Ken Johnston | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Red Deer, Alberta | |
| In office October 25, 2021 [1] –November 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Tara Veer |
| Succeeded by | Cindy Jefferies (elect) |
| Personal details | |
| Spouse(s) | Isabelle (m. 1978;died 2017) [2] Carolyn (m. 2023) [2] |
| Children | 2 [3] |
| Occupation | Bank manager |
Kenneth Charles Johnston [4] (born c. 1954) [5] [6] is a Canadian politician. He has served as the mayor of Red Deer,Alberta since 2021.
Originally from Newfoundland,Johnston moved to Alberta in 1980. [2]
Before entering politics,Johnston worked for 40 years as a personal financial planner with Scotiabank. [3] He is the past president of the Red Deer Rotary Club. [7] He was transferred from a Scotiabank branch in Drumheller to Red Deer in 1996,and has lived there ever since. [1] [8]
In May 2013,Johnston announced he was running for a seat on Red Deer City Council in the October 2013 Red Deer municipal election. [5] Johnston was elected to the eight-seat body,winning over 7,000 votes,finishing sixth in the at-large race. During his first term as councillor,Johnston cited the economic downturn that the province had in 2015 was one of the council's greatest challenges. [9]
Johnston ran for re-election to council in the 2017 elections,promising to focus on community safety,policing and hospital expansion if elected. [9] He was re-elected,finishing sixth again,winning another 7,000 votes.
While on council,he was one of the few members who opposed shutting down the Cannery Row homeless shelter without an alternative in place. [10]
Following the decision of mayor Tara Veer not to run for re-election,in August 2021 Johnston announced he was going run for city's top job in the 2021 municipal elections,stating that "its critical... that we have a mayor who has proven leadership in the community,in professional life,and the administrative life at city hall... who can lead,collaborate and serve with a dynamic council team toward a greater Red Deer". He stated his platform would highlight economic recovery,community safety,crime prevention,fiscal management,stronger neighbourhoods,regional partnership and health care equity advocacy. [7] Johnston was elected as mayor of Red Deer on election day in a landslide. One of his opponents suggested Johnston was elected because the vote was split among Johnston's more conservative challengers,though Johnston won a majority of the vote. [10] Following his election,he stated his main priority would be "addressing downtown revitalization,including the social housing/homelessness crisis". [11]
As mayor,he continued to call on the provincial government for the expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital in the wake of the death of a patient who was waiting in the emergency room there. [12]
In 2024,Johnston stated he was opposed to the provincial government's proposal to allow for political parties at the municipal level. [13]
In January 2025,Johnston announced he was not running for re-election in the 2025 election. [14] He cited "securing $1.8 billion in improvements to the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre" as one of his main accomplishments. [15]
While serving as mayor,Johnston married his former sister-in-law Carolyn in a backyard ceremony in August 2023. Carolyn was previously married to Johnston's brother,who had died in 2016. [2]