Candidate Statements from Village Byelection Candidates

Candidate nominations are now closed for the November 9^th municipal byelection with two duly nominated candidates, Edward Lock and George Smith. Election Day voting will take place at the Berwyn Agricultural Hall 10:00am to 8:00pm. Those unable to vote on election day can vote at the Village Office, 10:00am to 4:00pm November 4^th, 5^th and 6^th. Below are statements from both candidates.

Edward Lock

My family and I have called Berwyn home since around 2014. Over the years, a number of people have encouraged me to consider running for Council. While I didn’t win the seat last time around against the more experienced Ken Montie, I was encouraged by Mr. Montie as well as others to try again.

I haven't served on a municipal council before, so I won't pretend to know everything about the job. What I do bring is experience working in IT with municipalities throughout Northern Alberta and B.C. That has given me some insight into the challenges municipalities face and the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep things running.

If elected, I would look to learn from the community, ask questions, and work with the Mayor, Council, and CAO to figure out where we can make improvements.

I feel one of the biggest challenges we face as a community is trying to remain viable as a village in the long term. We need to look at how the Village has been managing its finances, maintaining its infrastructure, supporting existing businesses, and making the Village an attractive place for new investment.

With a number of major projects being proposed or under development with in the Peace Region, I think we need to start looking at what these could mean for Berwyn and how we can prepare. If we don't plan ahead and look for opportunities to attract investment and support local businesses, we could miss out on some of the benefits these developments may bring.

While I know there is no simple answer to these challenges, looking at what we are doing now and understanding what is working and what isn't can give us some insight. I would suggest looking at our current bylaws and policies to see where improvements can be made to encourage business growth and investment. We should also look at the communities around us to see what has and hasn't worked for them. This could help us find ways to diversify our tax base so we are not so dependent on residential property taxes.

Berwyn is home to my family, just as it is to yours, and I'd like to help make it a better place to live and do business for years to come. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to serve our community and hopefully have some good conversations about where we can go from here.

George Smith

My name is George Smith, and I am running for councilor. My wife and I have lived in Berwyn for two and a half years now and we really enjoy the small-town living and the people we have met. Berwyn is home to me, and I believe in showing up, lending a hand and being part of the solution that makes our village stronger.

I am running for council, and if elected, I will work hard for every resident. I will maintain an open-door policy, listen and learn, ask questions, and make informed decisions that serve the village’s best interests. I believe decisions should be based on what is best for the Village of Berwyn as a whole and not just one individual or business.

I am committed to continuing to learn, and with my experience over the years working within the Village of Valemount, 18 years working for a government agency, and years of experience maintaining roads, drainage structures, building, etc.

Some of the things I volunteered for in Fort Nelson were, reffing minor hockey and donating money back to individuals/organizations. Providing support to motorcross society for annual races.

In closing if elected, I am dedicated to making Berwyn a prosperous, healthy place all generations can enjoy.