St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron has announced she will not seek re-election in this fall’s municipal election, ending a 15-year career in municipal politics.
Heron, who was first elected to council in 2010, served two terms as a councillor before being elected mayor in 2017. She won re-election in a close 2021 race, defeating challenger Angela Wood with 39.4 per cent of the vote.
Heron announced her decision at the State of the City on Wednesday. Her departure will mark the first time in eight years that St. Albert voters will elect a new mayor.
During her time as mayor, Heron played a key role on the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, where she helped shape inter-municipal transit strategies and long-range growth planning for the capital region. She also served as president of Alberta Municipalities (formerly the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association) and chaired several of its committees on sustainability and environment.
Locally, Heron was mayor when the twinning of Ray Gibbon Drive was approved — a long-awaited infrastructure project aimed at improving traffic flow and supporting west-end development. She was also involved in annexation negotiations with Sturgeon County and supported St. Albert’s involvement in the now-defunct Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission.
Heron’s second term began just as the city was navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped guide St. Albert through rapidly changing public health restrictions and economic uncertainties and governed through virtual council meetings.
Her 2021 campaign focused on revitalizing downtown, expanding green spaces, and continuing the city’s work on climate resilience. Despite a close race, she won with a message of experience and a call for unity during a divisive campaign season.
