Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston is seen here, at the Red Deer Resort & Casino on Jan. 22, 2025, announcing he will retire following the current term of city council. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

a new chapter

Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston won’t seek re-election this fall

Jan 22, 2025 | 4:19 PM

Ken Johnston, Red Deer’s mayor, announced Wednesday that his name will not be on the ballot when voters take to the polls in a municipal election this Oct. 20.

“This has been an unbelievable part of my life that I never aspired to,” Johnston remarked to a crowd of close to 100 community leaders at the Red Deer Resort & Casino.

Johnston, now in his 70s, was first elected to city council in 2013, then was re-elected as councillor in 2017. He ran for mayor in 2021, beating out five others and garnering more than 11,600 votes out of the 21,200 cast.

He spoke to those in attendance on Wednesday about why now was the right time for him to retire from public life, as well on his proudest moments, regrets, and and advice for those who’ll seek to fill his current office.

“If there was a tipping point for me, it was the cardiac catheter announcement a few months ago; that’s an issue that I’ve really tied myself onto, [with] the hospital, and the whole medical situation,” he said.

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“I remember leaving the ICU that day, as I’d gone to visit some of the nurses… we were going to a press conference, and as I was walking down the corridor, I thought ‘Yup, the time is now to think about moving onto a new chapter.'”

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As far as accomplishments, Johnston noted how community leaders — not just council — have come together to share visions for the future, be it through a recently struck economic development committee or otherwise; then there’s Capstone, in his words, “getting off the ground,” plus housing and hospital advocacy, and annexation on the north end of the city for a commercial power centre.

At the Red Deer Regional Hospital on Oct. 18, 2024, Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston (centre), flanked by Alberta Health Minister and Red Deer-North MLA, Adriana LaGrange (left), and Red Deer Regional Health Foundation CEO, Manon Therriault, said the announcement of a temporary and fast-tracked cardiac catheterization lab made for an extraordinary day for the region. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

He also cited reconciliation efforts, and helping the cultural fabric of Red Deer to at least begin to flourish.

But there’s one regret which stands above the rest, and that’s the state of the city’s homeless shelter situation.

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“Hopefully that file will make some good progress in the next eight or nine months. It’s been a piece I would really have loved to have landed, but it just was out of our reach,” he says, noting the recent expression of interest facilitated by the provincial government has concluded.

“We’re looking forward to some more work on that and we’ll be going to the community shortly about it. There’s some optimism that maybe before the term is out, we can have an announcement.”

There’s also hope that the city’s $30 million, and almost certainly game-changing, application before the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will be accepted.

With respect to those pondering whether they’d like to dedicate themselves to the service of the community for a term (or more) of council, Johnston was clear that it takes a lot of hard work.

Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston and N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane met at a reception centre for wildfire evacuees in Red Deer on Aug. 25, 2023. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“These positions are of some gravity, these are positions that tax you, no pun intended. That’s why I wanted to announce this in January. I think there are some leaders in the community, possibly some councillors, that might be thinking [about running], and this enables them [more] to go forward,” Johnston shared.

“Get to understand what drives your community; that’s my best advice. If you’re not connected into the community, take the time to do that. Make sure you understand it’s a huge time commitment, and that it’s a total loss of privacy.”

Johnston said there are a few things he’s looking at doing after his retirement from public office, but he couldn’t discuss them at this time.

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