“To meet these looming challenges and to achieve a better, brighter future for all residents, Yellowknife will need a mayor with a strong vision, unending determination, and a proficiency for working with other members of council.”
Bell was first elected in 2012, becoming deputy mayor in 2016. He and Alty were the most popular candidates for councillor in the last municipal election. Alty polled 3,837 votes in 2015, ahead of Bell on 3,573.
In Wednesday’s statement, Bell identified “strengthening and diversifying our economy” and “reducing the cost of living and of doing business in Yellowknife” as his other two leading priorities for the city.
The present mayor, Mark Heyck, has already confirmed he will stand down this fall at the end of his second term in office.
