Edmonton mayoral candidates focus on youth and traffic safety ahead of October vote

Edmonton’s election municipal election is just around the corner and mayoral candidates are zoning in on issues that matter most to the city’s residents.

As the race intensifies ahead of October vote, two mayoral candidates are making their campaign promises for Edmonton youth and traffic safety.

“Working with school boards to wave all rental fees on gyms and for not for profits, we aim to host at least one free or low-cost activity everyday in school gymnasiums across the city — lead by trusted sport a recreation groups,” said Michael Walters, mayoral candidate.

Walters told the media Thursday morning, he wants to expand youth recreation and after school programs for Edmonton students if he’s elected mayor.

It comes as the city’s mayoral candidates begin their campaign promises as election season ramps up — and a televised debate with five of Edmonton’s mayoral candidates set to take the stage next week.

A recent leger poll shows the race for mayor is up for grabs.

“We had only been campaigning a few short weeks when that poll was done — compared to others who had been campaigning for many months and many years — and spending money for many months and many years,” said Walters.

 “This team of peace officers will focus on one of the most common frustrations Edmontonians share with me about traffic in their communities: unsafe driving and excessively noisy vehicles,” said Andrew Knack, mayoral candidate.

Knack is pledging a traffic safety team outside  a West Edmonton school, to crack down on speeding and dangerous driving

 The same leger poll found that nearly 60 per cent of Edmontonians are unhappy with direction the city has been going.

Knack told  CityNews in response that he hopes his record will speak for itself.

“There will be times like we saw last week, where I will vote against the pack — where maybe I’m not feeling that council is representing the public,” said Knack.

Political watchers say that frustration from Edmontonians could be trouble for incumbent candidates.

“If you look at the campaigns that are being run by Rahim Jaffer, Omar Mohammad and Tony Caterina — it’s all attacking the current mayor and council that they’ve done a crummy job and it’s time to throw them all out — and when you look at the sentiment of Edmontonians — a majority of Edmontonians feel the same way.

Edmonton’s election is set for October 20^th.