Fredericton’s new City Council has been sworn into office at a special meeting held at the Council Chamber in Fredericton City Hall. The Council, which will include Mayor Kate Rogers, the City’s first female Mayor, five new councillors and seven returning councillors, will serve until May 2025.
Mayor Rogers was first elected as a City Councillor in May 2012, and again in May 2016. Over that time, she chaired or was a member of multiple committees and also served as Deputy Mayor for the City of Fredericton. Rogers is Fredericton’s first woman Mayor in the history of the City. She has a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of New Brunswick and has built her career through leadership roles in the non-profit sector, arts administration, and policy research and development.
“I’m honoured to have been chosen to serve as the new Mayor of Fredericton, and I am looking forward to working along with our elected councillors to take on the challenges that affect our city,” said Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers. “I am confident that by working together we can build a more inclusive, vibrant, affordable and healthy city.”
Five new councillors were elected to serve on City Council, including four women. This is the largest number of women to ever serve on City Council at one time.
- Margo Sheppard, Ward 1 (Clements/Sunset)
- Jocelyn Pike, Ward 4 (Main Street/North Devon)
- Ruth Breen, Ward 9 (Bishop Drive/Odell Park)
- Cassandra Blackmore, Ward 10 (West Downtown & Plat/Sunshine Gardens)
- Jason LeJeune, Ward 11 (East Downtown & Plat/UNB)
The following seven City Councillors are returning to office:
- Mark Peters, Ward 2 (McLeod/Brookside)
- Bruce Grandy, Ward 3 (Nashwaaksis North)
- Steven Hicks, Ward 5 (Marysville)
- Eric Megarity, Ward 6 (South Devon/Barker’s Point/Lower St. Mary’s)
- Kevin Darrah, Ward 7 (Southwood Park/Lincoln)
- Greg Ericson, Ward 8 (Skyline Acres)
- Henri Mallet, Ward 12 (Silverwood/Garden Creek)
During the special Council meeting, the program featured the marching in of Council-Elect, followed by welcome remarks from St. Mary’s First Nation Chief Allan Polchies, Jr., the Election Declaration by the City Clerk, and the swearing in where members of the new council took their Oath of Office.
Fredericton Fire Chief Dwayne Killingbeck and Fredericton Police Chief Roger Brown acted as Aides-de-Camp for the event. Following remarks by the Mayor and City Councillors, the meeting was adjourned. Due to COVID-19 regulations, the event was streamed online for the public and limited number of family and friends were invited to attend.
The 2021 municipal election followed a one year-postponement of municipal elections in the Province of New Brunswick due to COVID-19. Following the delay, the term of Mayors and municipal councillors in the province were extended accordingly by the Provincial Government. While the Municipal Election was held on May 10, 2021, results were not announced until after 8 pm on May 25, 2021. This was due to the COVID-19 lockdown in the Edmundston region, which prevented voting in the area