For the first time in 12 years, Prince Albert will have a new mayor after challenger Bill Powalinsky unseated incumbent Greg Dionne in Wednesday’s mayoral election.
Powalinsky, the former chair of the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, finished the night with 4,424 votes compared to Dionne’s 2,923. Entrepreneur Brittany Marie Smith finished third with 867 votes.
“I am humbled,” Powalinsky said during a Wednesday night media scrum at City Hall. “It’s still feeling a little bit surreal. I’m excited about getting to work with the new council, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Powalinsky based his campaign on three main issues: reducing crime, addressing homelessness, and renewing trust. On Wednesday credited his team and family for helping get the message out, and said the platform resonated with Prince Albert voters.
“The folks that I talked to have said that they liked the platform and they really, really want to see crime, homelessness, and renewing trust at City Hall as being things that happened,” Powalinsky said. “I think that’s been the important part of the campaign: meeting people and talking to them and really echoing what their wants and needs were in my platform.”
Dionne was seeking his fourth term as mayor after being elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He did not attend the public watch party at City Hall on Wednesday, and did not immediately return requests for comment.
Powalinsky said Dionne has been a strong support and cheerleader of the City, and deserves respect for those efforts.
“I certainly want to express my appreciation for him continuing with his interest and his involvement,” Powalinsky said. “He ran a good campaign, and Brittany Marie Smith also threw her hat in the ring. I think we all have the same interests at heart, and again I pay my respect to my fellow candidates. I just hope I can live up to the expectations the people of Prince Albert have.”
Marie Smith attended Wednesdays’ watch party with a few friends and supporters. Afterwards, she congratulated Powalinsky on his win, and said she’s looking forward to getting back to work at her real estate firm.
Powalinsky will oversee a council with five fresh faces and four returnees. Dawn Kilmer in Ward 7 was the only candidate up for re-election on Wednesday after Couns. Charlene Miller, Terra Lennox-Zepp, Dennis Ogrodnick, and Don Cody declined to run again, and Couns. Tony Head, Blake Edwards, and Darren Solomon were elected by acclamation. Kilmer defeated former city councillor Dennis Nowoselsky 492 to 378 to secure re-election.
The four newcomers are Daniel Brown in Ward 1, Troy Parenteau in Ward 2, Bryce Laewetz in Ward 4, and Stephen Ring in Ward 5.
There were few changes on the school board side of things, as Saskatchewan Rivers trustees Barry Hollick, Arne Lindberg, and Alan Nunn all won re-election. The other two urban seats were won by Darcy Sander and Mira Lewis.
More to come.
Unofficial Election Results
*denotes incumbent
** denotes elected by acclamation
Mayor: Bill Powalinsky (4,424), Greg Dionne* (2,923), Brittany Marie Smith (867)
Ward 1: Daniel Brown (344), Larry Vandale (265)
Ward 2: Troy Parenteau (574), Meghan Mayer (425)
Ward 3: Tony Head**
Ward 4: Bryce Laetwetz (707), Perry Trustee (475)
Ward 5: Stephen Ring (735), Shaun E Harris (539)
Ward 6: Blake Edwards**
Ward 7: Dawn Kilmer* (492), Dennis Nowoselsky (378)
Ward 8: Darren Solomon**
Saskatchewan Rivers School Board (top five elected to five urban seats)
Arne Lindberg (2,838)
Darcy Sander (2,473)
Alan Nunn (2,324)
Barry Hollick (2,049)
Mira Lewis (1,537)
Shayne Morley (1,500)
Timothy Yeaman (1,419)
Daphne Masih (1,310)
Cherie Rustulka (1,132)
Kurtis Hamel (1,042)
Alex Crawley (1,029)
Michael Dormuth (788)
