Edmonton City Council

The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Edmonton City Council
Type
Type	City Council of Edmonton
History
Founded	October 8, 1904; 120 years ago (1904-10-08) (City) February 10, 1892; 133 years ago (1892-02-10) (Town)
New session started	November 2021
Leadership
Mayor of Edmonton	Amarjeet Sohi since October 26, 2021
Structure
Seats	13 (12 Councillors+Mayor)
Committees	Boards, Commissions and Committees
Elections
Voting system	FPTP
Last election	October 18, 2021
Next election	Fall 2025
Meeting place
Edmonton City Hall
Website
www.edmonton.ca

Council chambers at the Edmonton City Hall

Edmonton currently has one mayor and twelve city councillors. Elections are held every four years. The most recent was held in 2021, and the next is in 2025. The mayor is elected across the whole city, through the First Past the Post plurality voting system. Councillors are elected one per ward, a division of the city, through the First Past the Post plurality voting system.

On July 22, 2009, City Council voted to change the electoral system of six 2-seat wards to a system of 12 single-member wards. Each ward is represented by a single councillor. The changes took effect in the 2010 election. In the 2010 election, Edmonton was divided into 12 wards each electing one councillor. Before 2010, the city at different times used a variety of electoral systems for the election of its councillors: at-large elections with Block Voting; two different systems of wards, using Block Voting system (when mayor was elected through First past the post); and at-large elections using Single Transferable Voting (when the mayor was elected through Alternative Voting).^[1]

In May 2019, Edmonton's Ward Boundary Commission began reviewing the geographical boundaries of the city's wards.^[2][3] The final report was delivered on May 25, 2020.^[4] On December 7, 2020, Bylaw 19366^[5] was passed which included the new geographical boundaries and new Indigenous ward names.^[6] The Indigenous ward names were determined by the Committee of Indigenous Matriarchs^[7][8] and came into effect on October 18, 2021, the date of the 2021 municipal election. The Committee of Indigenous Matriarchs, also referred to as the naming committee, was composed of 17 women representing communities from treaty territories 6, 7 and 8, along with Métis and Inuit representation.^[9][7]

Councils

Since 2021

In 2021, the twelve ward boundaries were modified and given indigenous names in place of numbers.

Year Elected	Mayor	Ward Nakota Isga	Ward Anirniq	Ward tastawiyiniwak (ᑕᐢᑕᐃᐧᔨᓂᐊᐧᐠ)	Ward Dene	Ward O-day’min	Ward papastew	Ward sipiwiyiniwak	Ward Métis	Ward pihêsiwin	Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi	Ward Karhiio	Ward Sspomitapi	Notes
2021	Amarjeet Sohi	Andrew Knack	Erin Rutherford	Karen Principe	Aaron Paquette	Anne Stevenson	Michael Janz	Sarah Hamilton	Ashley Salvador	Tim Cartmell	Jennifer Rice	Keren Tang	Jo-Anne Wright

From 2010 until 2021

In 2010, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which one councillor was elected from each of twelve wards through first past the post. (This was the first time in the history of Edmonton that councillors were elected one by one through first past the post.)

The mayor was elected from the city at-large through first past the post.

In 2010, council was elected to serve three years. In 2013 and 2017 they were elected to serve for four years.

Year Elected	Mayor	Ward 1	Ward 2	Ward 3	Ward 4	Ward 5	Ward 6	Ward 7	Ward 8	Ward 9	Ward 10	Ward 11	Ward 12	Notes
2017	Don Iveson	Andrew Knack	Bev Esslinger	Jon Dziadyk	Aaron Paquette	Sarah Hamilton	Scott McKeen	Tony Caterina	Ben Henderson	Tim Cartmell	Michael Walters	Mike Nickel	Mohinder Banga	[10]
2013				Dave Loken	Ed Gibbons	Michael Oshry				Bryan Anderson			Amarjeet Sohi (2013–15) Mohinder Banga (2015)
2010	Stephen Mandel	Linda Sloan	Kim Krushell			Karen Leibovici	Jane Batty				Don Iveson	Kerry Diotte	Amarjeet Sohi

From 1980 until 2010

In 1980, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which two councillors (aldermen until 1995) were elected from each of six wards through Plurality block voting. These wards were more organic (based on natural boundaries and divisions within the city) than the previous four-ward system.

The mayor was elected at-large through first past the post. Those elected served for three years.

Year Elected	Mayor	Ward 1	Ward 2	Ward 3	Ward 4	Ward 5	Ward 6	Notes
2007	Stephen Mandel	Karen Leibovici, Linda Sloan	Ron Hayter, Kim Krushell	Tony Caterina, Ed Gibbons	Jane Batty, Ben Henderson	Bryan Anderson, Don Iveson	Amarjeet Sohi, Dave Thiele
2004		Karen Leibovici, Linda Sloan	Ron Hayter, Kim Krushell	Ed Gibbons, Janice Melnychuk	Jane Batty, Michael Phair	Bryan Anderson, Mike Nickel	Terry Cavanagh, Dave Thiele
2001	Bill Smith	Karen Leibovici, Stephen Mandel	Allan Bolstad, Ron Hayter	Ed Gibbons, Janice Melnychuk	Jane Batty, Michael Phair	Bryan Anderson, Larry Langley	Terry Cavanagh, Dave Thiele
1998		Leroy Chahley, Wendy Kinsella	Allan Bolstad, Rose Rosenberger	Brian Mason, Robert Noce	Michael Phair, Jim Taylor	Bryan Anderson, Larry Langley	Terry Cavanagh, Dave Thiele	[11]
1995		Leroy Chahley, Wendy Kinsella	Allan Bolstad, Rose Rosenberger	Brian Mason, Robert Noce	Michael Phair, Jim Taylor	Larry Langley, Brent Maitson	Terry Cavanagh, Dick Mather	[12]
1992	Jan Reimer	Bruce Campbell, Leroy Chahley	Allan Bolstad, Ron Hayter	Judy Bethel, Brian Mason	Michael Phair, Tooker Gomberg	Patricia MacKenzie, Lillian Staroszik	Terry Cavanagh, Sheila McKay	[13]
1989		Bruce Campbell, Helen Paull	Catherine Chichak, Ron Hayter	Judy Bethel, Brian Mason	Mel Binder, Lance White	Patricia MacKenzie, Lillian Staroszik	Ken Kozak, Sheila McKay
1986	Laurence Decore	Bruce Campbell, Helen Paull	Ron Hayter, Jan Reimer	Judy Bethel, Julian Kinisky	Mel Binder, Lance White	Patricia MacKenzie, Lillian Staroszik	Terry Cavanagh, Ken Kozak	[14]
1983		Olivia Butti, G. Lyall Roper	Ron Hayter, Jan Reimer	Ed Ewasiuk, Julian Kinisky	Ed Leger, Lance White	Lillian Staroszik, Percy Wickman	Terry Cavanagh, Bettie Hewes	[15]
1980	Cec Purves	Olivia Butti, Kenneth Newman	Ron Hayter, Jan Reimer	June Cavanagh, Ed Ewasiuk	Paul Norris, Gerry Wright	Lois Campbell, Percy Wickman	Bettie Hewes, Ed Leger

From 1971 until 1980

In 1971, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which three aldermen were elected from each of four wards through Plurality block voting. Each ward was a north–south slice of the city so each contained territories on both sides of the river.

Mayor was elected through first past the post.

Still the mayor and the councillors were to serve for three years.

Year Elected	Mayor	Ward 1	Ward 2	Ward 3	Ward 4	Notes
1977	Cec Purves	Lois Campbell, Kenneth Newman, Paul Norris	Olivia Butti, Gene Dub, Percy Wickman	Ron Hayter, Edward Kennedy, Ed Leger	William Chmiliar, Bettie Hewes, Buck Olsen
1974	William Hawrelak	Robert Matheson, Kenneth Newman, Ches Tanner	Olivia Butti, Laurence Decore, David Leadbeater	Ron Hayter, Edward Kennedy, Ed Leger	Terry Cavanagh, Bettie Hewes, Buck Olsen	[16]
1971	Ivor Dent	Dudley Menzies, Kenneth Newman, Ches Tanner	Alex Fallow, Cec Purves, David Ward	Ron Hayter, Ed Leger, William McLean	Terry Cavanagh, Una Evans, Buck Olsen

1968

The 1968 Edmonton city election was different from the one before and the one after. Like the 1966 election the mayor and all the city councillors were up for election, councillors elected at large through Block Voting. Mayor elected through first past the post.

Unlike 1968 they were to serve for three years.

In 1968 Alberta's legislation had been changed to require elections every three years in all of the province's municipalities.

Year Elected	Mayor	Aldermen	Notes
1968	Ivor Dent	James Bateman, Neil Crawford, Una Evans, Julia Kiniski, Ed Leger, Kathleen McCallum, Kenneth Newman, Terry Nugent, Cec Purves, Ches Tanner, David Ward, Morris Weinlos	[17]

From 1964 until 1966

In 1964 two new aldermanic positions were added, bringing the total to twelve. As well Edmonton unstaggered its terms for city officials, meaning that all the council seats would be up for election each election, held every two years. In preparation for this, in 1964 the mayor and all aldermanic positions up for re-election were elected to one-year terms. All aldermen continued to be elected at-large through block voting, mayor through first past the post.

Year Elected	Mayor	Aldermen	Notes
1966	Vincent M. Dantzer	James Bateman, John Leslie Bodie, Neil Crawford, Ivor Dent, Reginald Easton, Frank Edwards, Una Evans, Julia Kiniski, Ed Leger, Angus McGugan, Cec Purves, Morris Weinlos	[18][19]
1964	William Hawrelak	John Leslie Bodie, Vincent M. Dantzer, [vor Dent, Frank Edwards, Julia Kiniski, Robert Franklin Lambert, Ed Leger, Kathleen McCallum, Angus McGugan, Kenneth Newman, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson	[20]

From 1948 until 1963

In 1948, the mayor began to be elected for a two-year term. the mayor was elected through first past the post.

Annual elections were still used to elect half the council each year through Plurality block voting at-large (no wards). The council continued to be elected at-large to staggered two-year terms until 1963, when the council seats up for election were filled just for one year (to prepare for the change in 1964 to all seats being up for election each election.

From 1912 to 1960, seats were guaranteed to southsiders. The guaranteed representation for the southside was cancelled after a 1960 referendum. (But in 1971 with the introduction of wards altogether south of the river, southside representation was re-established.)

Year Elected	Mayor	North side	South side	Notes
1963	William Hawrelak	John Leslie Bodie, Ivor Dent, Julia Kiniski, Ed Leger, Gordon McClary, McKim Ross
1962		Vincent M. Dantzer, Frederick John Mitchell, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson	George Prudham
1961	Elmer Ernest Roper	John Leslie Bodie, Gordon McClary	Angus McGugan, Stanley Milner, McKim Ross
1960		Milton Ezra Lazerte, Frederick John Mitchell, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson	George Prudham
1959	Elmer Ernest Roper	Ed Leger, Gordon McClary, McKim Ross	William Henning, Angus McGugan
1958		Donald Bowen, Laurette Douglas, William Henning, Frederick John Mitchell, Ethel Wilson	George Prudham	[21]
1957	William Hawrelak	William Connelly, Reginald Easton, J F Falconer	Hu Harries, Cliffard Roy	[22][23]
1956		Donald Bowen, Laurette Douglas, Frederick John Mitchell, Ethel Wilson	Giffard Main
1955	William Hawrelak	William Connelly, James Falconer, Abe Miller	Hu Harries, Cliffard Roy
1954		Edwin Clarke, Laurette Douglas, Frederick John Mitchell, Ethel Wilson	Giffard Main
1953	William Hawrelak	Rupert Clare, Abe Miller, Charles Simmonds	Hu Harries, Cliffard Roy, Harold Tanner	[24]
1952		Edwin Clarke, Richmond Francis Hanna, Frederick John Mitchell, Ethel Wilson	James MacDonald	[25]
1951	William Hawrelak	Rupert Clare, Violet Field, Al Larson, Abe Miller	Harold Tanner
1950		Athelstan Bissett, Edwin Clarke, Richmond Francis Hanna, Frederick John Mitchell	Duncan Innes
1949	Sidney Parsons	Rupert Clare, Edwin Clarke, Francis Ford, Kenneth Lawson	William Hawrelak, Harold Tanner	[26]
1948		Sidney Bowcott, Richmond Francis Hanna, Frederick John Mitchell, Sidney Parsons	Athelstan Bissett
1947	Harry Dean Ainlay	Francis Ford, Charles Gariepy, George Gleave	James McCrie Douglas, Harold Tanner

From 1928 until 1947

In this period, following a referendum in 1927, the city returned to using block voting to elect councillors at-large (in one city-wide district). Aldermen continued to be elected on staggered two-year terms.

The mayor was elected every year to a one-year term through first past the post.

There was still guaranteed minimum representation for the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. This number increased over time. It was two until 1936, and three thereafter, to 1960.

Year Elected	Mayor	North side	South side	Notes
1946	Harry Dean Ainlay	Sidney Bowcott, Frederick John Mitchell, James Harwood Ogilvie, Sidney Parsons	Athelstan Bissett, Harold Tanner	[27]
1945	Harry Dean Ainlay	James McCrie Douglas, Charles Gariepy, John Gillies, John Munro	Ethel Browne	[28]
1944	John Wesley Fry	Sidney Bowcott, Frederick John Mitchell, James Harwood Ogilvie, Sidney Parsons	Athelstan Bissett
1943	John Wesley Fry	Harry Dean Ainlay, Charles Gariepy, R W Hamilton	James McCrie Douglas, Melvin Downey
1942	John Wesley Fry	Sidney Bowcott, Frederick John Mitchell, James Harwood Ogilvie, Sidney Parsons	Athelstan Bissett
1941	John Wesley Fry	Gwendolen Clarke, Charles Gariepy, Guy Patterson	Harry Dean Ainlay, James McCrie Douglas
1940	John Wesley Fry	Sidney Bowcott, Charles Gariepy, Frederick John Mitchell, James Harwood Ogilvie, Sidney Parsons	Athelstan Bissett, Blair Paterson	[29][30]
1939	John Wesley Fry	Edward Brown, Frederick Casselman, Daniel Kennedy Knott	George Campbell, Douglas Grout	[31][32]
1938	John Wesley Fry	Hugh Macdonald (Citizens Committee), Mack McColl (Citizens Committee), James Harwood Ogilvie (Citizens Committee), Sidney Parsons (Citizens Committee)	Blair Paterson (Citizens Committee)
1937	John Wesley Fry	Edward Brown (Citizens Committee), Frederick Casselman(Citizens Committee), Daniel Kennedy Knott (Citizens Committee)	George Campbell (Citizens Committee), Douglas Grout (Citizens Committee), Blair Paterson (Citizens Committee)	[33]
1936	Joseph Clarke	Hugh Macdonald, John McCreath, James Harwood Ogilvie	Athelstan Bissett, John Wesley Fry
1935	Joseph Clarke (Civic Youth Association)	Walter Clevely (Civic Youth Association), Elisha East (Social Credit), Guy Patterson (Social Credit)	Margaret Crang (Labour), Charles Gould (Social Credit)
1934	Joseph Clarke	James East (Labour), Dick Foote, John Wesley Fry, Hugh Macdonald, John McCreath	Athelstand Bissett	[34]
1933	Daniel Kennedy Knott (Labour)	Ralph Bellamy, James Findlay (Labour)	Harry Dean Ainlay (Labour), Margaret Crang (Labour), Rice Sheppard (Labour)	[35]
1932	Daniel Kennedy Knott (Labour)	James East (Labour), John Wesley Fry, Charles Gibbs (Labour), John McCreath, James Harwood Ogilvie
1931	Daniel Kennedy Knott	Herbert Baker, James Findlay	Harry Dean Ainlay, Arthur Gainer, Rice Sheppard
1930	James McCrie Douglas	James Collisson, Charles Gibbs, Frederick Keillor, Donald Lake, Charles Gerald O'Connor
1929	James McCrie Douglas	Herbert Baker, Ralph Bellamy, Daniel Kennedy Knott	Arthur Gainer, Rice Sheppard
1928	Ambrose Bury	James Collisson, Alfred Farmilo, James Findlay, Charles Gibbs	Frederick Keillor, Rice Sheppard	[36]

From 1923 until 1927

In this period, following a successful referendum in 1922, the city used Single Transferable Voting, a form of proportional representation, to elect councillors. The effect was that no one party took all the seats up for election. Alternative Voting was used to elect mayors to ensure that the successful candidate had to have a majority of the votes to win (but no transfer took place if only two candidates ran for the post or if one candidate took a majority on the first count).

The southside still had guaranteed representation, of at least two councillors. The mayor continued to be elected annually, and aldermen continued to be elected to staggered two-year terms, with half up for election each year.

Year Elected	Mayor	North side	South side	Notes
1927	Ambrose Bury	Ralph Bellamy, John Bowen, James East (Labour), A C Sloane	L S C Dineen (Labour)
1926	Ambrose Bury	Herbert Baker, Alfred Farmilo (Labour), Charles Gibbs (Labour), Charles Robson	L S C Dineen (Labour), George Hazlett	[37]
1925	Kenneth Alexander Blatchford	James East (Labour), Alfred Farmilo (Labour), James Findlay (Labour), Charles Robson, A C Sloane	James McCrie Douglas, Frederick Keillor	[38]
1924	Kenneth Alexander Blatchford	Joseph Clarke (Labour), James Collisson, Charles Gibbs (Labour), Daniel Kennedy Knott (Labour)	Will Werner
1923	Kenneth Alexander Blatchford	Ambrose Bury, James McCrie Douglas, James East (Labour), James Findlay (Labour), William Rea	Joseph J. Duggan	[39]

From 1912 until 1922

As part of the amalgamation agreement between the cities of Edmonton and Strathcona south of the river in 1912, council was expanded to ten members and adopted guaranteed representation, of at least two seats, for the south side. (Wards were not established, but at least two southsiders had to be elected.)

The mayor continued to be elected annually through first past the post, and aldermen continued to be elected to staggered two-year terms, through Plurality block voting.

Izena Ross, elected in 1921, was the first woman to serve on council.

Year Elected	Mayor	North side	South side	Notes
1922	David Milwyn Duggan	Joseph Adair, Kenneth Alexander Blatchford, James Collisson, Daniel Kennedy Knott	Valentine Richards (1-year term), Rice Sheppard	[40]
1921	David Milwyn Duggan	Kenneth Alexander Blatchford (1-year term), Ambrose Bury, James East, Izena Ross (1-year term), Charles Weaver	Thomas Malone, Bickerton Pratt	[41]
1920	David Milwyn Duggan	Joseph Adair, James Collisson, W C McArthur, Andrew McLennan	Samuel McCoppen (1-year term), Valentine Richards	[42]
1919	Joseph Clarke (Labour)	Percy Abbott, James East (Labour), J. A. Kinney (Labour)	John Bowen, Rice Sheppard (Labour)	[43]
1918	Joseph Clarke	Charles Hepburn, Henri Martin, Samuel McCoppen (Labour), Andrew McLennan	Charles Grant, John J. McKenzie (Labour)	[44]
1917	Harry Marshall Erskine Evans	Matthew Esdale, J. A. Kinney, Henri Martin, Samuel McCoppen, Charles Wilson	Orlando Bush, Warren Prevey	[45][46]
1916	William Thomas Henry	Thomas Bellamy, J. A. Kinney, James Macfie MacDonald, William Martin, George Pheasey	Charles Grant	[47]
1915	William Thomas Henry	James Macfie MacDonald, W C McArthur, Charles Wilson	Orlando Bush, Robert Blyth Douglas
1914	William Thomas Henry	R N Frith, W C McArthur (1-year term), Joseph Henri Picard, James Ramsey, Samuel Williamson	Hugh Calder	[48]
1913	William McNamara	Alexander Campbell, Joseph Clarke, Robert Blyth Douglas	J. A. Kinney, Rice Sheppard	[49]
Dec 1912	William Short	Joseph Driscoll, James East, Gustave May, Harry Smith	Hugh Calder
Feb 1912	George S. Armstrong	Joseph Clarke, Henry Douglas, James East, Charles Gowan, John Lundy, Gustave May, Herman McInnes	Hugh Calder, John Tipton, Thomas J. Walsh	[50][51][52]

From 1904 until 1911

Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904. The size of council was set at eight alderman plus the mayor, with the mayor being elected annually through first past the post and the aldermen being elected at-large (no wards) on staggered two-year terms, with half the seats filled each year through Plurality block voting.

Year Elected	Mayor	Aldermen	Notes
1910	George S. Armstrong	Charles Gowan, Thomas Grindley, John Lundy, Herman McInnes, James McKinley	[53]
1909	Robert Lee	George S. Armstrong, James Hyndman, John H. Millar, James Mould
1908	John Alexander McDougall	Andrew Agar, Daniel Fraser, Wilfrid Gariépy, John Lundy, Herman McInnes, James McKinley	[54]
1907	John Alexander McDougall	George S. Armstrong, Thomas Bellamy, Robert Lee, Robert Manson, Herman McInnes	[55]
1906	William Antrobus Griesbach	Cameron Anderson, Thomas Daly, Wilfrid Gariépy, Morton MacAuley, James Walker	[56][57]
1905	Charles May	William Antrobus Griesbach, Robert Manson, Joseph Henri Picard, Samuel Smith	[58]
1904	Kenneth W. MacKenzie	Thomas Bellamy, John Boyle, William Clark, Daniel Fraser, William Antrobus Griesbach, Charles May, Kenneth McLeod, Joseph Henri Picard	[59][60]

Edmonton Town Council

From 1898 until 1904

The Edmonton Town Council was the governing body of Edmonton, Northwest Territories, from 1892 until 1904, when Edmonton was incorporated as a city and the council became Edmonton City Council. Throughout its history it included a mayor and six aldermen.

The mayor was elected annually throughout the town's history, but beginning in 1898 they were elected to staggered two-year terms, with half of them elected each year.

Year Elected	Mayor	Aldermen	Notes
1903	William Short	Edmund Grierson, Charles May, Joseph Henri Picard
1902	William Short	Arthur Cushing, Daniel Fraser, James Ross
1901	William Short	Cornelius Gallagher, Henry Goodridge, Edmund Grierson, Phillip Heiminck	[61]
1900	Kenneth W. MacKenzie	James Blowey, Henry Goodridge, William Thomas Henry, Joseph Morris	[62]
1899	Kenneth W. MacKenzie	Alfred Brown, Henry Goodridge, Robert Lee, Colin Strang	[63][64]
1898	William S. Edmiston	Alfred Brown, Alfred Jackson, Kenneth W. MacKenzie, Kenneth McLeod, Joseph Henri Picard, Richard Secord	[65]

From 1892 until 1898

The mayor and aldermen were elected annually from 1892 to 1898.

Year Elected	Mayor	Aldermen	Notes
1897	William S. Edmiston	Thomas Hourston, William Humberstone, Alfred Jackson, Kenneth McLeod, Joseph Henri Picard, James Ross
Dec 1896	John Alexander McDougall	Daniel Fraser, Cornelius Gallagher, Joseph Gariépy, Thomas Hourston, Alfred Jackson, Kenneth McLeod
Jan 1896	Herbert Charles Wilson	Thomas Bellamy, Isaac Cowie, William S. Edmiston, John Kelly, Matthew McCauley, Charles Sutter	[66][67]
1895	Herbert Charles Wilson	Thomas Bellamy, John Cameron, William S. Edmiston, John Kelly, Joseph Henri Picard, Colin Strang
1894	Matthew McCauley	Cornelius Gallagher, John Alexander McDougall, Joseph Henri Picard, James Ross, Colin Strang, Charles Sutter
1893	Matthew McCauley	Cornelius Gallagher, James Goodridge, John Alexander McDougall, Kenneth McLeod, George Sanderson, Colin Strang
1892	Matthew McCauley	John Cameron, Edward Carey, Philip Daly, Daniel Fraser, James Goodridge, Colin Strang